Heaven (part 1)

As a child I can remember becoming very aware that one day my parents would die. I’d crawl out of bed crying and interrupt their precious alone time and start asking questions about when they would die, hoping they could offer me some hope. I remember one time they told me that they would no longer be married in Heaven. My little kid brain took that to mean that all memories of their life and relationships on earth would be erased. I was traumatized! I didn’t ask many more questions, but I remember thinking “What a cruel God! He allows us to have children, fall in love, travel the world experiencing wonderful things, pursue dreams and then we die and He takes it all away. Then we have to go stand in a giant sanctuary and sing songs for eternity! That sounds more like hell.”

The years passed and I didn’t give much thought to my future home, other than shooting up a quick prayer that God wouldn’t take me their before I had checked off all the grand adventures on my list. Marriage, kids, travel, etc because once I got there the adventure would end.  It wasn’t until I was in college and my grandparents began coming around a little more that I began to think about Heaven again. My dads parents, Bob and Mariel, had given their lives to bible translation and lived in the Philippines for as long as I had been alive. They would travel to the states occasionally, but we didn’t spend a lot of time together. I was attending bible college in Florida and they stopped by in their RV and microwaved up some mini Crystals burgers and quiches, the meal I remember eating with them almost every time we met in that RV. My Grandpa would always encourage me to write out the scriptures and memorize them because there was life in the word. And he and my grandma would always talk with such excitement about the coming of the Lord. I’ve never met anyone who was truly looking forward to eternity like they did. And it made me curious. My grandparents moved back to the states about 15 years ago (I think). My Grandpa died almost 2 years ago now, and every time I would see them at family gatherings he was always lost in his own little world softly whispering under his breath “Thank you Jesus, we worship you Jesus.” For every birthday he never wanted gifts, he just wanted us to worship together as a family. When he died I have never been more convinced of anyone’s overwhelming joy of being with Jesus.

Around the time my grandpa died I had lost several Great Aunts and Uncles within just a few years. My kids had been dragged around to a few funerals and they started to ask questions about death and Heaven. The very same questions that I had at their age. I remember one night trying to talk to Zion (my oldest) about Heaven and assure her that she would recognize me if I came to Heaven after her. I wanted to assure her that she was going to love it so much that she wouldn’t be sitting around, sad, just waiting for me. That created a new fear, “what if I’m having such a good time and you come to Heaven and I don’t know and we never meet or find each other?” After that night I became determined that my kids would have such an excitement in their hearts to experience Heaven and be with Jesus that it would never strike fear in their hearts.  I’m not sure that I’ve accomplished that 100%, but I can tell you that when we talk about Heaven it’s always an exciting conversation filled with joy and endless possibilities.

So I’m curious, when you really sit down and think about Heaven, does it cause anxiety? Is it the end of life as you know it, or a grand adventure that is just beginning? Does the thought of a never ending worship service in an overcrowded room sound like bliss, or is it possible that there is so much more to Heaven and worship? Do you fear leaving your family and friends behind?

These are some things I’d like to explore in the next few weeks. I am by no means an expert on Heaven. The extent of my research has been listening to a few audio books on peoples experiences with dying and then returning to earth, a few scriptures about Heaven, and a lot of exploring the limitless possibilities of Heaven within my limited mind. So if you’re up for exploring what might lay ahead in eternity then check in for part 2 on Heaven. In the meantime I’d love to know your concerns or things you’re looking forward to for eternity in the comments.

Come Out Of Hiding, You're Safe Here With Me

This was something I wrote a little over a year ago. It's a huge part of my story. My desire in telling it over and over again in different ways is that it would bring freedom and hope to anyone dealing with fear or anxiety. If you would like to hear the message I preached recently at church talking about this same subject then scroll down and click the link posted at the bottom.

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Imagine with me that someone hands you a card and inside is a gift card for a spa day. You thank them profusely telling them how much you been desiring a relaxing day. They leave and you jump in the car to head to the spa. But on the way there your mind wanders to everything that could go wrong while your gone. Your house could burn down, you could get in a wreck on the way there, you could get a brain eating amoeba from the water at the spa… So many potentially horrific things could happen!!😱 So you decide that the 'wise' thing to do would be to not indulge in a moment of pleasure but instead think about your future. So you go to the spa, cash in your gift card and drive straight to the insurance agency to get the best insurance policy to cover every horrific thing that could happen in your life or death. And at the end of the day you have taken a gift that was meant for relaxation and pleasure for that day and you have spent the whole thing on future events that will most likely never happen. And if they do, that insurance won't spare you pain, only some money.

Now, please realize that this is NOT about insurance-insurance is great.

 This is about GRACE and FEAR.

Matthew 6:34 msg "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

So many times we read over this verse like we've heard it a million times and in doing so it's lost all its truth and power. But the reality is that each day and moment comes with a gift: grace for the moment. Not grace for tomorrow or next year. But we think we know better and we try to figure out the future without God, because surely He won't be able to provide ALL that we need in the future. Fear and anxiety creep in and convince us that living fully engaged in today is frivolous so we should cash in our grace for fear. Fear will steal every last drop of hope and joy from your life. You will live waiting for the other foot to fall, because all good things must come to an end, right??! Why hope for anything good, disappointment is a faithful friend. This is the dark battle I began to fight a few years ago. 

I'm a pretty optimistic person, but the things that were happening in my heart weren't lining up with what was happening on the outside.

Until they did...

As I sat in my rocking chair nursing Sophia one night I heard the most booming whisper in my spirit, "Do you trust me?" To which I replied, "Of course, Lord" He asked again and my heart began to pound. But my answer was the same. In my mind I didn't even realize I had begun to panic "Why is He asking me this?? Is He about to doing something horrible?? Will he take my children or my husband? Are we about to find out someone has cancer. He wouldn't need me to trust Him unless something terrible is on the horizon..." He asked again and suddenly I looked down at this sweet child sleeping in my arms and thought, "No, I don't trust you! Because if I trust you with my children I'm afraid you will take them away" I had finally had a moment of truth with God and I felt so exposed that I began to sob. 

I wish I could tell you that I had a long and in depth conversation with God that helped me to fully trust Him and break off all the lies I had been believing that night. But instead it has been a beautiful and hard journey that has completely wrecked me in the most wonderful way! I didn't even think about that conversation for many months. Then one night I lay in my bed to go to sleep and my heart began pounding so hard and I felt like I was being suffocated, thoughts of horrible things began racing through my mind and I was paralyzed. It happened again and again for about 3 weeks. I would watch things happening around me as though I was stuck inside this giant bubble. I couldn't hear or feel. I was terrified of even trying to feel joy for fear of it bringing on another panic attack. About a week into this I found out I was pregnant. 

Isis began beheading people. There was an Ebola case in the states-in MY state.

And I found out that I was bringing a child into this world. And I began to pray that I would miscarry. I still can't write, say, or even think those words to this day without crying. 

No one knew what to do with me,

But God.

I remember sitting down one morning and listening to a song by Steffany Gretzinger called Out of Hiding.

"Come out of hiding

You're safe here with Me

There's no need to cover

What I already see

You've got your reasons

But I hold your peace

You've been on lockdown

And I hold the key"

And I saw this picture of the Lord coaxing me out of this tiny cave, with no room to move or enjoy life, and as I timidly came out I was standing in a flat, dry, cracked desert with Jesus right next to me and I was surrounded by enemy armies about a mile away. I felt so exposed but so safe in that moment. And I knew He was saying to me that He was going to walk me through this and my enemy will see me but they are powerless to come near as I walk this out. Looking back I realize that I had given my enemies every weapon they had and in walking exposed in the safety of Jesus' arms I began to disarm every one of them. 

Those 3 weeks were my lowest point and also the greatest invitation into freedom. I was forced to live in the moment, because if I jumped ahead at all I had a panic attack. I would wake up in the morning and ask what do you want me to do today Holy Spirit? Some days it was a walk to lower my anxiety getting out of bed. One day He told me to get in the pool with my kids and smile. He led me to an amazing Christian acupuncturist who helped me a ton. He had me seek out inner healing. I turned off the TV completely except to watch something that would make me laugh. I listened to every message on hope and trust I could find and I invited trusted and powerful people into my daily struggle who prayed with me and trusted the process of healing. And through it all I began to see a God who cared that I laughed and that my children felt loved and safe. He wasn't a 'miracle working God who was simply amping up our faith for the horrible time to come', that was some terrible theology 🤢! He's a good Father! So that means he's a million times better/more caring/more involved/loving/sacrificial/and protective than any earthly Father. And yet he trusts me with His kids 😶😭. I want Him on my team.

The same person who sat in that chair and finally admitted that she didn't trust God with her children (even though we had dedicated them😜) is the same person who can tell you today that He is the most trustworthy source of hope and life and joy that I know. And on a daily basis I close my eyes and fall into His arms and TRUST that He will catch me. Some days I still struggle, I find myself with my mind wandering ahead of my grace and I remember how exhausting it is to live without hope and to forfeit today's beauty for tomorrow's sorrow.

Today when I close my eyes I see myself in a beautiful field of wildflowers. I see freedom and room to run. I'm still exposed but I'm enveloped in this shield of unconditional love and trust. I'm in His heart. And I live so convinced that my love and trust has captured His gaze. He sees me, he holds me when I'm scared and He finds me when I've crawled by into my cave to hide. 

I will give my life to helping others see and hear the voice of Love calling to them "Come out of hiding, you're safe here with me." 

Your Spirit is a Warrior message

Beautiful things are in the womb of a seed

Rain is falling softly this morning and the sun still shines brightly behind a veil of sheer clouds. Its just enough light that when you walk outside and smell the refreshing of the rain and the sun still lighting the sky that your heart seems to stand tall, as though it had hunched over without you realizing it.

  I take a deep breath and realize that my heart has been heavy with the suffering I see. My heart wants to know the right words or things to do that will rescue them from pain.

  But the rain reminds me of the seed that must go down into the soil, into the darkness, alone, and die. Its cracked open, it looks like destruction, but then suddenly the rain comes and wets the soil. The soil; the darkness and isolation, the thing that feel like its been suffocating you, becomes life and nutrition. You find yourself feasting off of your destruction. You look at your little seedling body, cracked and destroyed beyond repair,  “This shouldn’t be, it isn’t right! No one could survive being filleted like this.” , but then you begin to see life shooting up and growing out of the remains of your heart. It looks so small and weak, it couldn’t possibly make its way through the thick darkness! But the refreshing rain causes the darkness to become soft and pliable and this weak little sprouts pushes its way out desperate to feel the Sun shining. That tiny little sprout makes it through and becomes whatever that tiny seed had been carrying around for years. A tree, a flower, something edible, life-giving. And as that tree or flower grows, basking in the Sun, boasting of the beauty that came from its death, that little seed remains in the ground, becoming the life source and anchor for the restoration that sprouted from destruction. And every time the rain falls the little seed sprouts legs and arms the dig deep and wide into the darkness that has become a source of life.

John 12:24 “A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat—all because one grain died.”

Suffering and pain are fascinating subjects to me. They used to be something I never wanted to think about or be around. They terrified me. I thought God had planned out points of extreme pain or suffering in my life so that I could be of use to Him, a pawn of sorts. I was always waiting for the other boot to drop anytime things seemed good. But I seemed to have forgotten there is an enemy. John 10:10 “ A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter,and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!“ 

 Though I still don’t wish pain and suffering to be a part of my life, I see an undeniable beauty not just from the life and restoration that comes from them but the terrified yet obedient surrender of one who lets others come close to share in their pain. Theres nothing more precious to me than when someone shares their deepest pain, anger, grief, regret, etc with me knowing that I have no power to rescue them only to sit in silence as they release the pressure on the valve. So often we don’t want to burden others with our suffering, but we want nothing more than to not be alone as we walk through it.  At some point we let that tension catapult us into isolation, or to bear the most raw and tender places of our souls hoping that someone will just BE with us. 

  I don’t understand suffering and how there seems to almost be a need for it. I suppose its a product of our fallen world. Because Eden was created to reflect Heaven. No suffering, no pain. But now in our world it almost seems as though everything of value comes from a place of pain or destruction. Pearls are formed by years of irritation, diamonds by extreme heat and pressure, forests return with vibrant beauty after wildfires, those who were once abandoned now rescue children, those who were abused help others escape, those who have suffered tell their story and offer hope, those who knew no laughter or joy are now filled with laughter, those who had no family are surrounded by family, God became man, suffered and ultimately died to restore hope and life.

  This morning the rain reminded me of one of my favorite Childrens books, ’It will be okay.” My kids don’t really care for it, but I nearly cry every time I read it. And I just wanted to encourage some of my friends walking through dark places, that beautiful things are in the womb of a seed.

Love and History

https://www.facebook.com/saragroves/videos/10153325403015598/

I was watching this video today and it 1:44 I just lost it. (sorry for the link, but I'm not to blog savvy) when my children were just a little younger, not so long ago. We walked through some rough seasons together. Nothing horrible, just me learning to be a mom. You know, all that fun stretching and dying stuff ;). And of course throw in some very strong-willed girls. I would have watched a video like this and thought "we may never make it to have that kind of relationship." I have felt like I was failing more times that I can count. And spent many days wondering why I wasn't like all those other moms whom mothering came to so easily. But one day I realized something had changed. Every relationship changes and morphs as you grow together. So I wanted to write this as a reminder to myself and for anyone else who might need to hear it. Toddler years can be so rough, But don't discount the history that is being built.

            Love and History

When your children are firstborn there is this sort of unexplainable love it just consumes you. I want to say it's hormonal, but I don't want to reduce it to that. It's a love that is impossible to have ever known until you have children of your own. And it's mind blowing that you can love so fiercely someone you have never met, and have no history with.

Then, for me at least, after about 3-5 years that love morphs into something new. The old love isn't gone, but now you have a history. 

You've gone through Illnesses, frustrations, great highs, and great lows. You probably gone through seasons of feeling like all you do is sacrifice and wonder if you'll ever see re-ward.

  Even the worst of seasons always come with great moments and great victories. They aren't forgotten or even overshadowed but they are quickly stored away in your heart under a file called 'history'. 

You may be walking through life for years at times changing diapers, cooking meals, barely making it through the day and wondering what you even accomplished. If you're like me you probably repent a million times a day for ever thinking that moms were lazy or  undisciplined.

But then...

One day you look at them and you just melt. These wonderful little people who you have such an intense history with have absolutely stolen your heart. And it's not just the good moments that I've made your history rich, but it's the battles you've walked through together. 

It's the battle of the heart and the mind where you've come to realize your time spent with them is not just significant to them but to the world.

It's the battle for the inheritance and legacy that you want to leave to future generations.

It's the battles  you've fought for their health and their attitudes. Teaching them how to manage their emotions, and express them appropriately.

It's the battle you fought for them to always know how deeply you love them even when you're frustrated with them.

It's the battle you're continually fighting for them to know the Father's heart, and to always teach them His ways.

One day I hope my children look back and don't just see a mother who showered them with love and affection every day, but a mother who went to war for them. And even though it may have felt at times that I was at war with them I hope and pray they see a treasure in the history too.

I am so thrilled that I get to spend a lifetime knowing and loving these 3 incredible little women so intimately and deeply. And I love knowing that our days spent together, though most are mundane, will have ripple effects throughout history.

God laughs

A few nights ago around 2 am I was awoken by a blood curdling scream that sent me from a deep sleep to Z's side in a matter of seconds. She's had nightmares before but never anything that had her screaming like that. We prayed together and I got a shower ready for her while I changed her sheets. She had wet the bed, which she never does. 

After her shower we were talking and I let her know that any time she is scared she can always ask Jesus,

"Where are you and what are you doing?"

 So we decided to practice together. She closed her eyes and I told her to look around her room in her mind until she knew where Jesus was. It took a few minutes to get her to focus. First she saw the ninja turtles, then penguins, but then she saw Him. He was in the corner. So we closed our eyes again to find out what he was doing. Immediately she began to giggle uncontrollably and yelled out "He's laughing!".

And like a flash of lightning I had a download of information straight from the Father to my heart. And I heard these words, 

"I am never laughing at you, but my laugh is for you."

Psalms 2:4 “He Who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision [and in supreme contempt He mocks them].”

It's suddenly dawned on me that I have a hard time with the image of Jesus laughing. It's not that I have a problem with it theologically or anything, it's just not a part of Him that I've really had an encounter with. He's always been a Comforter or a Father, far more serious than just a friend to laugh with.  

But my child now has a revelation of a God who is always near and laughs in the face of fear. And fear cannot stand in the presence of the Joy of the Lord. He goes to war for us with laughter. And because of my daughter I hear His laugh too. 

Raelynn Joy Uunila-birth story

Born May 7th 2015 around 9:35pm. She was 8lbs 12oz (I think 😬 I'll have to double check that) and 21inches long.

I decided to have Raelynn at home. I had my first two at a birthing center, and I had always wanted a homebirth. Erik and I had decided that since my first two births were healthy we felt comfortable doing a homebirth. I was 8 days overdue with Zion, and 9 days overdue with Sophia. So I expected to be overdue again, though I still got my hopes really high that I would go into labor early. Of course week 39 rolled around and nothing but a bunch of Braxton Hicks contractions were happening.

Then both girls got strep throat.

We got anabiotic's and got over that.

Then I got the worst chest cold I've ever had in my life! I sounded like I was trying to hack up a lung 24/7.

When I was about three days overdue I woke up in the middle of the night to go pee, I went pee and stood up to wash my hands and started having a coughing spell and "water" went everywhere. So I cleaned up, and went and laid down and my contractions started around 2 AM with just enough pain that I couldn't sleep, but weren't getting any closer together. So in the morning I called my midwives to see if they could come by and check me to see how far along I was since my water had broken. We made phone calls, and sent text to family letting them know my water had broken and we would probably have a baby in the next 24 hours. I believe around 10 AM my contractions stopped. I was so frustrated! My midwives decided to come later in the afternoon. So I went for a walk around the neighborhood trying to get contractions going again. After a couple hours they started again. Again with enough intensity to be painful but still not getting closer together.

My midwives were headed over in the afternoon, so I called my mom and sister and tell them to go ahead and head over because this was it. Everyone got here around the same time ready to meet a baby. My midwives checked to make sure my water had broken as I had thought the night before. Turns out I had just peed all over myself!!

Hahaha!

And once again my contractions stopped. My midwives let me know I was only dilated to a 2. They let me know that they've seen this happen so many times with people that are really sick. Their body is ready to go into labor and labor will start but then keep stopping because they need rest. So the doctors orders were to see if my parents could take the kids for the next few days. Take the anabiotic that I've been refusing to take. And get in bed and try to sleep as much as possible. I was also told I could drink a glass of red wine to help me sleep.

So my sister and mom left and took my kids, I went and got my anabiotic and some red wine and went to bed for the rest of the day. I had no more contractions until about 2 am again the next morning. It was the same pattern they continued until midmorning, then stopped. 

My midwives were so sweet and came out again to check me. This time I was dilated to a four. But again everything had stopped. They had advised me to try to get some more rest. And try to encourage me that once things really got go in that I would probably give birth quickly.

So once again everyone left and I decided to have a nice warm bath drink an extra big glass of red wine and take a sleeping pill. Don't judge! 😂

And of course after I got in bed with all that lovely stuff in my system my contractions started again. I think I was able to get about 30 minutes to an hour of sleep before I just couldn't stand it anymore. So I got up and decided to start cleaning since the kids were gone. By this point I think it was around 4 or 5 in the afternoon. I noticed my contractions had a little bit more intensity but still weren't getting any closer together. So I just kept cleaning and eventually let Eric know we might be having a baby that night or the next day. 

Around 6 pm Erik came out of his office and my contractions were pretty intense but weren't any closer together. He could tell that I was in active labor, but I still wasn't ready to admit it. I just didn't want to get my hopes up again. Finally after a really hard contraction I agreed that this was it.

And let him know I should eat something before labor really got intense. I wanted steak and Caesar salad. Erik ran down the street to the store and cooked the steak within about 15 minutes. He put that beautiful steak on my plate and cut off the first bite for me and I took one look at it and told him I couldn't eat. I felt so bad, but in that short amount of time I had hit transition and didn't even know it.

Thank God for a husband that recognizes transition though :-). Erik kept insisting that we should go ahead and start filling up the birthing pool. I kept telling him no because I thought I'd be in labor for so many more hours and didn't want the water to get cold. Thankfully he made the executive decision and went ahead and started feeling it. When it was only about halfway full I came in the room and let him know I needed to get in. I jumped in the pool and those deep transitional groans began.

I remember feeling so bad calling my mom and the midwives and asking them to come over. I thought for sure that I hadn't progressed but I really just wanted more support there with me. Within 30 minutes my midwives, my mom, and my sister had all showed up. It's funny how on the outside I totally would have known I was in transition. But when you're the one going through it you kind of feel crazy. I was letting out these deep painful groans and as soon as my mom and midwives walked in the room they knew I was about to have a baby. I was in my own little world.

My midwives wouldn't check me unless I asked them to. And I didn't want anybody touching me with a 10 foot pole unless it was for comfort :-). With my last two I always progressed to about an 8 and then I would stall out until my water broke, so I expected the same. My water hadn't broken so I figured I was probably going to be stuck until my water broke.

About an hour and a half or so after everyone had gotten there I remember getting on my hands and knees, and in my head I swear I thought I was screaming, but on the video I'm silent. I decided to go ahead and get a little practice push and see if anything happened or if I could break my water. I remember giving a little push and feeling something weird come out. I had on a skirt so no one could see anything and it was dark in the room. I reach down and felt that I had pushed out her head and the reason it felt weird was because she was still in the sack! I gave it one more good push and she came right out and her little butt floated straight up to the top of the water. As soon as I grabbed her the water sack broke and all the gasps of amazement and shock started.  No one had a clue that I was pushing her out. She came into this world so peacefully and let let out one little cry and that was it. It was so fitting for her personality, since that day she has been the most peaceful, calm and happy baby and such a joy to be around!

My DFW bucket list for toddlers

Don't get your hopes up.

 I'm not gonna start blogging again 😜.

I just needed to make a list...cause I like lists. I really like lists on paper, but since links and paper don't work we'll together then a blog it is.

I'm trying to compile a list of play dates that are somewhat conveniently located between myself (in south Arlington) and a friend (in Grapevine). I would like for them to be mostly indoors and air conditioned, free or very cheap a majority of the time, great for expending lots of energy, and safe to let my 1 year old run around and climb everything.
I'm not really a fan of library events, my kids won't sit still for that stuff and it doesn't wear them out. Indoor playgrounds at fast food joints are usually overcrowded and dirty and I can't keep my dang kids in them! They'd rather try to spend their time escaping. I already know of lots of great parks its just way to hot, and we have a pool so we have lots of play dates at home involving water already.

SOOOO, after you've read through my list below and have gleaned from my vast knowledge 😂, and have read my likes and dislikes above, then please please do share any recommendations you have that might fit into our framework!


The Ark at Grace Point Church in Coppell
Free
I haven't been yet, but it seems like a nice clean, safe place for the kids.

Royal Jump at the Parks Mall in Arlington
$6 for kids
$4 for adults
before 2 pm (all day pass)
This is a massive room full of bounce houses and lots of small ones for toddlers.
You have to watch your kids though, it's madness when it's crowded (so go as early in the day as possible). I found a little boy smacking my 1yr old over and over with a part of a bounce house and also found a little girl trying to 'help' pick my 1 yr old up tightly by her neck 😳! All that craziness happened after 3 pm. I've been twice around 10/11am-ish and its been a ghost town.

JumpStreet trampoline park in Colleyville
$4 all day
Just did this for the first time today and my kids had a blast and were begging to go to bed on the ride home 👍. Went with a friend and all our kids are under 4 so we had to stay in the under 7 area which is just a bounce house and then 3 big rectangular trampolines that partially slice up the wall. There are monitors watching the kids to make sure no ones beating each other up or breaking rules, but you still have to keep a bit of an eye on your kids.


The Tubes at Irving Bible Church
Free
I haven't been in a few months but this is a massive church and the Tubes are like the chick fila playground on steroids. It's padded, has an area for smaller kids, is surrounded by glass and only has one door in and out. And AIRCONDITIONED!  There's seating all around and a coffee shop just down the hall a ways.


Gateway Church in Southlake indoor play place
Free
I haven't been yet, and there website is incredibly annoying because there is no information about their playground! But you can check out this website for pictures:
http://worldsofwow.blogspot.com/2010/11/gateway-church.html
You will just have to call and ask if the kids building is open that day. I called today and it was closed for vbs, so be sure to check before you go.

Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park (Dallas)
Prices vary
So this is further than I prefer to drive, but I guess if I'm desperate my daughter would really enjoy watching the butterfly release. They do it every day at noon.

Dallas World Aquarium
Terribly overpriced! But its one of those things you've just got to do.
$21 for adults
$13 for ages 3-12
Under 3 is free though, so I figure I better get my butt up there before Z turns 3 in a few months.


Okay, don't forget to share your hidden dfw gems!