I Have Decided

Dear Lily and Evie,

Girlies, I am so behind in our blogging.  A lot has been happening, but our life, our story, and our memories are worth saving so girls I promise to get them all out.  Even if they aren't exactly chronological.  A couple of weeks ago you experienced one of those days in your life that you will always remember.  It was one of those days that you will cling to and hold on to when the world comes at you hard and Jesus seems far away.  It was the day that you two decided to follow Jesus and publicly declare that choice by being baptized.  It was a great day and one that your Daddy and I feel so grateful to have been a part of.

Your decision to be baptized was put on hold with this whole COVID business and eventhough you had to wait a few months, your decision never once waivered.  Every month you would ask me the question, "Mommy, when can we be baptized?"  Girls, we have raised you to know that your decision to follow Jesus is yours, and your's alone. Daddy and I can't make it for you, and there is an indescribable feeling knowing that both of you found your voice and made your choice.

Our church has been such a wonderful place for you girls to grow and mature in your faith and I love that you have found incredible women and teachers to follow and admire.  Becky Bibelheimer is one of those incredible women and you both asked her to baptize you.

I won't lie ladies.  I had a very selfish moment when I asked who you wanted to have baptize you and your answer wasn't me or Daddy (you see all the other kids had their parents with them). I had a brief moment of feeling that somehow this was my moment too (how selfish I am).  But that moment faded in the beautiful reality that I have raised you girls to be bold, confident, and able to stand and make choices outside of me and Daddy.  Ladies, watching the two of you walk up to that water by yourself with purpose and confidence was the GREATEST joy.

Watching you profess your faith in front of all of your friends and church family without prompting.........deeply INSPIRING.  All I could think of as I sat in the front row snapping pictures was Go Girls!  SHINE ON.  You don't need me....or Daddy.....you have Jesus.  And HE is EVERYTHING!

Becky asked you both "Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?"

YES

"Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins?"\

YES

"Do you believe that you are a sinner, saved by Grace, and purposed for a Life in Jesus?"

YES

Guys, I will admit it.....I cried.  Big happy alligator tears.  There  is something so incredible about feeling in the presence of Holiness.  Girls its beautiful.

Even one of your best friends was baptized too.  Lily, you and Lucas are good friends, your community is big, those who love you and love Jesus are many.  Both of you girls are part of a very very big family seeking to love Jesus and Love others and change the world.  Girls ITS SO EXCITING!

Memaw and Papa came down to celebrate with us, and both of you got your own cross jewlery to wear.  Girls you have decided.....and we were in the room where it happened!

Lily Lu and Bee,  You both are amazing, you both are kind, you both are beautiful, and you both belong to the King.  Be the hands and feet of Jesus girls.  Never be afraid to show up and dig in and believe in the hope that Jesus brings.  You are part of a Kingdom that lives outside of this world and the darkness in it.  You have been set free to live in love with Jesus.  

But girls, the Devil is smart and he will work to break that joy.  He will use darkness and division and desperation to distract you from the Kingdom call.  So I am going to leave you with this......

Love the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul all your mind and all your strength.

Love and give and care for your neighbor and this world they way you would love, and give, and care for yourself.

And be a FRUIT BEARER.  Girls be love, be joy, be peace, be patient, be kind, be good, be faithful, be gentle, and above all through Christ show self control.  Bear fruit girls.

You both are loved more than you can imagine and this day is one that I celebrate, and honor, and treasure.  You are the daughters of a King. Never, ever, ever forget it.

All my love.

Mom

Seaworld

Once we were all settled in at the Opatrnys we started to talk about all of the things we wanted to do while in town.  We might have gone a wee bit wild and decided to do all the things, but it was a blast.  We started out by heading to San Antonio for a day at Seaworld followed by a Day at Six Flags!!!

Sea World was amazing and we started our day off with the Steel Eel roller coaster and visiting some adorable sea lions.  The safety precautions at all of these parks were interesting and added another component to our experience, but we made the best of it and had a BLAST!  Lily even rode a couple roller coasters.  I was so proud!

Its true that aside from the rides, the shows at Sea World are so worth the visit.  Our first show of the day was the Dolphin and Beluga show.  I won't lie, I LOVE Belugas.  They really are cool creatures and honestly I just can't stop thinking about the Bailey Beluga from Finding Dory. They truly are amazing creatures and so much fun to watch.

The show was spectacular and the acrobatics of the Dolphins was mesmerizing.  The girls were completely enamored and amazed.

We rode as many ride we could find and of course rode the Carousel.  Lily just loves carousels and we had a great time on this one.

Evie is FEARLESS.  We know this, but this trip confirmed it.  This kid rode every single roller coaster she could find and some she rode twice!  She and Cousin Mikey had a blast on the Texas Stingray.  They sat front row center with their hands up the whole time.  

And this coaster was just the start of the rides.  I am gonna have to keep flexing my roller coaster riding muscles to hang with this kid.  Again.....NO FEAR.

The highlight of our afternoon was the ORCA show.  You know, there is some controversy around captivity, safety, and everything that goes with it.  I daresay its not all magic, and our human presence involved in the animal world for profit is not all sunshine and rainbows, BUT I also deeply respect that this organization is using their influence to bring awareness to how our choices impact the water world around us.  The Orca whales were INCREDIBLE and my girls were equally mesmerized.  Evie even told us that she might want to be a marine biologist because "Mom, I want to take care of those whales." 

It was a spectacular show one of those things you don't walk away from unchanged.  All of us fell in love with these creatures.......Oh and.....

This picture below DOES NOT do this story justice, but the story is so funny all of us were laughing so hard we couldn't even stop to take a picture in the moment.  So Uncle Mike....is drenched.  Head to toe, side to side, squeaking down the path soaking wet AND he DID NOT want to get wet......here's the story.

So we are at the Orca show where there are designated "splash zone" signs.  Mike and Kathy choose a very specific spot with Mike telling us over and over again that he is NOT getting wet.  No way, now how.  SO  towards the end of the show the Orca's go to 4 corners of the pool and with a timed swish of their tails DRENCH anyone sitting in a lines eye of them. It's really something to see.  So there we are  in our seats when we see our drenching ORCA coming our way.  All of us just hunker down in the hopes that we are just far enough off the line to stay sort of dry.  Meanwhile Kathy leans over to Mike preparing him and without a hesitation he literally jumps out of his seat, leaps over the back of the bench and runs towards the steps leading out of the seats.  Out of the corner of my eye I see him leaving as I am preparing for potential rainfall only to watch as the Orca cups his tail and flings a deluge of water which lands DIRECTLY on the stairway up and out of the theatre.  Yes, at the exact moment Mike makes his mad dash to the stairs he turns up the stairs only to be hit with a torrent of water.  Best part?  In his haste he lost a sandal, and as he turns to get it gets hit with not 1, not 2, but 3 splashes from that dear ORCA thoroughly drenching him while all of us, having not moved an inch, watch in hysterics while staying completely dry.  It was priceless.  And one of those things that made everyone around our family laugh out loud.  Poor Mike was completely soaked. 

 Sea World was amazing and we went home to our hotel, slept fast and got ready for our trip to Six Flags the next day!