Silver Dollar City and Long Lost Friends

I've been looking forward to this weekend since we got that nasty phone call that told us we were going to be lost in the woods for two years.  I'll back up and tell you about Becky and Denise.  I "met" Denise on-line about ten years ago on Hannah's Prayer, an online infertility ministry.  We walked through primary infertility together and eventually adopted from the same region and orphanage in Russia.  I was so blessed to get to meet Denise right before our adoption, but I haven't seen her since.  I can't really tell you when I "met" Becky.  I know it was sometime between the adoption of her two children; so maybe seven or eight years.  I "know" a lot of women online through HP and Becky has been on my top ten to meet for a long time.  Both Denise and Becky are awesome Christian women who ooze God out of their pores.  They are fun and outgoing.  It was just what I needed.

We met them in Branson at Silver Dollar City on Saturday morning.  It was so amazing to see Denise standing there looking for us.  It's awesome that through technology, I have built such good friendships.  We know each other inside and out, yet we hardly ever, if ever, get to see each other.  I was helping Allie get seconds at the buffet for lunch, when I met Becky over the pudding.  I heard "Hi Kelly."  Fun.  Even though it's the first time I've met Becky in person and the second for Denise, it was like we'd known each other forever, because we have.  We've walked the last decade together through so much junk.  There was none of that weird akwardness of meeting someone for the first time.

Our kids all got along fabulously.  Between our infertile families, we have seven children ages six to nine, six of which are adopted.  We took the kids on just about every ride in the park and only left on Saturday because the park was closing.  That night, the kids swam at the hotel pool while we waited for pizza.  We let the kids eat in one room (adjoining) and the adults got to eat and catch up in another.  Denise's husband, Heath, came, but Becky's was drilling (Active National Guard).  I'm hoping we can meet Becky's family to camp in the spring.  Becky had to go home early on Sunday, but the rest of us headed to the park again for another day of rides.  Going home was hard.   There might have been tears, but we have season passes now so we can meet our friends again anytime we want!!!

Ok, pictures...there are lots.  Deal with it.

Becky, Denise and Kelly

Will, Kaden, Abby, Allie, Jaelyn, Elaina, and Caden

The giant swings were so much fun.

Who doesn't love the teacups?  Well, Dan!  I got in trouble for taking pictures during the ride, but it was worth it to capture those smiles.

That Dumbo is one scary ride!

It was so much fun, we almost couldn't stand it.

Our favorite ride.  Abby calls it the sombrero, but that's not it's really name.  I bet we rode it 8 times.

The girls of Toliatti - Abby was a couple months old when we were there adopting the girls.  Abby's brother Will was in another orphanage in the same region.

Love this picture!

Jaelyn ran into a tree, don't ask, and got tree burn on her forehead.

Abby and Allie getting ready to ride the Powder Keg - our favorite-ist roller coaster at the park!



What's a day at a park without a funnel cake!!!

Caden and Will loved shooting targets in the flooded mine.

So, did we have fun or what????