Adventure 5, Focus on the Family

Our last adventure was on the way home.   We left Springfield and headed to our final adventure.  About four hours down the road we made a stop at my long lost friend, Carrie and Brad’s home.  I have not seen them for 16 years, but there are certain people in you life you never want to loose contact with.  It was such a blessing when we figured out that their home was on our way to our next destination.  Carrie was one of my first and closest friends when we moved to a new city.  We had met at our children’s swim lessons.  Her two oldest and my son, Alex, were in swim lessons and we were both chasing our youngest at the time, Latisha and Emily, around the pool.  We connected and spent many hours encouraging each other and scrap booking together as our children played.  When she and her family moved away I was very, very sad, but we continued to keep up with each other through Christmas cards.  What a wonderful time it was to see them.  Her two oldest have moved on, one has graduated and the other graduates from college in a couple days, and her sweet little Emily looks exactly the same in a grownup body, a beautiful young woman.  She will be graduating in a couple weeks from high school.  It is amazing what happens when you don’t see someone for 16 years, but Carrie and Brad look much the same and I really enjoyed our short time together. 

On we went to Colorado Springs.  Finally, Sierra was starting to feel better but now the cough had caught up to her.  She coughed most the night.   The next morning, we headed to Focus on the Family, Visitors Center.  We really enjoyed it.  It is very nicely done.  The best part for the kids was the Adventures in Odyssey area.  It was so fun.  Everything is fit to the kids.  There are lots of toys to play on.  There is a plane you can walk through, a large slide to go down, computers with games for all ages, a Narnia room, an area with costumes for the kids to dress in Odyssey characters, a library, video room, and much more.  The area opens at 9:00 but the Witt’s End Soda Shop doesn’t open until 11:00.  We had their specialty, “world famous chocolate soda,” Worfamchocsod for short.  It was good.  Then it was back on the road for our final adventure, home.  

With the kids tired of driving and still a cough floating through our car we decided to just drive straight home. a very long trip.  We logged in over 4,000 miles with lots of adventures and good family times, we were so blessed to be able to take the trip.  The main purpose of our trip was to see our son graduate but what fun it was to make it to some of the world famous spots right here in our country.  Good times.  We are thankful to God for save travels.  I hope you have enjoyed our trip and pictures.  God Bless,

Alicia

 

Aidric exploring the plane

Cassandra going through the tunnel

sitting in the Directors chairs in the Narnia room

Look at my fun family

cute stage with puppet

The girls dressing up in the Odyssey clothes

Cassandra trying out the computer games

Aidric and Daddy taking a break

Witt's End Soda Shop

Home again and all of us together!