Boots, Bellies and Beginnings

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Kansan Cultural Case Files

Situation: Man is seen walking in Walmart parking lot wearing a large cowboy hat, cut off shirt, gym shorts and cowboy boots. Those inside the store not only continue this trend of clothing but go the next step with added sparkles and women showing lots of belly. In many ways the fashion trends are not dissimilar to those seen in Cairns, Australia (very "beachy" in dress).

Conclusion: Kansans are crazy peoples.

Reality: The "Country Stampede" was in town. It is a large country music concert. We were simply seeing extensive concert dress.

Note: Kansans still wear boots, hats and shorts together. This trend is amusing to those of us from more eastern states.
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This is a taste of the beginning of our life in Kansas. It has been a very busy few weeks and will still be crazy for a few more weeks. On June 13th Wil graduated from BOLC at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Immediately after the graduatiion we began our drive to Kansas. We arrived after our apartment's office was open so we spent our first night in a hotel. The next day we spent unloading our belongings and settling items on a basic level. On the 15th we took a plane to Columbus, OH where Wil's family picked us up and took us home to West Virginia. My parents made a flying trip down to bring our last belongings from Michigan and on the 19th we were in a loaded Penske truck heading back to Kansas. On July 14th I head to MI for a week to see my family. About a week after I return Wil's parents will come visit us for a few days.

We are loving our new home. A full kitchen is such a blessing after months of very little space. All the stores and restaurants we could possibly want are only minutes away yet we live in a quiet part of town with a beautiful view as you drive down the road. Even Fort Riley is closer than we realized.

One of our most exciting blessings is the discovery of a new church family. The first church we tried was nice but just not "the fit" we were hoping for. Last week we tried University Christian Church. It is a nondenominational church with about 1000 in attendance across four services. We immediately felt "at home." They seem to have solid teaching and a real sense of community. Despite its large size, we were pleased to find that they offered many ways to get plugged in and to know people through life groups (small discipleship groups), Sunday School for all ages, military ministry, and Bible studies.

Pictures and more details in future posts!