Hanson's Happenings!: March 2011

A few weeks ago we were blessed to be able to fly to Chicago to watch Gunnar's story being recorded in front of a live studio audience on Unshackled! at the Pacific Garden Mission. If you are not familiar with Unshackled! you can listen to a few episodes online by clicking here. I used to listen to it as a kid. It is the longest running radio drama in history, and has been on the air since 1950. They tell true story's of people who's lives have been changed by the power of Christ. Pacific Garden Mission, where they record, is a rescue mission, helping the homeless in Chicago with their physical (place to stay, meal, hair cut, clothes, ect) and spiritual needs. We were so blessed to be able to take a trip out, thanks to a very generous person, who paid for our trip. :)

We left Friday and spent that whole day in travel. The kids stayed with my mom, as it was such a quick trip and we felt as some of Gunnar's story (particularly his early childhood) might be kind of intense/traumatic for Grace. So spending the day with Gunnar on an airplane was actually kind of a treat, almost like a date. :) We got to get caught up on fun reading (I recommend Laura Bush's book, by the way, I really enjoyed it) and knitting. I was very glad they let me bring the knitting needles on the plane.

Saturday morning we woke up to a gray city. I think traveling gives me a greater appreciation as to why they call San Diego "America's finest city", because so many other places are not nearly as nice.

We drove to downtown Chicago (where the Pacific Garden Mission is located), but first we had some time to kill. Our first stop of the day was an obvious choice.

After that, we went to Moody Bible Institute. Gunnar's first year of Bible College was correspondence through Moody, so it was fun to see the campus and tour the little museum to find out more about D.L.Moody, the founder and famous evangelist.

It is hard to see in the picture but above the doorway where I am standing says "Moody Bible Institute."

After Moody, we went looking for lunch. We had trouble finding anything open, and it was FREEZING, so we had Thai food (it was close to where we parked).

We still had time to kill, so we drove around Chicago for a while, but none of my pictures were too interesting, mostly gray on gray on gray on gray. It was snowing at this point, which was kind of exciting. Well, exciting for me anyways, since I have only seen it snow once or maybe twice before, and that was a very long time ago.

In the song for "Sound of Music" there is a line about "snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes" as being one of her favorite things. So I thought I would try it out. And let me tell you, it is WAY overrated. I have almost lost my faith in that song now, although I do really like "bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens." If you aren't really a Sound of Music fan, then I am sorry, you have missed out. But there is a silver lining, you can join Gunnar in laughing at me standing out in the freezing cold. He found it very amusing, while sitting in the warm car.

Finally, we headed to the Pacific Garden Mission.

We finally got to meet Flossie, who we had emailed back and forth with when I submitted the story. She was super sweet and very bubbly.

This is the auditorium where they record. I took a picture of the sign above it, becuase it is a line from Grace's favorite song.

We went on a tour of the place before the recording. The first stop was the dinning room. They feed lots and lots of people here. They told us all sorts of numbers but I didn't write them down, and numbers don't really stay put in my head for very long (it is true, Gunnar can confirm this.)

This was our tour guide. He used to be a heroin junkie but got saved at the mission in 2007. He now has an apartment (and wife) off site, but he helps out there. Nice guy.

This is the one of the sleeping areas for the men. They have a whole system, where they have to shower and then wear a hospital like gown. That way they can't bring knives or drugs or whatever in with them.

On the top of the buildings are solar panals. They just got this new building a few years ago and it is very "green." There was a green house downstairs where they grow a lot of their fruits and vegetables.

The Billy Sunday Chapel.

The architect had incorporated street like features to help the homeless people feel more at home. I thought it was clever.

I loved this poster. If only it said San Diego of course.

These were the founders of the Pacific Garden Mission back in the day. It hasn't closed a day since they opened it, back in that year that I can't remember. (I told you I am not good with numbers)

After the tour we sat down to watch the recording. The room was large and there were a decent number of people there.

This is one half of the room, to give you and idea of how big it was. This was a few minutes before it started and it filled in some more by the time it started.

Flossie giving the introduction.

The actors. Everyone had to be perfectly quiet (or else they had to do it over) so I didn't take pictures while they were going. This was taken at one point when they had CUT to talk a line over. The guy standing on the right was the actor who portrayed Gunnar. The other guy standing played a few of Gunnar's "buddy's" and his brother Bart (who they called "Vince"-to protect the innocent and all). Sitting down, the lady on the far left played Beverly (they called her Vivian), the lady in the middle played Carol (or Cheryl) and a girl from Gunnar's past, and the man sitting next to her played Dick (aka Rick). The man who's face you can't really see was the counselor and base Chaplin. The scene they are doing is from BUD/S and you can see the guy kneeling on the far right. His arms are in a tub of water where he and another man (the desk is blocking him) made the sound effects. They had trouble getting the water effects to sound right, so they had to do this scene a couple times, and the water guys ended up pretty wet.

So since Gunnar's story is a two parter, I had wanted to go to the second week's recording (becuase that is the part of the story that I am featured in). But as it worked out, the first week was the week that Gunnar already had lined up someone else to preach. So it just seemed like the right week to go. And I was just blessed to be able to go in the first place, I wasn't that picky, I just had thought it would be nice. Well sitting next to us at the recording was a Navy Chaplin who knew a bunch of Gunnar's friend. He had even done a death notice for one of Gunnar's good friend. So it was neat how God knew the right week for us to be there.

We stood outside and talked to our new friends in the snow.

From there Gunnar went out to dinner. I held a hand full of snow, becuase after all, that isn't something I can do everyday. Yes, this did cause Gunnar to mock me some more.

We heard that pizza is the thing to eat in Chicago. I was not impressed. It was kind of like a cross between a pot pie and a lasagna. It kind of felt like a brick in our stomachs after wards. But we did try it, which is part of the fun in traveling.

All in all, it was a great trip. It was a dream come true for me to see the Pacific Garden Mission after hearing about it my whole life. Not to mention that watching Gunnar's story being recorded is one of those amazing once in a life time experiences. And aside from that, how often do I get to spend TWO whole days with Gunnar without my kids? Yes, it was amazing. So, if you happen to be reading this and are the person who generously donated so we could go, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Again, here are some recent randomness that make me smile.

Grace passed out on the couch on the Sunday of Daylight savings. I can relate to the feeling, we were all pretty tired.

Elizabeth out exploring in the yard. I think she was trying to wipe her hands off after accidentally touching dirt. I am glad to see she already agrees that dirt really is the downside of going outside.

Grace drew this picture of Noah's ark. She said she made the ark to look kind of like a castle. I guess it is princess meets Bible story. Love her!

Grace loves drawing, anywhere and anytime. Sidewalk chalk for her birthday has been a big hit this month.

I came out the other day to find that Grace had put Ellie to play the piano so she could dance to the music. Too funny and cute to see them "playing" together.