July 11 - “Travelers”

Very early morning for Chris. Actually, about average for me. I woke up at 5:15. Chris’ alarm went off at 5:30. Let’s go!

Josh, Caleb and Luke got the car all loaded up with suitcases. Cars were switched around into their vacation resting places. Then the passengers slowly crawled into our respective spaces. Chris and I flanked AnnaGrace in the middle seats of the van. She hugged her African wild dog. I was corrected on that point of origin. Apparently there is a major difference within the world wild dog population. Good to know. I assisted my little stuffed version of Jesus into a crevice on the back of a chair. Gotta have him riding with us. 

And finally we were ready. Off we go! Well, except for the brief pause for prayer. 

The first leg of the journey took us to … Buc-ees! Well, after Josh discovered a faster route and backtracked a bit. But I liked the new route. Took us past not one, but two of my new favorite roadside words - Snuffers. It is apparently a restaurant chain in the Dallas area. Someday I’ll go there. 

Oh, and we also got to cross a big ol’ bridge that spanned Lake Ray Hubbard (named for a distant cousin of the better-known Old Mother Hubbard.  Very few people know of the connection. Apparently Lake Ray was a bit embarrassed to be associated with poor old Ma. But that’s a story for another day).

Buc-ees was, of course, amazing. It wasn’t even very crowded. After a quick bathroom break, the kids grabbed drinks for the road. Mom told them no sweets just yet. Umm. DadDad may or may not have superseded said direction. It’s possible that in his haste to purchase an essential straw attached to a nose made of a beaver, there could have been a six-pack of Buc-ees famous chocolate chip cookies. 

And of course that big drink meant a quick stop at a roadside McDonald’s not that far down the road. Bathroom break again. Caleb was driving at this time. He threatened to refuse to sto for another hour. Nope. Mom insisted. Dad “encouraged.”  

For lunch … Arkansas. Christi found a little back-woods, out of the way place called Three Chicks. Amazing food. Even more amazing waitresses. And the actual “three chicks” were even hard at work on the premises. The food was named for people who worked there, and one dish was named for a customer who ordered the same thing three or four times a week. And she just happened to be seated at the table next to us - eating her signature food. Classic. And it gets better. She is the general manager of a rival restaurant in town. Wow. Oh! And they even had a little gift shop connected to it with some kind of homemade super-pickles, among other stuff. Not to mention the feed store that was the original purpose some 50-60 years ago. 

Stop at Three Chicks, folks. 

After grabbing some gas, we hit the road again. Chris drove this leg into North Little Rock and our first hotel. We didn’t have a lot of time to get checked in and unloaded before we had to get on out to the ballpark. 

Yep. Our first night excursion was to a AA minor league baseball game between the Arkansas Travelers and the Tulsa Drillers. It was an interesting combination for us. One team was the Baby Dodgers and the other was the Baby Mariners, both pretty serious rivals of the Astros. 

We were seated on the Baby Mariners side. I say all this by way of explanation. See, Caleb and I made a point to wear Astros shirts. And his was a replica jersey of none other than the Dodger nemesis himself - Jose Altuve. He’s not very kind to the Mariners, either. Nice move, Caleb. 

The game was fun. We chose to root for the Travelers for a few ready. One, we are travelers. Two, as Caleb informed one of the mascots, “We hate the Mariners less than we hate the Dodgers.” And three, our seats were on the home team side. 

I chose a favorite player. Not for skill. He just had the coolest name. Blake Rambusch. That’s a winner if I ever heard one. And I actually got a new stuffed friend. They actually have two mascots. That’s if you don’t count the one in honor of the groundskeeper’s dog - the Barkensas Dizzies (AnnaGrace got to pet the real dog). Or the one they operate under once a year during the opening week of duck season- the Mad Mallards. I love minor league baseball. 

So, the two regular mascots are

Ace, a horse, and Ocey, either some sort of swamp rat or maybe a possum. And yes, someone entertains the crowd in those full costumes. I went into the gift shop to get a stuffed rat loosely dressed in torn overalls. And who should be in there, taking pictures with people? Both of them. The cat was sitting on the floor. How could I pass it up? I joined him for a picture of my own, holding up the stuffed rat as well. 

Apparently, that didn’t set well with the horse. He wanted me to take a picture with him, too. I refused, showing the stuffed version of Rat Man, er Ocey. Ace stomped around a bit, then stormed off to the back of the store. Almost immediately he returned with a miniature image of himself, and thrust it into my face. I told him I just wanted one with the rat. The handler lady took off with that and conspiratorially said, “He called him a Rat!” The horse reared his head back, then offered me a fist bump. Friends forever. 

Later, the rat showed up near where we were sitting. The kids had a pic taken with him. When the handler saw Caleb’s Altuve jersey, she asked what was the deal with the Astros stuff. The Rat didn’t like his answer (we are equal opportunity fans tonight. Don’t like either team), and started hitting him over the head with one of those foam bats. That’s when Caleb assured him, “We hate the Mariners less than we hate the Dodgers.”  All was forgiven. Almost. 

Oh, and one time they announced that everyone should start dancing. Dutifully, me and the boys complied. And almost immediately, we were featured entertainers on the stadium Jumbotron. 

In the seventh inning, the on field announcer came to us with the mic and had us help lead the crowd in “Take Me Out To The Ball Game”.  We crooned with the best of them. 

Meanwhile, there was a baseball game going on. After a few home runs by the home team tied it up, they went ahead and took the victory. Baby Dodgers lose! Woohoo!  Final score was 7-5. 

It didn’t take long to hit the sack last night. We were all beat. Today, we seek out the Civil War in Tennessee. 

James‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ says, My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

Father, thank you for the chance the kids had to experience the randomness of a minor league game. Thanks for the memories for call of us. Amen.