Pretending that it is fall in Harlingen...it was still very, very hot for October
Some of the Vincent cousins try to all look at the camera at the same time
After two weeks plus with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, we packed up and started our slow trek north. While with our families, Sam attended a Wild at Heart weekend retreat for men in the Colorado Rockies. He had a great time and made some new friends.
Sam enjoying some fishing in Colorado
On our trek north, we decided that a mini-family vacation would be a great start to our furlough. So, what to do to entertain and amuse four kids between the ages of 1 and 10?! Sea World seemed like a perfect match for everyone, we really like San Antonio, and what a great opportunity to visit our friends David and Janie Padilla. So, San Antonio it was. We had a great time. Sea World was fantastic for everyone. We could not have asked for a better day -- sunny and cool! There was something for everyone to enjoy. The animals were all fascinating, from dolphins, to sharks, to whales. It was a little tricky to figure out where to be at what time, but we managed pretty good. Sofia is our roller coaster girl. Since there were hardly any people there, we were able to ride all the rides multiple times. Victoria stuck to the smaller rides, with her dad, but Sofia begged to ride the Steel Eel as many times as I would let her. We stopped at 6...She's my girl. Olivia was a little sad that she couldn't ride some of the rides, but seemed to get over it rather quickly. It was a super day, and as a family, I must say, we did great! I do have to brag on Sam. He did the all the planning and did an amazing job at leading the family in a fun-filled, calm, let's-be-nice-to-each-other day. We all hit the pillow tired that day!
Of course, the highlight of the day was Shamu and his friends. The show with the killer whales really is incredible. It amazes me how with the beautiful animals, skilled trainers, the music and the show, we all left inspired to "follow our dreams" or at least awed by God's creation. Seriously, I was in tears a couple of times. So, after this inspiring show, comes my ethical/moral dilemma. I decided to read the little information mural only to find out that most if not all of those whales have been artificially conceived and bred in captivity. In my mind the sole purpose for these animals is to entertain crowds. Of course, the trainers would say that there is value in the research that they do to help the wild whales survive and keep the animals out of extinction. Not one of those animals would be able to survive in the wild. No wag of their tail or fancy jump will get them lunch! So, here are these amazing creatures that God created for the immensity of the seas, but to survive, they are confined to a giant pool, doing tricks to get a treat. It made me a little sad...and made me think that God has created us for the immensity of his creation and dreams, and so often we limit ourselves to pools because of our fears, insecurities, and whatever else we choose to grab hold of. Food for thought...
Stroller - best money spent all day!
A hug from the penguin
Watch out for the sharks!!!
One of the roller coaster rides. Olivia got to ride this one and she was thrilled!
Olivia shows off her blue tongue...waiting for Shamu can be troublesome
Shamu or one of his friends posing
For the rest of our stay in San Antonio, we enjoyed the Alamo and a bit of the River Walk. The girls were not nearly as enthusiastic about the Alamo after a day at Sea World, but they saw it, and we impressed it upon them to "remember the Alamo." They kept asking when we were going to the mall! Oh, well...We also had the privilege of attending worship services at Oak Hills and one of their satellite churches, the Fiesta campus. It is always a special time for us to worship with other people, and it was special to do this with David and Janie. The girls were wound up at Oak Hills!!!! They were literally bouncing off the walls. It got me to thinking that I think I have a few things to apologize for to my parents, when we were on furlough...hmmm....On Sunday we had lunch with our friends and their family and were blessed with deep conversations about ministry and where God is working. It is great to have times like these.
Alamo...been there, done that
We then continued our trek a very short north to Round Rock to spend a little time with our friends Jared and Cristy Abels. Despite the fact that we adults were outnumbered 2 to 1, the 8 children in the house seemed to entertain themselves and become fast friends. Again, it was a late night of catching up and being encouraged by each other. But alas, our time came to an end and it was time to move on. Ft. Worth, here we come...
Jazmin and Sofia in the My Little Pony beauty salon
The impossible photo: Cristy and I with Victoria, Sofia, Olivia, Isabella, Jazmin, Jonathan and Kayla. Eliana was at school and very sad that she could not be in on the fun
No comments:
Post a Comment