Date with Discovery

Editor's Note: MOD Voices is thrilled to welcome blogger JoBeth McElhanon.  We invited JoBeth and her husband to come on a date to the Museum of Discovery.  Let's see what she had to say about her outing.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the most perfect date in the heart of Little Rockʼs Rivermarket. We didnʼt linger over coffee. We didnʼt savor fine food in a restaurant. We didnʼt dance the night away in a club. We laughed, engaged in witty banter, and learned new things about each other at the Museum of Discovery.

 

Entry to Museum of Discovery, Downtown Little Rock

A date? At the Museum of Discovery? Why yes, let me explain. Websterʼs defines “date” as an act of meeting and engaging in some mutually agreed upon social activity between two people with the aim of assessing the otherʼs suitability in an intimate relationship or as a spouse.
 
Being a hopeless romantic, I have never stopped to think that “a date” is indeed an assessment - a science experiment of sorts set up to answer the questions. How does he react in this situation? Does he exhibit the properties I desire? Do I possess the properties he desires? Am I measuring up? What is it exactly we are looking for in each other? Is he adventurous? Am I graceful? Is he brave? Am I warm? Is he flexible? Is my head in the clouds when Iʼm with him?
 
Whether you are on your first date or your 1000th date, these are questions we should never stop asking. With that in mind, the husband and I set out to DISCOVER the answers one Saturday afternoon.

Our first stop at the Museum of Discovery was “Harryʼs Big Adventure. My Bug World!” We meandered through the exhibit observing all creepy crawly things.

I was wearing my brave face. I was doing pretty good until we were came upon interactive exhibit / our first challenge: chocolate covered crickets and Mealworm Salsa. The buggy chef was touting her treats. We agreed to try the chocolate crickets. And then, the hubs surprised me. He tried the Mealworm Salsa. Weʼre talking little green leggy worms hanging out in tomatoes. He ate it! Now, thatʼs adventurous.
 
 

Mealworm Salsa, tastings every Saturday and Sunday through January 8, 2011

 
 
Not to mention he saved me from that mean olʼ Harry the Praying Mantis. My husband was proving himself to be a real Prince Charming.
 
 

Photo booth in Harry's Big Adventure exhibit

We continued our journey through bug world to the butterfly room. In this virtual experience animated butterflies flittered about and alighted on me. It was time Prince Charming knew how much of a virtual Snow White I am. I mean, if a butterfly lands on me, I must be graceful as she, right? 

Butterfly Room in Harry's Big Adventure exhibit

Proving that he is brave and I am graceful, we still had more to learn about each other. We strolled to Health Hall. We tested our blood pressure to see just how strong our hearts were. Glad to report, weʼre in good shape there. (Due to HIPPA, youʼll have to take my word on that.)
 
 

Health Hall Blood Pressure Testing Station

Next came the real test of a relationship - flexibility. After 11 years of marriage, we admit we both are stubborn. We donʼt bend as easily as we did in the early years, or do we? According to the flexibility test, the hubs has an excellent flexibility range and mine was off the chart. So , maybe we arenʼt as stubborn as we thought. If we can bend a lot physically, surely we can learn to bend a little emotionally.

So far we learned: we are brave, graceful, strong hearted, and flexible. Great qualities in a spouse, but what about “the heat”? All great relationships have heat? Do we? According to the thermography scanner we do. Weʼre hot all over (except for my nose. itʼs always cold). It was at this exhibit we bumped into a younger couple - on a date. They were laughing and giggling and making crazy eyes at each other. Ah, young love. Then I realized, we, the old married couple, had been doing the very same thing all the way through the museum. Eleven years later and our our heads were in the clouds. Literally. There were honest to goodness clouds! They were rising from the lower level where children played and made cloud rings. We ran down the stairs, pushed the kiddos out of the way (not really) and started to make our very own clouds.

One of the many quotes on the "Einstein Wall"

While the sound of laughter and learning rang out in the Museum, I realized, what a great treat this day was. On our 1000th plus date, we were having fun, learning new things about each other. We didnʼt have to wait to bring our nieces and nephews to enjoy this Little Rock treasure. The Museum of Discovery is a fabulous, creative date spot for adults. Plato was right. “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” What are you waiting for? Make that call. Send that text. Ask that cutie for a date to the Museum of Discovery. You never know, while you are there, you may discover love.  
 

Harry the Praying Mantis

JoBeth McElhanon

JoBeth McElhanon is an active community volunteer and a BIG fan of Little Rock.  She is a former marketing director and registered dietitian turned blogger. Her mission is to help other women live gracious, beautiful, strong lives and find the perfect shoe.  She and her husband Phillip can often be found scouting out the south’s best barbecue. Despite her recent date to Arkansas MOD, she has zero plans to incorporate mealworms into her diet or holiday entertaining.