We Miss You, Bubbles!

Bubbles is currently in Mexico, Missouri visiting Steve's Mom, Oma. Steve, Mason, and I will be venturing to Indiana next weekend to meet Oma halfway to pick up Bubbles and Blaize (Steve's nephew). It's a 10 hour drive of quality time (one way) for Steve and I. I desperately pray that Mason does well during the drive. We will have plenty of stops along the way so he can stretch his legs.

Here is some history I found on the world wide web with regards to Mexico:

Mexico, Missouri was laid out as "New Mexico" in 1836 and was a major stop for settlers heading to the Republic of Texas. The Republic of Texas was a sovereignty nation in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the nation claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S.... (thus the name New Mexico), and became the county seat. A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there.... under its present name in 1837. The word "New" was dropped after the Mexican-American War that saw Texas as a U.S. state located in the South Central United States.

There is an apocryphal story concerning the name. When a University of Missouri student, questioned on radio, was unable to give an account of her hometown's name, the question was put to L. Mitchell White, editor of the Mexico Ledger: "'The first settlers found a wooden sign allong the trail. It pointed southwest, and on it had been painted Mexico.'" To avoid unnecessary labor, the sign was left in place. "It was easier to call their town 'Mexico' than to take down the old sign."

Mexico was incorporated as a town in 1855, was entered by the Wabash road in 1858 and by the Alton in 1872, and was first chartered as a city in 1874. The city is situated in the blue grass region of Missouri, and was a shipping-point for horses and mules. Mexico was a one-time major source for the nation's fire brick. A fire brick or refractory brick is a block of Refraction ceramic material used in lining furnaces, kilns, firebox , and fireplaces.... production, so much so, that it adopted the moniker "Fire Brick Capital of the World". However, the industry fell on hard times and both major refractories in the area closed around 2000. There is currently no active fire brick quarrying or production in the area.The historic downtown square, with the typical court house as the focal point, is surrounded by dozens of multi-story brick buildings--some dating to the founding of the community. In the late 70s, Mexico began ripping up crumbling sidewalks and installing red paver bricks accented with turn-of-the-century lamp posts and park benches. In the 1980s Mexico was one of six nationwide finalists for Nissan's new U.S. auto plant. Mexico lost out to winner Smyrna, Tennessee.

Formerly known as the "Saddle Horse Capitol of the World," Mexico still hosts Hollywood celebrities and other visitors from around the world who come to purchase riding horses. The Simmons Stables are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation.