A Texas sized Vacation....
in just one day, and it all started with this Texas sized breakfast! What an incredible weekend we have had together as a family. I cannot even begin to express how wonderful it has been to feel all of the love and prayers, to receive all of the mail (shameless plug: 2LT Shannon Renfrow, 2250 Stanley Road Unit 377, Fort Sam Houston TX 78234-6404...I LOVE mail!) and then to be able to have these past three days with my family. I am so very grateful. God has sustained me through more than I thought I could manage for sure, and then blessed me on top of it!

I heard through the grapevine that active duty military families were eligible for free tickets to Sea World, which is right here in San Antonio. I looked into it, and sure enough, Anheiser Busch provides complimentray tickets through the Hero Salute program. So, yesterday, on our eleventh wedding anniversary, Michael and I celebrated with our kiddos at Sea World San Antonio! Here we are on our way to a day of fun in the sun!

And here are the kids on their way to "they have no idea" where!
The only hint I would give is that they could read road signs, and if they paid close attention they'd figure it out.....which of course my little readers did!
Michael and Timothy making their way into the park!
At our first attraction....a 3-D movie we ended up leaving because it scared the kids, and Timothy wouldn't quit crying.....may not have been the smoothest start to our day, but we had a quick recovery =)
Madeline making her way up the rope nets at Shamu Harbor....
Timothy was a little less sure of himself, so he talked me into joining him....

Madeline and Timothy rode a ride similiar to this one (the Jumpin' Jungle) when they were at Cedar Point last summer....they remmebered it, and it was still Timothy's FAVORITE!
Riding a ferris wheel with mommy.....while we were in line for this I was dancing like a crazy person with Timothy and out of no where I hear, "Hey, Renfrow!" We ran into one of the soldiers from my platoon who was there with his wife and two children. We were loving our few days off and free park admissions!
Madeline and Daddy waiting for the Critterville show....
Mommy and Timothy doing the same....
Taking a spin in Virgil's Paint Mixer with mommy...

...and then again with daddy....
Seeing our first Shamu show....the kids LOVED it! I knew Madeline would, but I was suprised how much Timothy enjoyed it too!
A nice shot by my photographer husband....
This is maybe my favorite picture from the whole day....apparently they get their land navigation expertise form their father....
mmmmmm.....cheesy pizza for lunch!

Madeline quite pleased with herself at the ski show...she sat two rows in front of us because she wanted to be in the "splash zone!"
after the ski show with some of the stars....I love how Timothy is looking at his shoulder, thinking, "you better watch yourself, buddy...."
Madeline with some of the lovely ladies from the show....those uniforms bring back any memories, Heather???
This was at the "Viva" show....it combined beluga whales with land/air/water acrobatics....diving, trapezes, synchronized swimming....the kids really like this show too...
after the show with daddy...this one cracks me up...Madeline looks so old....

In front of the flamingos.....my kids are pretty doggone good lookin'!
coolin' off with some ice cream....
Outside the Shamu Stadium....
Michael and Madeline went to go ride Adventure through Atlantis....Timothy went back for more Jumpin' Jungle....
This young lady was the ride operator for Jumpin' Jungle....she got to know Timothy pretty well. I'm pretty sure he was her favorite passenger of all time ;)

This is the water ride Madeline was brave enough to ride (Mike had to cover her eyes through the whole thing) with her daddy.....she also learned just where to stand so as to maximize soakage from the passing boats.....when we walked by it later, she and Timothy went back to get wet again!
In Shamu Stadium waiting for another show, in the splash zone...freshly soaked from the Atlantis ride.....
Sissy was soaked too!
To entertain us before the show started they took videos of the audience members, adding captions and what not above our heads....the kids thought it was super cool to be on the big screen.....then they played "we like to move it move it" and told everyone to dance for a dance contest.....here is Timothy busting a move.....he didn't win the stuffed shamu though, and he was truly shocked and devastated.....it took a lot of calming to get him to settle down before the show started....he was confident he had it in the bag!
Some more of my man's excellent photo shooting....

That evening we enjoyed the fireworks from the very back of ski stadium....it was pouring down rain and we made a run for it, grateful for the standing room we were able to find. It was beautiful and patriotic, and yes I cried. It was such a grand way to end a marvelous day of celebration.
The kids after the fireworks....
Mike and I celebrating every minute of the day.....
Loving each other....
Mike snapped this on the way out of the park.....what a day to remember....we squeezed a summer worth of fun into our day together!

The kids were worn out to say the least....
Mike and I took advantage of their slumber and had ourselves a date at Sonic.....YUM! I love this picture too, and it's because you can see how happy we were....it's plastered all over our exhausted faces like we're a couple of kids....we so were!
We did finally get them into bed =)
....and this is how I spent most of my day today.....blogging that is. It has taken forever, but I feel like updating you all is the least I can do to show how much I appreciate all you've done for me and my family to get us through this summer. Keep the prayers coming. I am so humbled by all we've been through and so completely unashamed of the fact that it is God's power and not my own strength or efforts that are getting me through this crazy journey I am on!
I head to the field tomorrow morning....bright.....er actually....dark and early. Thanks for the love and support and prayers. I couldn't do it without you.....I am after all just a jar of clay!

-shannon