Michelle,
It sounds like you had a wonderful trip!  Thanks for sharing with us!
Virgie and Hoshi
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michelle Pryor" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 1:09 AM
Subject: my trip


My trip to see my friend and attend the Christian Blind Institute  was 
awesome! I left on Wednesday the 19th. I arrived in St. Louis as the first 
storm
was hitting. Fortunately through that storm and the 1 on Friday we only 
experienced some wind rain and thunder, but didn't lose power. The 3 guide 
dogs
got along well with each other. And ellie wasn't in to chasing any of the 4 
cats.
On Thursday we went for a short walk in the afternoon. In the evening we 
went for a horsedrawn carriage ride. The ride was for 30 minutes. It was fun 
to
chat with the driver and just listen to the sounds around me. We went to 
dinner at an awesome place called Callicos. The only bad part was the noise. 
Gosh
that place was loud! Friday  afternoon we went on a narrated Riverboat 
cruise. The hour long cruise was full of interesting bits of history and 
info about
the river. After the  boat ride we went to the gift shop and then to a small 
pet store and out to eat. Ellie didn't do well on the walk to the Bread Co
which was the only down part to the day. She did better on the walk back to 
Amy's.
I left for the institute mid morning on Saturday. I had a great time with 
Christy and Amy having deep seerious and totally wacky conversations until 
way
late at night and sleeping in, eating junk food, and listening to music. I 
really want to go back and  see them soon!
The institue was held at a catholic Retreat Center an hour from STL. It was 
a beautiful place.  The campus is 80 acres with walking paths and gardens. 
There
are cows and horse and ducks to listen too. I loved going walking after 
classes or in the evening.
The food was amazing! I am afraid to find out how much I gained, grin, but 
it was all worth it.
During the day there were several classes offered. I was a second year 
student which means I took christian counseling and evangelism. I learned a 
lot in
both classes expecially during the roll playing.
In the evenings we played games or sat around and talked. I made 2 wonderful 
friends this week, and able to rebuild a friendship I had lost several years
ago.
We took a field trip on Tuesday to Grant's Farm. Its not the most exciting 
place in the world, but I have lots of pics from there including one of me 
feeding
baby goats. They were so cute! The food was good and so was the wine cooler! 
The tram ride was relaxing.
After Grants Farm we visited the lutheran library for the Blind in kirkwood 
MO. It was neat to see the different machines they use and to wander among 
the
shelves and shelves of braille books. I got quite emotional while looking at 
the books. The same sort of thing happened to me while on my first trip to
the library for the blind in Seattle. I wandered through the room of books 
thinking about how I could read anything I wanted and how different and neat
that was. This time it was even more emotional and special, because all 
these books contain speeritual food for those of us who are blind. It is all 
made
posible by God's blessings and the hard work of staff and volunteers. We 
stayed at the library for about an hour and then headed back to the retreat 
center.
I left on Saturday.
I was so blessed on this trip, spending time with old friends, and making 
new ones, worshiping during the singing and prayer times in the morning and 
afternoon,
learning how to share my faith in counseling situations, and on and on I 
could go.
But I'll stop because this is getting long.
Shelly