this is where our adventure got extra special to me. we actually drove right past it and had to turn around. the gate was open and we just drove right into the middle of what seemed to be just a junk yard. not really a circus but a place where crazy statues go to rest in peace. (or pieces. . .) when we got out of the car there were a couple men when poked there head out of one of the warehouses to give us questioning looks. everyone heading in the direction of a dinosaur and i was like, "uh guys maybe we should ask if its okay that we're here??" when we came back around by the warehouse tara yelled to one of them, "is it alright if we look around?!" to which one of them yelled back, "well you're already in the gate so yeah! make sure you have a look in the other warehouse!!" so we did just that! poked around, climbed on things, took lots of pictures. all while laughing and shrieking and just in general being a pack of girls. when we were satisfied that we had seen/climbed on it all, we slowly made our way over the the warehouse where all the men were working.
this was hands down my favorite part.
when we got inside the man who owned the shop introduced himself as mark cline. he was a fiberglass artist and he told us about the piece they were working on (cow-topia) and talked to us while he worked. so there we are snapping pictures and chatting and watching him work and he started telling us a little about himself. he had a learning disability in school and so he always tried to be the class clown. he said thats how he started because he would make his own props. he makes things for haunted houses or special orders for random people who want fiberglass statues i guess. anyway right in the middle of our conversation he started sharing Jesus with us. all of our heads shot up and we looked at each other with huge smiles on our faces. its always really wonderful when someone beats you to the punch. the way he talked about how our words and actions can be healing to people was so beautiful and i almost got choked up. watching an artist and hearing his heart was the perfect end to our adventure.
but then it got just i tiny but better.
he volunteered for a picture and was giving us some brochures of his work when he mentioned foam henge.
listen y'all i have been trying to go to foam henge for almost six years and this man built it! i was flipping out. he said that every year he does something fun like that for april fools. he never tells anyone what it is and he does it at night so when people wake up its just there to surprise them. he asked if we'd seen the dinosaur in Glasglow and told us that years ago he filled the whole town with them but that was the only one left. (did i mention at this point i was flipping out?) so not only did we meet the creator of foam henge, but i finally know why that dinosaur is there next to the grocery store! i'm calling my life a success now. he told us to go check out foam henge and to be careful because he was sure it was really muddy. (which is was.) and we thanked him for the visit and drove off.
i think its safe to say the rest of the drive home we all had huge smiles on our faces. and he probably has no idea, but what a fantastic time we had. here are some of the pictures from the day.
^^jane nails the shot every time y'all.
^^my gosh can you feel that breeze?
^^new and old adventure shoes. i've had these since the beginning of college!
^^the junk yard!
^^dinosaur playing the ukulele?! yes please!
^^jane is a brave soul.
^^"look carissa! its a statue of you!"
^^inside the creepy warehouse!
^^probably the best picture i've ever been a part of!
again, i couldn't have asked for a better adventure or better adventure partners. those girls are just the best and i hope we can have another together. although i am not sure anything will ever top this.
adventures like these are some of the best things in life. and i love meeting strangers who love Jesus too. that's just rad.
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