Visit from the Bowles parents

Mom and Dad visited October 17th-22nd and we had such a fabulous time! We're so glad that they took the time to come and visit us in central Illinois.

We showed Mom and Dad around campus, including (of course) several libraries. Dad is one of the most curious people I know and he had loads of questions that I couldn't always answer (though I nearly always make an attempt to B.S. some kind of response). It made me think -- maybe this is why librarianship is so right for me.

We went to an Illini football game and they beat Indiana 55-13.
The game was a lot of fun and Memorial Stadium is truly impressive.
At church on Sunday, the children in our congregation presented a special program. I direct the kids' singing (I'm the Primary music leader) and so my parents got to see all the kids that I teach each Sunday. They all did a wonderful job singing and saying their spoken parts.

Last Monday we went to Springfield, IL together to the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Presidential Library and to the Lincoln House (pictured below). This is the home where Abraham and Mary Lincoln lived from 1844-1861 (when they moved to Washington, D.C.).
We spent two days in Chicago together and we got to see Wicked, go on a Chicago Architecture Foundation walking tour, and go to the LDS temple in Chicago. It was an action-packed visit and we all nearly walked our feet off, but it was a fabulous time!

M&M in front of the Chicago Temple
Tiffany glass in the dome of the Chicago Cultural Center -- absolutely stunning!

Homecoming

Alma Mater with an electric guitar. Theme of Homecoming: "Feel the 'Nois." Get it? No? It took me more than a week to catch on: 'Nois is short for Illinois and it sounds like "Noise." Now do you get it? Yeah, me neither.

This is a club that builds high-powered lawn mowers to pull stuff.

This float had the Chief gutting a gopher.

This past weekend was Homecoming at University of Illinois and, sadly, the Illini lost the big game to the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. Too bad. Mike and I went to the parade and enjoyed the floats, marching band, and carloads and carloads full of parade organizers. OK, honestly, I mostly just enjoyed the marching band.

I tried to upload a video of the marching band, but am having trouble "processing" the video. Maybe fate is intervening on your behalf, protecting you from the blast of brass and odd prancing steps of the orange-clad instrumentalists.

Mom and Dad are going to be here for a visit Friday the 17th through Wednesday the 22nd. Can't wait to see them!