Day #5 -- Hiking!

Today I woke up at 7:30, had breakfast (toast and milk), got stuff together, and headed for a hike up Tongue Mountain...well, not quite that quickly.  The motor boat had a dead battery, the guys tried to jump it with a little lawnmower (not a good plan), they killed the lawnmower, and they finally jumped it with a car and it worked.  That took awhile, but by 9:45 we were on the trail.  This is a very steep, difficult, challenging hike but offers breathtakingly beautiful views of Lake George about every 10 minutes.  Many pictures were taken and memories made.  There was a lot of hand-to-hand boulder climbing...we were down on our hands and knees crawling up huge rocks.  We had sandwiches, crackers, chocolate treats, cashews, bananas, and lots of water to eat on the trail and at stops.  In all, we hiked 10.8 miles on the Tongue Mountain Trail.  It was, like I said, very hard (the hardest I've ever been on...even harder than Mount Washington)...but so much fun at the same time.  My body may be tired and my knees may be aching with so much steep uphills and downhills, but it's worth it!!  I just love hard, challenging hikes...especially since I can look back and have special memories.  We got to the end of the trail at 4:45 (seven hours later...including all the stops), savoring memories, views, and wild New York blueberries (all along the trail...yummy).

We checked out a beautiful waterfall (0.4 miles round-trip...approximately) after our 10.8-mile hike...bringing our bodies to 11.2 miles of hard-worked hiking.  Every second was great, though, and I loved it.  We came back, showered, and enjoyed turkey, baked potatoes, carrots, salad, blueberries, and milk for supper.  Then bananas foster for dessert, and a little play entitled The Saga of Little Nell.  I had the role of sheriff.  It was all very fun.

Now I am ready to sleep and rest my tired muscles and bones.  Have a great day!

Val and me after 10.8 miles of mostly up and not much down.

~Anna~

Day #4 -- Middlebury, Vermont

Today I woke up at 8 AM, went for a five-mile run (through the woods and out onto a lookout point over Lake George...gorgeous), had breakfast (cereal, toast, peaches, milk), went for a swim, went out in the two-person kayak, packed our stuff, and headed for Middlebury, Vermont.  First, we went to the University of Vermont (UVM) Morgan Horse Farm.  We arrived for the 12 PM tour, which started with a nice 10-minute overview video.  We were then taken on a tour of the barns, arena, and grounds.  After the tour (about 45 minutes...not including the video), we were able to walk around even more and get some great pictures.  We even got to pet some baby Morgans...the signs say "Don't Feed or Pet the Horses"...but we know what we're doing and the babies enjoyed it.  You understand, right?  How can anyone avoid the adorable face of a little precious Morgan foal??  After looking around, we had lunch (beef brisket/cheese sandwiches, cashews, chips, pie, water), then headed to visit some of Val's former college youth group leaders.  We chatted with them and snapped a few pictures, then headed on to her college friends.  They have a beautiful dairy farm and we enjoyed an outdoor supper as the sun set (grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, vegetables, water, lemonade, cookies, maple-syrup-topped ice cream).  We enjoyed visiting, talking, catching up, and photos.  Finally, we headed back to Silver Bay (stopped for gas) and arrived at 10:30.  We unpacked and I am now going to shower and get to bed as quickly as possible.  Have a great day!

A Morgan foal shows off his high spirits.

Two apprentices have some fun with Morgans.

Here I am petting a sweet little Morgan foal.

Two Morgan foals check out each other.

Here I am with the "Figure" statue (Figure was the foundation of all Morgan horses) and the main barn at the UVM Morgan Horse Farm.

~Anna~

Day #4 -- Saratoga Springs

Today I woke up at 7:30, went for a 4.5-mile run (so cool and pretty), swam in the lake for a little bit (cold at first...then pleasant), had breakfast (toast, peaches, milk), and headed to Saratoga Springs (about an hour south of Silver Bay).  Val, two of her cousins, her mom, and I made up the party.  First, we went to the New York Racing Hall of Fame.  This is an excellent museum filled with artifacts, paintings, displays, statues, movies, and the Hall of Fame -- which included jockeys, trainers, and horses.  I knew a lot of the names and enjoyed reading about their achievements.  The Triple Crown Hall of Fame is great, too -- it lists all 11 horses who have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont.  The plaques included their history, story, earnings, and photos.  This was a wonderful place to check out.

Then it was off to the races at Saratoga Springs Racetrack!!  With $3 per person, you've entered the area and you can browse the many booths selling horse-related items, check out the saddling paddock, enjoy live music, relax, and watch the races (either on a TV or live).  We did the $11-per-person clubhouse seats, which allowed us shaded, cool, comfortable seats overlooking the entire track.  We were able to walk right down to the rail to get some good pictures, too.  And of course, with horse-racing comes betting.  I'm not really into it and I didn't really know that much, but what I did know I was able to share with Val, her cousins, and her mom.  They made their picks and, unfortunately, did not make a profit.  I, on the other hand, made a bet in the fifth race (through Val...I'm too young) on a 19-1 long shot...and she came in second!!  So I got $9.40; I used $4 to bet on two in the next race and neither did well; therefore, I made a profit of $5.40.  Quit when you're ahead, don't be afraid to pick long shots, and have fun...my advice!  What was really special was that there were some really famous jockeys there (in my mind) -- Rosie Napravnik (she came in third in the Belmont...she rode my "winning" horse in the fifth race), John Velazquez, Joel Rosario (he rode this year's Kentucky Derby winner, Orb), Edgar Prado (he rode Barbaro), and many more.  I was in heaven.  It was an awesome day!

We headed out after the sixth race (there were still four more), grabbed a few groceries, came back, had supper (beef brisket, corn, salad, beans, strawberry or vanilla ice cream, blueberries, juice, and water), and enjoyed the cool air and lovely sunset.  Today was wonderful -- I experienced a lot of memorable events that I will never forget.  Enjoy the pictures!!

Rosie Napravnik (2013 Belmont third-place) gets ready to race in an earlier race...she didn't win that time!

It's a race to the finish!

Rosie Napravnik and Ricochet Court in the fifth race...they came in second in a photo finish.

Another photo finish...#2 (the gray) won by a nose.

~Anna~

Day #3 -- Silver Bay

Today we slept in until 8:30, fixed a nice breakfast (cinnamon rolls, eggs, ham, orange juice), talked for awhile with everyone, and headed out to hike up to Jabe's Pond around 11 AM.  From the house we're at, up to the pond, and back down, it was about five miles...a lovely hike through the woods with rocks, mushrooms, ferns, and trees all around.  We even saw a toad and a little newt-like critter.  He was cute.  When we got up to the pond (a very large lake...beautiful), Val and I waded around for awhile and snapped some pictures.  Then we headed back down.  It was nice because we went with two of Val's cousins, so we were able to talk with them and enjoy the cool weather.

We had a late lunch after a nice hike (sandwiches, pie, coleslaw, water), enjoyed a swim (the lake was pretty cold at first...we got used to it), kayaked in the rain (so quiet), showered, and made supper.  Val and I were very proud that we grilled two large salmon by ourselves.  Along with the salmon (yummy), we had sliced potatoes baked in the oven (with seasonings...so good), corn on the cob, salad, sparkling juice, chocolates, and a choice of fruits of the forest, peach, or apple pie.  We cleaned up everything pretty quickly, talked, and returned to our rooms for some relaxing and, soon, sleep!  It's been a wonderful day and I really enjoyed the hike.  Upstate New York is the best!!

Part of Jabe's Pond...mountains, water, trees, everything!

Here I am with Jabe's Pond behind me...such a lovely, fun hike.

The trail up to Jabe's Pond...at times it got kind of narrow, but mostly it was very nice.

~Anna~

STL to Silver Bay, New York!

Hi, everyone!

I did make it back from our wonderful Texas trip at 3:45 PM on Wednesday, July 10.  Now, two-and-a-half weeks later, I have headed east (to New York) for some fun.  In May 2012, I came up to my godmother's family's resort in Silver Bay, New York (approximately one-and-a-half hours north of Albany), with my mom, brother, and godmother Val.  We were cleaning and opening up the cottages for a few days, so we didn't have a lot of time to play.  This time, we have a whole week to just play.  So fun!

Yesterday (July 26, 2013) we headed off to Lambert-St. Louis Airport for our 4:45 PM flight to Baltimore, Maryland.  It took off about 20 minutes late (we were on Southwest), arrived in Baltimore right at 8:00 PM (Eastern time), changed planes, and were off pretty quickly afterwards.  We arrived in Albany, New York, right at 10 PM.  We got our bags quickly, took a taxi to our hotel (a Days Inn), showered, and were in bed by 11:30 PM.

Saturday, July 27, 2013 -- We were up at 7:20, had some breakfast (a blueberry bagel, mini cinnamon roll, banana, and apple juice), did some shopping for our meals, and headed toward Silver Bay.  We arrived around 12 PM, got settled in, had some lunch (sandwiches, grapes, cashews, coleslaw, water), and took a nice swim in Lake George.  Then Val and I went out in kayaks all the way up to Skipper's Jib and Scotch Bonnet Islands.  They consist of some rocks, flowers, and (on Skipper's Jib) two trees and a bush!  They are so tiny and very cute.  It's a pretty long paddle up and back, but we enjoyed it and loved bouncing over the waves.  After our kayak outing, Val, her brother, and I went up to the town of Silver Bay (about a half-mile up from Birch Glen...where we're staying) to have some yummy bowls of one-scoop ice cream.  I had cookie dough.  After our "appetizer" of ice cream, we went back to have Sloppy Joes, green beans, a corn-and-bean salad, pies (choose between apple, peach, mixed fruit, and cherry...no shortages!), and ice cream.  We enjoyed visiting, eating, and enjoying the sunset by the lake and the cool air (about 60 degrees).

Keep checking back to see what fun I have in the next week -- hiking, kayaking, swimming, Vermont, and much more!

~Anna~

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Today I woke up at 8:45, had breakfast (cereal, a mini blueberry muffin, water), got ready, and headed out. We went to the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center to get some brochures and join a guided, hour-long walk.  A kind and engaging ranger told us about the geology and history of the hot springs and the surrounding area.  It was an excellent lesson on this unusual place.  It is not like Yellowstone in many ways...one, the water doesn't get about about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so there is no steam and no bubbling water.  Two, this water has minerals, but not too many, like Yellowstone (ever smelled the sulfur?).  You can drink this water, and we did.  They have many hot water springs and two cold water springs.  We drank out of a hot water spring on the tour and a cold water spring (called Whittington Spring) elsewhere in the park.  After the guided tour, we walked back to the visitor center on a lovely brick path called Grand Promenade.  Inside the center, we were able to see some displays and watch two videos -- one on the history of the area; another on the bath houses.  You can still come to Hot Springs today and go in one of many (often historic) bath houses to soak in the hot water.

After that, we went to take a hike up in the mountains.  We went on parts of several different trails to make a loop of 2.5 miles.  It was steep but beautiful and we even went all the way to the top of West Mountain (1,100 feet)...there's a gorgeous lookout near the top.  We also drove to the top of West Mountain and some other nearby mountains.  We also took a very quick 3/5-mile hike which did have a lovely creek by it, which Matthew and I walked in.

After a nice day, we returned to our hotel to shower and head to supper at Rolando's, a Latin American restaurant.  I had Jose's Quesadillas...chicken and cheese inside tortillas, along with a large amount of rice, beans, lettuce, and sour cream.  We shared a banana dessert and a chocolate mound cake for dessert.  Their computer and printer were not working and the original meal I wanted was not available.  Furthermore, Matthew had texted in to their "free dessert" deal and they had run out of that dessert!  So we just ended up getting the chocolate mound cake for free, which was fine.  Despite those problems, our waitress was very attentive, kind, and apologetic.  The food was delicious, too!  

We'll be getting home tomorrow!  I'll have one more blog (hopefully tomorrow evening).  Thanks for reading!

One of the hot springs we saw today.

My mom, Matthew, and me near the top of West Mountain.

Driving up the road on Hot Springs Mountain.

~Anna~

Texas, Louisiana, Relatives, & Arkansas...in Two Days!

Sunday, July 7, 2013 -- I woke up at 7:00, got ready, had breakfast (a bagel, yogurt, apple juice), and headed to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.  It's where my mom's cousins (that we visited on Saturday) all go.  It was a traditional service with hymns, liturgy, patriotic songs, a nice sermon, and communion.  The pipe organ was beautiful!  We had a quick tour of the church and surrounding buildings, then we went back to the hotel to change clothes and get on the road at 10:30.  I slept until 2 PM, where we had a stop for gas/bathroom/fixing lunch northeast of Houston.  I had a tuna wrap, crackers, cheese sticks, applesauce, and pineapple juice on the road.

We arrived at our destination in Gilliam, Louisiana, at 6 PM.  The people whose house we stayed at are my first cousins twice removed.  Their daughter, my second cousin once removed, joined us for a delicious supper of lasagna, salad, homegrown sweet corn, garlic bread, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream!  Prior to supper, we had gone up the road to see some skydivers!!  We also looked over their thousands of acres of corn, cotton, and soybeans.  The land is so flat compared to Missouri and the crops look beautiful.  It's like STL weather...warm and humid with slight breezes.  They also have 10 sweet little goats, which we visited with after supper.  The sun was setting and the air was cooler...so beautiful in Louisiana!

Monday, July 8, 2013 -- Slept in until 9 AM, had breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, cinnamon rolls, fruit, orange juice), and started our nice and relaxing day.  We talked, walked around outside a bit, and met another second cousin once removed and two of my third cousins before heading to lunch at the Main Street Restaurant.  The grilled shrimp salad is excellent!  After that, we went for another drive to see equipment, grain bins, storage areas, and a cotton gin, plus a quick overview of the crops.  My mom and I went for a longer walk after that to look for the goats and the two donkeys (the donkeys actually escaped before we arrived!)...found the goats.  They are so cute and funny.  We also looked at the irrigation method (A flexible white vinyl tube attached to a pipe with a valve, which they could turn on to start the water flow.  Half-inch-diameter holes along the tube allowed to water to come out, which then went down every other row of the crop to keep them irrigated) and the cotton buds.

After a wonderful day exploring on a true southern plantation, we said good-bye and headed for Arkansas at 4:30 PM.  I drove the whole way to our Comfort Suites in Hot Springs.  We had supper at Belle Arti, a wonderful Italian restaurant.  The three-course meal ($12.95) had a variety of options, but I chose cheese sticks for the appetizer, chicken Parmesan for the main course, and cheese cake with strawberry sauce and whipped cream for dessert.  The food was amazing.  This concluded our wonderful day in Louisiana (and evening in Arkansas!).

~Anna~

NYG Days 4 & 5, Six Flags, & More!

Thursday, July 4, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 5:15 AM, had a POP Tart and water, and got on the bus to head downtown for the 5K race.  It was supposed to begin at 6:30 but really ended up starting 20 minutes late.  We did get running eventually -- all through the streets and along the Riverwalk.  It was really pretty.  My mom and brother ran, too.  I finished at 26:22.6, which was very satisfying to me, especially since it was a warmer morning.  It was gorgeous, though, especially when the sun was rising.  After the race, we headed back to the hotel to shower and have a nice breakfast (bagel, sausage, fruit, milk).

Then we headed to the Alamodome for the fourth NYG day.  In the morning, they held a one-and-a-half-hour worship service at 10 AM -- traditional service with hymns, videos, communion, a sermon by Matthew Harrison, and more.  After the service let out, we made our way over to the Convention Center for the 1 PM citizenship ceremony.  This was special!  People (51 total) from Australia, China, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, India, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, the Philippines, Somalia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia joined together to take the citizenship oath.  After they finished, everyone cheered and held up signs and flags.  It was so cool to see that!  Besides the oath, there were speakers, patriotic music from the 323rd Army Band, and a wonderful video to the tune God Bless the U.S.A. (by Lee Greenwood).  Plenty of the viewers were crying.  After the ceremony, a lot of people went up to congratulate and welcome the new citizens.  We did that and also complimented the Army musicians.  It was such a wonderful program to attend.

Next, we headed to a little hidden ice cream shop on the Riverwalk.  We all enjoyed very generous scoops of ice cream while looking out at the happenings (I had a scoop of blackberry cobbler and a scoop of peach/vanilla combo).  It was July 4, so we were patriotic and all-American!!  After resting and looking around the Convention Center a bit more, we headed to Bill Miller Bar-B-Q.  I had a large pork sandwich, potato salad, fruit, and water.  After a good supper, we headed to wait in line for 45 minutes to enter the Alamodome for the Mass Event.  Once again, there was great music (including Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus, Beautiful Things, I Am Free...plus many more), nice videos, real-life skits, dancers, devotional time, Gathering News, the Sand Painter, and, my favorite, Jessica Stevens as the speaker.  Jessica was 16 when a tick bite turned into serious nerve issues that left her unable to move for years.  At wit's end, she went to participate in a test study in Mexico, where she was induced into a coma.  It helped, but things soon turned downhill again, forcing her into another induced coma.  After months and months of pain and suffering, she finally received peace.  She now has full use of her arms and rides in a motorized wheelchair.  She gave her story and encouragement to everyone.  This was excellent!  Besides the regular Mass Event, there was a posting of the colors, the Pledge, and the national anthem due to Independence Day.

Finally, we headed out to watch the fireworks.  Unfortunately, we couldn't get through the disorganized crowd, so we only saw half of each firework.  After it ended, we waited 45 minutes to be allowed to walk to our vans.  Finally, we got back to the hotel to shower and go to bed at 12:15.

Friday, July 5, 2013 -- I woke up at 7 AM, had breakfast (Canadian bacon, fruit, bagel, milk), and headed to the final NYG Mass Event.  It featured Reverend Bill Yonkers, drummers, dancers, music and singing, videos, Gathering News, a devotional, inspiration to Live Loved (the theme), and a cool processional out.  It was a beautiful event and I was sad to say good-bye!

Next on the agenda was Six Flags Fiesta Texas, in San Antonio.  Before heading in, we had bagels and apple juice for lunch.  Then in to ride the following!
Superman Crypton Coaster -- A roller coaster with loops, twists, steep drops, and excitement!
Bugs White Water Rapids -- Like a log flume ride, this takes you on a winding course through the chute.  I was relegated to the front...therefore, I got completely soaked on the two drops.  It was hot, though, so it felt good...and I dried off quickly.
Train -- This classic takes you on a circular tour of the park as the speaker talks about different rides.  It was nice to sit down for this.
Poltergeist -- This is the craziest roller coaster!  It is bunches of track in the tiniest area ever.  You shoot out of the station and navigate this maze.  It's amazing how much track you can pack into such a little area.
Motorama -- Cadillacs and other old cars make their way around the track --you can steer and honk the horn.  It's funny to see kids and adults alike in these small cars.
Scream! -- This ride is similar to Superman Tower of Power.  It shoots you up and down at high speeds, then holds you at the top to look around before dropping you to the ground.
Iron Rattler -- The new, VERY popular roller coaster had a wait of about an hour (plus a mechanical breakdown while we were waiting).  It was worth every minute, though -- it took you on a wild "bucking bronco" ride up, down, around, and through.  We loved this!
Goliath -- Just like Batman, this roller coaster takes you through loops, corkscrews, twists, and turns.
Crow's Nest -- A nice ferris wheel with multiple colors took you above the other rides (mostly) to see the entire park, which is nestled in a former quarry.
Carousel -- Another classic!  We all rode horses -- I rode a nice gray gelding which I named Prince George.
Road Runner Express -- It looks like a mine train, but it's more adventurous and a bit rough.
After the rides, we grabbed pepperoni pizza, cheese bread, and water, and settled down to enjoy the Six Flags firework show.  For 15 minutes, patriotic music, a nice video, and impressive fireworks entertained us.  After the long day, we headed to a Red Roof Inn in San Antonio, arriving at 10:45.  We showered and were in bed at midnight.

Saturday, July 6, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 8:30, helped load the car, and headed to the Marketplace in San Antonio for breakfast at Mi Tierra.  I had the Huevos Rancheros, featuring eggs, tortillas, refried beans, bacon, and potatoes.  To top it off, I had a cup of Mexican hot chocolate...laced with cinnamon and whipped cream, yum!  After breakfast, we headed to the Alamo -- that glorious American landmark.  We walked all through the complex, courtyard, shrine, and surrounding areas.  End in the gift shop, where we found two books, hatpins, an ornament, and a DVD (The Alamo with John Wayne).  After the Alamo, we headed to the Marketplace to browse the indoor and outdoor shops featuring food, jewelry, crafts, paintings, clothing, and much more.  I found a lovely red Mexican dress, Matthew found a multicolored pottery lizard, and my mom found a blue dish to set on our table.

Then to Mission San Jose, a large and beautiful complex with a visitor center, museum, ornate historic Catholic church (beautiful), and lovely garden areas.  It is so cool to see history in person!  The entire complex was beautifully built...and it's still intact!

Finally, we went to spend the entire afternoon with my mom's aunt/cousins.  They had beef brisket, sausages, salad, beans, potato salad, fruit, lemonade, and vanilla/chocolate pudding for dessert.  It was so nice to meet and visit with them.  We got to our La Quinta Inn & Suites at 9:10, showered, and are in bed now.

~Anna~

NYG (Day 3)

Wow, day 3 of the NYG is already over!  I can't believe it.  We've had so much fun already and I know there's lots more to explore.  This morning, I woke up at 8:15, had some breakfast (granola, bacon, fruit, milk), and headed to the Convention Center.  We planned only two sessions today, so we had some time to explore and get some more freebies!  We rode the zipline this morning (short but fun), made cross necklaces/backpack decorations, and more.  At 12 PM, we went to Denomination Domination, by Clint Colwell (the DCE at Redeemer Lutheran in Springfield, MO...where my uncle and his family attend!).  Mostly, the true meanings of baptism and communion were exposed, and we explored what other denominations feel about those sacraments.  We had some tuna wraps, cheese sticks, crackers, pineapple tidbits, and pineapple juice for a quick lunch.  Then at 2 PM, we went to Life Under Sharia Law: Understanding Islam and Reaching Out to Muslims, by Cynthia Khan.  Cynthia was born and raised in a Christian family in Pakistan and also lived in Saudi Arabia and Canada before settling in her home of 18 years, the United States.  In this eye-opening, incredibly interesting program, we learned about Muslim culture, beliefs, what happens when Muslims take over, and what we can do.  A question-and-answer session after the program was very interesting, too.

Besides pins, a cowbell, a stretchy bracelet, a pen, info papers, and more, I also bought a few things at Concordia Publishing House's "store".  I got a glow stick (I'll use it tomorrow night!), a pair of earrings, and an inflatable hippo (it's a long story).  Lots of good stuff abounded!  We also found out the 2016 NYG will be in New Orleans, Louisiana!

We had supper at Luciano's, an Italian spot in the mall.  The lasagna and bread were so great!  Then to the Mass Event, where great speakers, testimonies, skits, Gathering News (LCMS President Matthew Harrison played the banjo for us), music, and liturgical dancers filled the time.  We were on the first bus at 10:15, and to the hotel by 10:40.  I've got an early morning tomorrow...you'll find out why in the next blog on Anna's Awesome Adventures!

~Anna~

NYG (Day 2)

I woke up at 7:45, got ready, had some yummy breakfast (a cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese, a cinnamon muffin, fruit, and milk), got my stuff together, and got on the bus.  We only had to wait 10 minutes or so for the bus to come...and that was at a later, more popular time.  We were happy with that.  We headed to the Convention Center, where we took in the following programs.

Being the Light in a Dark World -- Sarah Guldalin and her hilarious brother, Jordan, inspired and empowered the teens to not give up hope, even when there is much suffering in this world.  Through testimonies, videos, and crowd participants, we were encouraged to be the light, as the Bible tells us in Matthew 5:14.  This was at 10 AM.
Transformed Testimonies -- Reverend Dr. Tilahun Mendedo gave us his personal life story on growing up in Ethiopia and becoming involved in ministry, which led him to his current position in Alabama.  He gave us deep insight on Ethiopian culture, history, and life there today.  He also told his entire story, from childhood to the current time.  To tie it all up, he encouraged all of the teens to not give up hope, but to trust in God's perfect plan for us.  This was at 12 PM.
We took a quick lunch break after that.  We sat out on a patio of the Convention Center and enjoyed tuna wraps, crackers, cheese sticks, applesauce, and apple juice, all while watching the comings and goings on the River Walk.
Jamie Grace Concert -- The up-and-coming Christian singer kept everyone on their feet singing, clapping, and dancing through this 45-minute performance.  In between songs, she gave encouraging messages to boys and girls alike.  Her sister, Morgan, sang a few songs with her.  Furthermore, Jamie and Morgan were homeschooled...I am, too, so it was fun to see the connection.  This was at 2 PM.
Improv Comedy -- We could tell this was going to be popular, since we arrived at least 20 minutes before and could only get seats towards the back...way back from the stage.  Regardless, we quickly learned that it didn't matter.  Three guys (from three different states) kept us laughing for over an hour with jokes, debates, and skits...all made up as they went (with some help from the crowd).  This was hilarious!!!

In between events, we were able to run through the exhibit halls and check out the games, booths, and other fun opportunities available.  I got a pin, bandana, magazine, and towel.  Tomorrow, we'll be going around for some more freebies.

We finally found a spot for supper after walking around for an hour-and-a-half.  It seems that all the other NYG teens went to supper at exactly the same time we did!!  We had great Mexican food at Maria Mia (I had the taco salad) before heading to the Alamodome.  We stood in line for awhile before racing in...it paid off; we got nice seats right down on the floor of the Dome, where we could see everyone on stage and the screens (not like Monday night).  The Mass Event (from 8:30 to 10 PM) was like last night -- full of singing, devotionals, encouragement, and fun (Gathering News and the Skit Guys...awesome!).  Tonight, we had an incredible speaker (Mia Koehne) who had come from a very broken and messed-up background.  I have nothing but great things to say about her...absolutely inspiring.  To round out the night, we had BMX riders twist, twirl, jump, and spin.  After the prayer, we raced out to the first bus and got on!  To the hotel by 10:50.  I will bid you good-night for now but check back tomorrow for Day 3 of the NYG!

~Anna~

SeaWorld & NYG (Day 1)

Last night, we arrived in San Antonio safely at 9:35 PM.  After settling in to our nice Hampton Inn (which we are staying at for five nights...nice), we had some supper in our room with stuff we had, then settled in to bed by 11:30.  

Today, I woke up at 7:45, had breakfast (ham-egg-cheese bagel, yogurt, fruit, and milk), and headed to SeaWorld.  The Missouri and Rocky Mountain Districts of the LCMS were there, along with the general public.  It wasn't terribly crowded, though, since it was a Monday.  We watched four shows and rode three rides.  Here's a roundup of them.
Pets Ahoy -- A very entertaining and hilarious show involving pigs, ducks, birds, cats, dogs, rats, and a skunk performing a variety of tricks.
Azul -- A jaw-dropping performance featuring whales, dolphins, birds, acrobats, and synchronized divers/swimmers.  There were some really unbelievable tricks.
One Ocean -- The huge, beautiful, graceful killer whales twisting, turning, jumping, and flapping their tails composed this short show.
Cool Vibrations -- This was probably my favorite show of all.  It featured waterskiing, wakeboarding, wetbikes, and boats all doing intricate, close, impressive movements.  The best part of all, though?  Flyboarding, a recent invention consisting of high-powered jet packs that blast against the water and subsequently blast whoever is on the "Flyboard" up into the sky.  Other movements they can do are "porpoise dives" and twists, twirls, and flips.  We just saw the straight-up-and-down and the porpoise dive.  It was so cool to see that!
Journey to Atlantis -- A water-based, short roller coaster-type ride.  You ride in a large Viking-style boat up a long hill, flip around to go down and up a small track, then flip back around to go splash down into the water.  We didn't get too wet.
Steel Eel -- An exciting roller coaster with a very long, steep lift hill at the beginning before going up and down and through turns for the next two minutes.  We loved this!
Great White -- Just like Batman at Six Flags, this roller coaster takes you through corkscrews, twists, turns, and loops, all while your feet dangle.

The LCMS had a catered lunch for all of us, so we enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, baked beans, chips, and cookies, plus many drinks (I had lemonade).  Unfortunately, organization wasn't going well -- they ran out of hamburger buns, ice, and drink cups...while people were still waiting for food or drink.  The food was excellent, though.

After a fun day at SeaWorld, we returned to our hotel around 6 PM.  We stopped on the way to get gas and grab some wraps at McDonald's.  Then, at about 8:10 PM, we got on a bus to head to the Alamodome in downtown San Antonio for the opening Mass Event for the NYG.  We got there right at the start at 8:30.  For the next hour-and-a-half, we enjoyed inspirational and funny entertainers, dancing, singing, and just celebrating the love we have for Christ.  It's a pretty cool thing to see 25,000 teens all joined with you for Christ!!

We may have gotten out at 10 PM, but we didn't get back to the hotel until 11:30.  Transportation is not well planned yet, but hopes are high that tomorrow will be better.  It's been a great but exhausting day!!  Enjoy the pictures below.

The Steel Eel roller coaster; we rode it today at SeaWorld.

One of the many great stars we saw at the Azul performance at SeaWorld.

Three waterskiers are in perfect unison at the Cool Vibrations show at SeaWorld.

Flyboarding at the Cool Vibrations show at SeaWorld.

A killer whale poses at the One Ocean show at SeaWorld.

~Anna~