yesterday, was homeschool day at the capitol.

we went.

i was trying to have a really good attitude and learn. why, i even took a few notes... i was "showing," my son how this really was going to be fun! even though i had no clue what the workshop speakers were saying. and for sure, my boy didn't.

and of course, my mind started wandering.... first, looking around noticing that most of the students eyes were glazed over. then i started daydreaming and thinking of garage sailing. next, i noticed the families which-- at first glance, looked like they might be representatives for purina animal chow... all dressed in red gingham-- like the purina motif. another family, followed in the duggar trend, by dressing all 10 of their kids in matching polo shirts. i do have to admit... these parents have done a stellar job of parenting... all of the children were super well-behaved. very attentive. no wiggles. and no silliness. after noting their behavior... i couldn't help but turn my head over to my tommie.... who was lining up little spit wad balls in a perfectly straight line... and pretending that he was going to randomly blow them through his straw.

it was then i knew, this workshop wasn't for us.

i passed tommie a note and said... now, it's time for me to teach you what a non-conformist is! let's split.

i explained to tommie what a non-conformist is. and when you do need to conform. you know, like traffic laws, authority, the 10 comandments and other moral issues. but, darn-it.. there are just times when you need to know... it's okay not to conform. to break free. to listen to your own drummer. drive your own bus. seek out your own adventure and make the best of a really boring situation.


after our brown bagged lunch (i saved $10. for packing our own), i told tommie we were going back into the capitol and see if i could talk someone into giving us an exclusive tour. it worked. we had a private tour from an elderly man-- who took us behind the scenes where the public isn't allowed. there, we even learned more... little things that you would never think about. i can't tell you here... security reasons. but, wow. god bless this man for taking time with us.

we also experienced some serious lobbying going on. white and blue collar workers, who were voicing their opinions in the rotunda, about the stimulus money being spent on michigan's debt, instead of the promise to fix michigan roads. the most impressive thing, was a truck driver, who had driven his peterbilt and road grader and parked it right smack dab in front of the state capitol. i salute him. and agree... if michigan roads were repaired... it would certainly employ more people.

the public was lined up above-- on the rotunda balconies, in support for "fix michigan roads." never in 45 years have i witnessed lobbying.

after our private tour... we decided to explore lansing. my son spotted 3 huge chimneys and asked me to seek them out.... so i did. we drove a short distance to discover this was the power plant for the city of lansing. at security, i asked if they gave tours...the answer... not usually. however, God blessed us with a security guard who gave us a private tour. where we learned a wealth of information... "on our level."

we encountered another angel, who i want to tell you about...

you see, before all of this started... we had to find parking in lansing. i spotted a parking garage, right next to the capitol. thinking this was a public garage... i pulled in... only to find that it was for government workers at the capitol. looking in my rear view mirror, i noticed a line of cars behind me... suddenly, a really beautiful black woman, smiling, jumped out of her car, punched in her security code and said... just go on in now... and park at the top... you'll be just fine.

in closing... i just want to say, there are still more good then bad people in this world. and, had we not broke free from the mundane workshops we were signed up for...if we would of conformed and followed the homeschool crowd, if we would of rode the school bus like the other children... we would of missed the good. and believe me... there is lots of it! smile, wink, nod.