Our Trip to St. Jude [Pics]

What a great time we had this past weekend making the pilgrimage to Memphis, TN, for a visit to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Our St. Jude Radiothon is coming up the first week in March (5th & 6th), so this was an opportunity for us to gear up for it by touring the hospital, meeting and hearing some of the families and kids talk about their experience at the hospital, and also to mingle with some of the country artists who support St. Jude.

While the hospital is certainly a beacon of hope for both the kids and their families, and generally it has an upbeat atmosphere that permeates the hallways, it was certainly an emotional experience for us, as well. I had been to the hospital before, but this was my first visit after becoming a dad. My biology has certainly changed, and I felt for the kids and their families on a different level than on my previous visit.

Here are some pics Amy and I took to share with you:

Kids typically ride in wagons in the hallways at St. Jude rather than being carried. These are parked and ready for the next ride!

The 'ABCs of Cancer' are poems written by the St. Jude kids. Here is one of the more famous ones as our tour guide put it. The entire wall can be seen below

Elvis was an early supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Gibson Guitars in Bozeman was so very generous to give us a guitar to take with us, so we could get it signed by the all the country artists who were with us at St. Jude this weekend. Thank you, Gibson Guitars!

Amy's view from her room at the Peabody Hotel, where Elvis, by the way, signed his first record deal in the lobby.

My view from my room at the Peabody. Obviously, they got our reservations mixed up . . .

We ran into The Band Perry the first night at dinner. They insisted on taking a picture with us!

No trip to Memphis is complete without seeing the famous ducks inside the Peabody Hotel. They actually live on the roof and take the elevator down to the lobby fountain twice a day. They even get the red carpet treatment from the elevator to the fountain. Make sure you get their early to watch - there are hundreds of people gathered to see this everyday.

We did manage to get to Beale Street in Memphis on the last night in town. We also met a homeless guy named Carlos on our trip. I wish we would have taken a picture with Carlos, he was one of the nicest people we met in Memphis. He told us if we gave him $10 to stay at the shelter that night that he wouldn't blow it on booze. "Now, I might have one beer with it," he said. So, we gave him $10 and told him, everyone should have a beer now and then!

It was a great trip and I can't wait to go visit Memphis and St. Jude Children's Hospital again, but it was also nice to get back home!

Please join us for our St. Jude Radiothon on March 5th & 6th!