Back from Vacation

Whew, am I glad to be back from vacation! I might be able to recooperate some now that I am back to work! :~)



All week DS2 kept asking us, "why did you have to pick this week to go on vacation!" It was incredibly HOT all week! Now, I've had to deal with prolonged exposure to such heat before, but my family has not - and that was an experience. The heat index did not get peak below 105 farenheit the entire time we were in Williamsburg, VA.



Before I give too much of an incorrect picture I need to say that my family is not a 'roughing it' kind of family. Our idea of 'roughing it' means that we have to do without a small fridge and/or microwave oven in our hotel room! ;~) *** hahaha *** We had a full week none-the-less.



On Monday we hit Busch Gardens (after looking at the Weather Channel when we got there we quickly decided that this would be the coolest day of the week). It had been almost 15 years since my beloved and I had visited there, and we had a blast. The park is actually smaller than I remember it though. I think the sensation is by design though. It allows the visitor the impression of not being over crowded, and if an area is getting congested it probably encourages people to move to another 'country' (or region). One thing in particular... DS1 was a little disappointed. Although Busch has some really good rollercoasters (and he rode everyone of them), there are not as many as he's used to from Hershey Park. His favorite was The Griffon, while mine was Apollo's Chariot! (Yes, he 'dragged' me on each and every one!). The one thing we did do to help dodge the heat some was we hit two shows. The first one was at the Fest House, and the other was of the Emerald Beat in 'Ireland'.



On Tuesday we hit Water Country USA. It is reported to be the largest Water Park in the mid-atlantic, and it is huge. The Wave Pool, and the 'Hubba Hubba Highway' were the biggest hits. Especially for my beloved and me. I liked that they provided courtesty life jackets. Especially on the 'highway'. Just because it moves you along, and there is not much swimming required to do so, does not mean that you do not have to exercise to keep yourself afloat! :) And the wave pool, well you can just use your imagination. ;~) I was ready to head home by 6PM, but the family would have nothing to do with that! LOL We stayed right up until the park closed. (OH, and I had wanted to buy a hat the entire day, but my beloved asked me to wait until the end of the day... I never did get it... but it is on my 'wish list for birthday, anniversary, or Christmas... here is a quick image of what I like...









(not really sure why I posted that... lol)

Wednesday we just took a break. We stayed in our hotel and just watched movies, ate popcorn, made spagetti, that sort of thing.

Thursday we ventured down into the 'Colonial Williamsburg' area. We wanted to see some of the attractions, and learn a little more about it, but it was incredibly HOT! After only two hours, and that included a nice 30 minute tour of the Governor's Palace we were baked! We did get some nice pictures of the Court House, and some re-enactors (I'm sorry, but I've not downloaded the camera yet :~( ). We went out to lunch and then back to the pool instead.

On Friday we went back to hit specific locations, like the Blacksmith and the museum. We were surprised by how well the kids did in the museum. There was not much to do, or things to intrest them there, but they hung in there. Afterwards we headed up to Yorktown to see the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War. The National Park Service really has a nice vistor's center. I tried to do the Battlefield tour, but the kids quickly lost intrest. We ended up on one of the few tiny beach areas that 'downtown Yorktown' has.

We originally planned to come straight home Saturday, but I had wanted to go visit Jamestown the whole week and we had not made it there yet. This time the family were great sports. They let me walk over the entire 'Towne'. I was able to look at each of the areas, and read most of the information. It is incredible to read about the original 104 Men and boys who ventured from England to establish the first 'permenant' colony.

I used to think that was where the first of my Paternal relatives come into what is now the United States, but I have since learned differently. Still... I am (I believe) the 12th generation of my family since the first arrived circa 1685 - and most likely he had a stop for at least a short time in 'James Towne'.

Wow - that was a little long winded! I originally wanted to post a lot of pictures like 'Susan' does, but I am just not as diligent in getting them downloaded as she.

I did want to share one thing that I believe God is doing in my life. Lately it seems like He is encouraging me to be less transparent about my faith. Not going out and becoming a 'street preacher' (I think) or anything, but just to be more bold in sharing who I am and what I know. Another is to get back to meditating on how Holy God is. It seems that my verse for this past week has been, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:5, ESV). My heart is not quite ready, but it seems as if He is moving me in a direction.



Verse for today:
Isaiah 6:4-7, ESV
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”