This is not Your Granddaddy's Cruise... Oh Wait, It Is- Sea Day #2

Anniversary Cruise 2016- Caribbean Princess

Jumping for Joy 

Sea Day #2 

Friday, March 18, 2016

After 3 days in port and exploring what all the Western Caribbean had to offer, a day of rest and relaxation was in order. We spent the day lounging around and exploring more of the ship but the night ended with us, and an entire school (or 2) of dolphins Jumping for Joy. This was the most unique and awesome thing we have seen while on a sea day and it is a memory we will never forget!

Morning

Despite not having a full plate of excursions and activities, we must have been more tired than we thought because we did not wake up until nearly 8:30AM. This is a very rare occasion for us, even while cruising. Of course, Chris went jogging while I got ready and went and collected the juices for our afternoon drinks. I noticed when I got back to the room from getting the juices that we had a colored tag of Light Blue #2 for debarkation on Sunday. I investigated deeper and learned that this meant we were literally the LAST group to debark the ship at 10:40AM. Usually by this time we are at home and a full load of laundry is done so we were not OK with this. I went to Guest Services and asked how to get on the “walk-off” or Express Debarkation list. Supposedly there was a form I was supposed to fill out on day #2 (I remember seeing info about debarking on this day and thought “Not now… I just got on”) and then return to the room steward by Day 5. However, they were nice enough to let me get onto the walk-off list despite not turning in the form. This seemed to be a real hassle compared to Carnival or Royal Caribbean where you just did the walk-off automatically and didn’t have to sign up or acknowledge you were doing it. We ended up getting Walk-Off Group I and were to debark at 8AM. This was also a later time for us but I was satisfied with being able to walk-off. This really is the easier way to debark ANY ship if you can carry your own luggage.

My morning view... Priceless!

Once again I spent my morning praying to and thank God for all these many blessings and just admiring His beautiful creation while Chris jogged and cleaned up. We met in the Coral Dining Room for breakfast and much to my surprise they had SOFT rolls. All of the other breads were so hard and barely edible but finally (on the next to last day) they brought out the good stuff... figures, right? If you do not like hard bread, I would ask for these on the 1st night! During this meal the breakfast waitress was quite rude and tacky and this was our only poor service throughout the entire cruise. Chris asked for cranberry juice after we had placed our order and she said “Would you like for me to fetch your juice or your breakfast?” I think this was very tacky and rude and I was irritated. Naturally Chris said “Breakfast” because he was hungry but this attitude is not needed… I mean she wasn’t even American (everyone knows the American crew members are not as nice and service-minded as the others).

After breakfast we went to the “Navigation at Sea” talk where the Staff Captain (#3 in command) came and shared about navigating and the history of navigation on the sea. This was a very interesting discussion and talk and we thoroughly enjoyed it. However, unlike Carnival or Royal Caribbean, this only involved the Staff Captain and none of the other officers or the Cruise Director and the question and answer session was long and drawn out. In addition the information was more about sailing the high seas and not about Princess or the actual ship. I would still recommend attending this as it is very interesting and informative. 

Unfortunately, the Staff Captain was very Italian and was hard to understand at times.

This was followed by the “Behind Back Stage” tour with some of the Princess dancers and the stage producer. This was interesting but once again the question session was drawn out and repetitive. This started at 11AM and the questions alone lasted until 11:45AM before we were even able to go onto the stage. I would have preferred a shorter question session and a longer backstage tour. The backstage was small as expected but it was neat to see all the lights and the dressing rooms as well. We also learned that the singers and dancers have their cabins directly in front of the stage on the lower decks (so basically at the very tip or point of the ship). We got to speak to the Production Manager and he enlighten us on Lee C, the Cruise Director, and his lack of activeness and availability on this cruise. He also informed us he was late all the time, which would explain why so many events and activities were late this week. Needless to say, Lee C. is now our least favorite Cruise Director and further confirms that I could do a much better job ("When I grow up I want to be a... Cruise Director").  

The set of BRAVO all set-up for the evening production show.

A view of the Princess Theater from the stage. It is a VERY small theater that only holds 730 passengers and gets full FAST! Also, there is not much aisle space to pass through. Be mind of this and get there early for ANY shows! Also, the late shows are not as highly attended we learned!

Afternoon

After these learning events we headed to the Coral Dining Room for lunch. This lunch was fantastic and featured some special “lobster crepe rolls” that were the best lunch dish of the cruise; however, the lunch service was slower than usual and it took nearly an hour just to get out of there.

After lunch we wanted to “do nothing” again as this was the theme of this cruise so we went up to the upper decks to look for chairs in the shade. We didn’t have any luck as by this time it was the prime time for laying out and most of the chairs, if not all of the chairs, were already taken. We finally found a few in the shade of the exhaust pipe toward the front of the ship. We stay there and napped for 3 hours before getting up to get ready for formal night #2.

Evening

We got ready and decided to get our 2^nd coffee of the day so we would be sure to use all 15 of our “punches” from the coffee card. We spent some time in the Piazza listening to the wonderful Duo Angels play their electric violins and then went to the promenade to walk around before our early 5PM dinner.

Formal Night #2 in the Piazza!

This formal night featured lobster as well as Beef Wellington so we were very excited to taste these delicacies. Despite it being a formal night and the dining room being very busy the service was wonderful yet again and we were in and out within 90 minutes. This was also the night that we were presented with a special Norman Love Chocolate Anniversary cake for our 10th Anniversary. This was really special and we enjoyed it very much. It was completely free and came to us on embarkation as a ticket to present to the head waiter on a night of your choice. All of this becuase we told our vacation planner it was our 10th anniversary (which it was). Thank you Princess. 

Melissa, our assistant waitress, performing "surgery" on the Lobster entree. It was DELICIOUS and the best lobster we have had on a ship. 

Our Norman Love Chocolate Anniversary Cake... It was VERY chocolate-y

The delicious "Irish Coffee" as an added bonus to our desserts. 

This quick dinner time allowed us to go out and enjoy our 1^st official sunset of the cruise on the Promenade deck. The clouds were covering the actual sun but while we waited we saw several dolphins jumping near the ship. These several turned into an entire school before we knew it. Luckily I had my camera ready for pictures and Chris got an excellent spur of the moment video of the whole thing. We have seen dolphins in Galveston Bay before and a few other times but never like this and not an entire school. This was a memory for sure.

Our sunset began at 6:40PM 

6:47PM

6:58PM

7:05PM

Some of our dolphin experience. 

More dolphins jumping... this was from the 2nd school we saw!

We were so lucky to see this whole ordeal.., We won't soon forget!

I still cannot believe we were able to get this on video!
Our kids like to watch it EVERY night!

I love this picture and spending time with my loving husband!

We continued to sit on the Promenade deck and watch the ocean go by for over an hour. We talked about this cruise and our past 6 cruises and we decided when to splurge on balconies and when not to. We both agreed that if you are just cruising to get away and you do not intended to do a lot in port and just want to relax then what you really need is a balcony. However, if you are doing a “destination cruise” where you focus on the ports or a very active cruise or ship then you can get by with an inside (just our advice). We booked an inside on this cruise solely because of the great deal and it was the only way we could swing it with #Alaska2016 coming up in June. This Alaska cruise will easily be the most expensive cruise we have ever taken and we are going all out. But having a balcony on this particular ship and cruise (Caribbean Princess) would have worked a lot better than an inside.

After the excitement of the dolphins we decided to go and change into comfortable clothes and check out the evening buffet options and get some yummy pizza but once we arrived at the Lido deck we decided we were just to full and stuffed from dinner so we passed and went to the casino instead. If you’re not going to stuff you face you might as well “try” and stuff your wallet, right? I took some of Chris’s winnings from a previous day and used it to play a $5 BlackJack table. Unfortunately, since it was a lower minimum table, the players did not know what they were doing and often made poor decisions (Double Down on 13 against a 10… are you kidding me?) which in turn effected the entire table so I only won $12 BUT… I will take it.

We saw a game-show called “Majority Rules” that we had played on previous cruises and went to see how it worked on Princess. It was a lot of fun and surprisingly just as wild as on other lines. We left this game early as we wanted to see the 50^th anniversary balloon drop in the Piazza. As it turns out, the cruise director and his staff were late getting there so the actual drop did not happen until 25 minutes later. This was really annoying to Chris and I, especially since we left the other game early.

The Golden Balloon drop... I do find it interesting that Princess celebrated it's 50th anniversary in 2015 and in mid-2016 they are still celebrating! Yay for them! 

Chris and I with the "Deputy Cruise Director" (who calls it that) Matt... he was not all there, like at all. We BARELY saw the actual cruise director Lee C., so we figured we better get a picture with the deputy as our traditional cruise director picture. 

After this we went to the production show BRAVO which turned out to be the best cruise entertainment show we have ever seen. It was a production show about Broadway hits and other pop songs sang in a Broadway style. The singing, dancing and overall production of the show was incredible and we were both very impressed. If you are on ANY Princess ship and have the opportunity to see the production show BRAVO be sure to see it and get there early for a good seat. You will not be disappointed. After the show we were not really tired, or sleepy rather, so we walked around the Promenade and Lido decks before heading to bed around 11:30PM.

This show was phenomenal. It is a MUST see while aboard any Princess ship.

The Cast of BRAVO!

Our nightly chocolates on our pillows- I'm not even a fan of chocolate but I have to admin this was a NICE touch for Princess to add! 

Tomorrow is our last day at sea and our last day of rest, relaxation and freedom before the real world comes roaring its ugly head once again! We plan on doing a few activities listed in the Princess Patter but a LOT of resting and relaxing!

Next up… Sea Day #3 

Thanks for following along and I hope you find this blog helpful in planning your next Princess or even non-Princess cruise.

God is good… All the time.

This is not Your Granddaddy's Cruise... Oh Wait, It Is- Debarkation

Anniversary Cruise 2016- Caribbean Princess

Number 7 is in the Books

Disembarkation- Houston, TX 

Sunday, March 20, 2016

It is hard to believe that this cruise is already over. We have had a GREAT time just resting and relaxing and as boring as this cruise might have seemed (it was)… it was exactly what these exhausted teachers and parents needed. Now we look forward to and count down the days until our much anticipated Alaska cruise (#Alaska2016) and Seattle vacation for our 10^th anniversary. Number 7 is in the books… Now time for Number 8!

Morning

I woke up at 4AM and could not go back to sleep. I had been dealing with very little sleep and interrupted sleep the weeks and months prior to this cruise but the previous 7 nights I slept perfect. But again, I was going back to reality so I guess my body was just preparing me. We both got up and started getting ready by 6:30AM and we were at the breakfast buffet by 7AM.

We had a 8AM Walk-Off time so we went back to our room and gathered our stuff to get to the Explorer’s Lounge before the masses arrived and the elevators got busy. Despite having to sit in the lounge for what seemed like FOREVER for our group to be called I am so glad we did this when we did because shortly afterwards the elevators, stairs and hallways became clogged up with people.If you plan on doing a Self-Disembark or Walk-Off debarkation, do your self a favor and get to the designated holding spot EARLY! 

We waited in the lounge for well over an hour. The ship did not get clearance from customs as early as the Captain had hoped which pushed back all of the debarkation times. We were the very last Walk-Off group to be called and were supposed to be called by 8AM but were not called until 8:13AM. Unfortunately, I get impatient very easily so I was a little irritated but we made it off the ship. The rest of our morning timeline went as follows: 

8:16AM- On Houston land 

8:24AM- In the “maze” line for customs 

8:40AM- Through the customs line (After being questioned for 5 minutes by what seemed like a non-US citizen… He had a terrible accent. It was sort of ironic if you ask me). 

8:51AM- Leaving the parking lot for our house 

9:57AM- We arrived at our house in The Woodlands

These were fairly good times considering the ship did not get clearance in time and we had to wait in the Explorer’s Lounge for over an hour. In the moment I thought it was taking forever but looking back it was a pretty good debarkation.

Summary and Thoughts

We thoroughly enjoyed this cruise and Princess Cruise Lines. We honestly think that this is what cruising was like 20 years ago. Princess definitely caters to an older crowd but not necessarily a Holland America level of age groups. (Holland America is known in the cruising world as the “old persons” cruise line). 

I think the food, service and overall atmosphere of the ship was phenomenal and it will be hard to beat by any other cruise line or ship. Princess’s motto and tag line is “Escape Completely” and you will “Come Back New”. I think this was obvious and apparent in our cruise as we literally did ESCAPE COMPLETELY. For this particular cruise and for this point in our lives, this style and type of cruising is exactly what we needed. However, I think if this cruise was taken in the middle of the summer after we had some time to refresh from teaching and the craziness that is our daily lives, both Chris and I would have been bored to tears by day 3. The ship itself did not offer a lot of physical activities or things to do while on the ship such as a rock wall, surf simulator or even a putt-putt golf course.

The Ship
This ship had 4 pools and plenty of deck chairs but was lacking in every other category. In addition, Princess did not offer a lot of during the day (especially sea days) activities like trivia games and other entertainment events. It did have a very unique karaoke competition called “The Voice of the Ocean” which as very neat and cool but most of their other daytime and evening activities were not unique to them and were not highly attended or participated in which in turn made them less entertaining.

Since Princess will no longer sail from Houston or anywhere near us we will probably not go looking to book a Princess cruise in the near future. There is talk of them sailing out of Galveston when the 3^rd cruise terminal is completed in the near future but as of right now that is just gossip. If Princess were in fact going to cruise from Galveston, or somewhere within a day’s drive, we would continue to sail with Princess. However, even if they were to sail out of Galveston, I am not sure if I would take my kids on a Princess cruise as the ship itself was not as kid-friendly as Carnival or Royal Caribbean ships.

In 2014-2015 after Chris and I sailed with Royal Caribbean for the first time we were asked if we would stay loyal or Royal or Carnival (and now Princess) and our answer was “We will cruise with the cruise line that offers the best deal and value for the money”. I think after this Princess cruise this statement will remain true as well. Chris and I love cruising and are literally addicted to cruising… we do not care what cruise line it is! We just want to cruise.

Next Up

We have an Alaskan cruise in a little less than 3 months on the Carnival Legend. In fact, we chose Carnival for this cruise based off of price and itinerary. We knew we wanted to sail round-trip from Seattle, travel to several major Alaskan ports and we wanted a balcony. After weeks and months of price comparisons we discovered we can sail on Carnival in an upgraded extended aft balcony CHEAPER than a basic balcony and even an ocean-view cabin on some other lines. Since Alaska is a “destination” type of cruise we didn’t really care which line we sailed on. We went all out on this upcoming Alaska cruise and we cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Cruise Number 7 is in the books and we are looking forward to Number 8. Plus we have Number 9, 10 and even 11 booked and on the horizon… like I said, WE ARE ADDICTED!

Thank you so much, fellow friends and cruisers, for following along and taking the time to read our daily life aboard a cruise ship. I have tried to make this an easy to read and easy to follow blog. I hope you have been able to find some tips and tricks for your upcoming cruise vacations! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

Until Next Time… Keep Calm and CRUISE ON!

God is good… All the time! 

This isn't Your Granddaddy's Cruise... Oh Wait, It Is- Sea Day #3

Anniversary Cruise 2016- Caribbean Princess

Free as the Wind Blows 

Sea Day #3 

Saturday, March 19, 2016

It seems like the past 6 days have come and gone by so fast and we are already on our 7^th and last day of this cruise. The theme of this entire cruise has been rest and relaxation and today would be no different. We did not want to be tied down with schedules and events but rather just sit back and enjoy our time together. We were as “Free as the Wind Blows”.

Morning

We had another restful night’s sleep and slept in until nearly 8AM. Chris quickly got up to jog as we wanted to make the morning interdenominational church service. I went to the aft to do my quiet time and reflect on the cruise thus far and give praises to my Lord for His continued blessings. We decided to meet at the breakfast buffet since our time was shortened since we slept later than we wanted to. I was able to somewhat “reserve” us chairs in the aft under a shaded area for our return after the church service by placing beach towels and magazines on them. I know this is frowned upon but I was still feeling my sunburn and really needed some shade coverage and we were only going to be gone less than an hour so figured it would be OK.

We went to the church service which was hosted by our Cruise Director, Lee C.. This was something TOTALLY different for us as we have never been to a church service, or even seen a service offered, on a cruise ship. The service began with the lovely hymn “In the Garden”. Lee did a fantastic job of bringing a sermon based off the “Hebrews Hall of Fame” as he called it where he brought to our attention the faith of biblical characters such as Abraham and Noah. The service ended with “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”. Those of you that know me know that my family and I are VERY faithful at our Baptist Church. But even after going to church on a ritual/ routine Sunday basis, I really felt like I needed that sermon (from a cruise director nonetheless) at that moment and time. Isn't it just amazing how God can speak to us even when we least expect it! Thank You Lord for these words!

Preach it brother!

Chris and I did find the interdenominational part of the service to be interesting as after the prayer Lee said “AMEN” and us Baptists took that as a cue to sit down and then we realized everyone else was still standing up. I guess that is just a Baptist thing! The service itself was very well done and very classy. This was a definite “point for Princess” and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Plus we were finally able to get our picture with the actual cruise director.

Our traditional Cruise Director picture with Lee C. of the Caribbean Princess!

After the service we went back to the aft to see if our chairs were still available and much to our surprise they were. We sat in the upper 16^th deck in the shade watching the wake go by and seeing storm clouds forming near us. Soon an announcement came on from the bridge warning us about rain and very strong winds. Soon everyone cleared out from the aft decks and the deck attendants even came and pulled up the deck chairs. We waited a little while but soon enough the winds were so strong and the heavy rain came so we ran inside quickly.

A view from my deck chair around 10:00AM. 

The clouds were just gorgeous! 

The Captain did a great job of trying to steer away from the storm! 

If you have ever been on a cruise where it rains you know that the inside of the ship gets real crowded REAL quick. Now all 3,500 passengers were trying to crowd into inner parts of the ship. We wanted to go on the tour of the galley so we went to the opening part of this which was a cooking demonstration. This was held in the Princess Theater which I thought, at the time, was too big of a location but since the rain kept people inside this theater was nearly full with guests. The head chef and Maitre’D cooked some Italian pasta and wonderful seafood which was followed by the head Pastry chef making a Black Forest cake. This was a delightfully entertaining demonstration and we enjoyed it very much. If you enjoy learning about cooking, be sure to attend this.

Thomas, the head chef, was hilarious! 

We really enjoyed watching him cook but only wish we could have tasted his dishes!
Carnival offers cooking demos where you can actually taste what they cook! 

Once the Head Pastry chef arrived it became even more funny! 

Shortly after that we got in line for the Galley Tour which started at the theater and went back to the actual Galley on deck 5. We ended up being one of the 1^st groups to get through the Galley which turned out to be a huge blessing. In all reality the Galley Tour was more of a “walk-thru” as it was literally just 40-50 feet in the galley. This was not the extensive tour we have taken on Royal Caribbean but it was neat nonetheless.

The beginning of the Galley Tour. 

I really loved all of the pastry creations they made throughout the cruise!

Some gorgeous melon creations! 

Cake was one thing they never really offered so as good as this looked... All I wanted was to EAT IT! 

More of the melon creations. 

This was the pastry side of the galley and we saw many chefs (over 10) working on ALL of the pastries on board. 

After this tour ended we were already in the Island Dining Room so I decided to check out the “Outlet Sale” featuring lots of items from the boutique shops on board. This sale featured lots of clothes and t-shirts as well as common souvenirs like magnets, pens, coffee cups and more. If you shop for these things on a cruise be sure to wait until the last sea day for the best deals.

Afternoon

It was now after 12PM so we headed up to the Lido deck for a light lunch of Pizza. The rain and storms had blown by and while the deck was wet, it was not miserable. Oddly enough, when we got to the Prego Pizza, it was not crowded at all and they had just taken a pizza out of the oven. This became my downfall of the cruise and easily the best “Non MDR” food of this cruise and perhaps some of the best ever on any cruise ship. We took our pizza and found 2 chairs in the shade and enjoyed the quietness of the Lido deck for as long as we could.

The calm BEFORE the storm... 

We began to notice the deck attendants bringing the deck chairs back since the rain had passed so we hurried to the aft to see if any chairs were available. The attendants had not made it back that far yet so Chris took matters into his own hands and got us our own deck chairs and we took them up to deck 16 where we spent the next 4+ hours in the shade just resting and relaxing as much as we could before this glorious cruise was over.  The storm had passed but it brought with it MUCH cooler temperatures and crazy “Oklahoma” style wind. We had to go back to the room and change clothes and get hoodies and even socks. We spent those 4 hours tucked into beach towels but it was worth it.

The wind was CRAZY!

Evening 

We wanted to be sure and enjoy our evening so we opted for an early dinner so we went back to the room around 4:30PM to get ready for dinner. We had brought 2 bottles of wine on board and oddly enough still had 1 bottle left so we opened it and took it with us to dinner. Princess, like Carnival, mandates a corkage fee if you open your bottle of wine in the Dining Room. However; you can open the wine yourself in your room and take the wine with you to dinner without having to pay a fee. Royal Caribbean took away their corkage fee completely in early 2015 and we like the way they do it MUCH better. Either way, we had our favorite wine and enjoyed our last dinner at sea. 

Coincidentally I had only eaten seafood as my main entree so I wanted to be sure I ordered red meat at this meal. Unfortunately, the meatloaf was not as good as I would have hoped. I guess I should have just stuck with the seafood! During our dinner the waiters and Maitre’D did a parade of the Nations and Parade of “Baked Alaska” which as a lot of fun. Not the singing and dancing you would see on Carnival but we enjoyed it. They usually do this on the last night of the cruise around 6:45PM so be sure to plan your dinner around this!

This meatloaf was interesting... I was not a fan! 

Parade of Nations and typical napkin waving!

We loved Cecilio and Melissa! Our best waiters to date!

After dinner we headed towards the Promenade deck to watch the sunset again but the winds were so strong that we were not able to go outside. By the time we got up to the Lido deck the ship was swaying so bad we felt like we were back on the MAGIC during Tropical Storm Bill. The swimming pools were a good example of how much the boat was swaying. We enjoyed our PERFECT calm seas the previous days so we were due to feel minor waves. Not only was the wind crazy but the temperatures had dropped at least 20 degrees from the afternoon. It was COLD! We only stayed outside for about 20 minutes before going back inside to the warmth.

Our night ended with live music in the Explorers Lounge and Flag Trivia in Club Fusion. Once again, we did not do as well as we would have hoped in this trivia but it was fun and FAST! We went back to the room and finalized our packing. Since we were walking off we did not have to place our bags outside our room but we wanted to get it all organized before morning. We went to the last show with Steve Moris and it was much better than his previous show and we enjoyed him very much. We were back in our room and sound asleep by 11:30PM.

Tomorrow… It’s back to the Real World!

Thanks for following along,.. I hope you have been able to get some tips, tricks and great info to help you plan your next cruise vacation!

God is good…All the time! 

Saddle Up Your Horses

Monday, April 4, 2016 

"The Great Adventure" by Steven Curtis Chapman 

Have you ever had an everyday moment where the many memories just come flowing in like a flood? I just had that moment this morning. I was driving to school with my kids and oddly enough they were getting along and not yelling, whining and screaming like usual. I was listening to KSBJ (Houston’s Christian Radio) as I do each morning during our commute. As the DJs began talking about the morning show they said they had a special guest, Steven Curtis Chapman. I immediately turned the radio up as he was a true music hero and inspiration to me.

I kept listening through dropping off Luke at the daycare and eventually got to my office and logged onto www.ksbj.com so I could continue to hear this 2 hour morning show. As the songs came rolling in and the music continued to play I just sat there at my desk thinking of my teenage years and how these songs and their lyrics literally changed my life. All of the sudden the many tasks I needed to do before the students arrived didn't matter. The lyrics and songs swept me away. I was reliving memories and saying prayers to my Lord and Savior. 

I was somewhat of an outcast in my younger and teenage years especially. I was somewhat of a loaner and always felt better by myself. I remember I would carry a Walkman with me and it ALWAYS had a Steven Curtis Chapman CD in it. Albums like “More to this Life” and “For the Sake of the Call” were some of my all-time favorites. I remember going to youth camp and taking that Walkman with me wherever I went and I would listen to these songs to and from the dormitories to the chapel. In fact, often times I would sing these songs as specials and solos in my Dad’s church.  

When the album “The Great Adventure” came out the theme song “The Great Adventure” (Saddle up your horses) was a huge hit and was on the radio often. Of course, I was late to that party and didn’t get that album until many years later but once again I was listening to the CD almost daily I’m sure. It was another song I sang in church and a song I thoroughly enjoyed.

I remember a summer Allison and I traveled to Wichita, KS to be with our grandparents for a week as we traditionally did in the summers. We went to my Grandma Pat and Grandpa’s house in Derby, KS and I was an attitude filled teenage (probably 13-14 at the time) who was bored with their “rabbit ear” TV selections and boredom had set in after a few days. Grandma and Grandpa raised four boys but it seemed like (at the time) anytime I went to visit them they had nothing or very little to do.  I remember sitting in the basement with my Walkman on singing the words to “The Great Adventure” while Grandpa watched the news and sports on the TV. All of the sudden he turned off the TV and came over and asked me what I was listening to. Again, I was an attitude filled teenager and never in my wildest dreams would I have expected my Grandpa to say “Oh I know that song”. But he did and he knew this song and many other Steven Curtis Chapman songs I listened to. All of the sudden we had a bond (one of many we shared through our years together). 

The rest of that day Grandpa and I spent talking about the lyrics of these songs but I will never forget what Grandpa said about the words to “The Great Adventure”. He said “Kellie, you have a great adventure ahead of you. You’ve got a trail to blaze. There will be times where you will struggle and go through valleys but you will also see the very highest of mountains. Follow your leader. Do you know who your leader is?” I do not remember what I said after that but I will never forget him reliving those lyrics with me in the basement of their house. He told me stories of his "Great Adventure" and his trials and tribulations. 

The next summer when Allison and I came to visit our grandparents in Wichita, KS I sang “The Great Adventure” at both my Grandma Juanita’s church at my Grandma Pat and Grandpa’s church.  I sang the song at Pleasantview Baptist Church in Derby as my Grandma Pat and Grandpa watched from the congregation, I saw Grandpa mouthing the lyrics and smiling at me and pointing up to Jesus. “Follow Your Leader Kellie. This is the Great Adventure”. Thank you Grandpa for that life lesson!

The words of this song spoke to me then and are speaking to me now. I have no idea why this radio morning show spoke to me so much today but it did and I know that even now I need to “Follow my leader”. I am on a Great Adventure and I do not know where this journey will take me but I am ready to follow Him to the glorious unknown.

The Great Adventure video

The Great Adventure

Saddle up your horses

Started out this morning

In the usual way

Chasing thoughts inside my head

Of all I had to do today

Another time around the circle

Try to make it better than the last

I opened up the Bible

And I read about me

Said, I'd been a prisoner

And God's grace had set me free

And somewhere between the pages

It hit me like a lightning bolt

I saw a big frontier in front of me

And I heard somebody say, "Let's go"

Saddle up your horses

We've got a trail to blaze

Through the wild blue yonder

Of God's amazing grace

Let's follow our Leader

Into the glorious unknown

This is a life like no other

This is the great adventure, yeah

Come on get ready

For the ride of your life

Gonna leave long faced religion

In a cloud of dust behind

And discover all the new horizons

Just waiting to be explored

This is what we were created for, yeah

Saddle up your horses

We've got a trail to blaze

Through the wild blue yonder

Of God's amazing grace

Let's follow our Leader

Into the glorious unknown

This is a life like no other

This is the great adventure

We'll travel over, over mountains so high

We'll go through valleys below

Still through it all, we'll find that

This is the greatest journey

That the human heart will ever see

The love of God will take us far

Beyond my wildest dreams, yeah

Oh, saddle up your horses

Come on, get ready to ride

Saddle up your horses

We've got a trail to blaze

Through the wild blue yonder

Of God's amazing grace

Let's follow our Leader

Into the glorious unknown

This is a life like no other

This is the great adventure

Come on, this is the great adventure

Saddle up, saddle up your horses

We've got a trail to blaze

Through God's amazing grace

 I spent the rest of my morning and the majority of my day listening to other songs by Steven Curtis Chapman and reliving my younger days and thinking of the many memories I have created through these songs and the lyrics they provide. Thank you Steven Curtis Chapman for these beautiful songs and lyrics. They have truly changed my life.

God is good… All the time! 

Only HALF Crazy... Part 2- My Half Marathon

March 5, 2016 

"I can do ALL thing through Christ who gives me strength".- Philippians 4:13

It's a GREAT day to run 13.1 miles!

It was 4:45AM and I was wide awake just praying and pondering on what the next few hours would hold. My alarm began ringing and I got out of bed quickly so I could get in the shower and get ready to go and run the 13.1 miles I had been training and preparing for since June 2015. I had all of my clothes, accessories and running supplies laid out in the living room and I was ready to persevere to greatness.

My parents had come down from Tyler the night before and they were up and at-em and ready to go before Chris and I were. We got Chris and my parents some breakfast and protein since they would be the "cheering section" and following me around and cheering me on during my run. We were out the door and headed to the race site by 5:30AM.

We made it to the Tinseltown Movie Theater parking lot by 5:40AM and just like 2015 when Chris ran his full marathon, we were too early and just sat in the car for a few minutes. Around 6:00AM we got out so I could get to the porta-potty before a massive crowd arrived. The course starting line was laid out a little differently this year so what we thought was a close parking spot to the starting line was actually a hike. Because of this, after we got done with the restroom we went back to the car to get all of my stuff so I would not have to walk back to the car yet again as we waited for the event to start.

The OFFICIAL "before" picture!

We got all of my needed supplies and headed back towards the corrals. I knew I needed to get off of my feet as much as possible so we found a bench near Market Street to sit on while the time passed. As the minutes passed we saw the corrals begin to get full so Chris advised me to use the restroom once more as the line would be long... which it was at 6:25AM. I HATE Porta-pottys and these were the worst as everyone was just GROSS, but I did it and that "hard" part was over! I didn't know which was worse; the fear of the race or the fear of having to use a porta-potty!

A picture of the staring line (Half on the left, Full on the right) taken from a drone at 6:50AM.

If you look closely on the bottom left you can see Chris and my parents... Mom is wearing a grey and pink jacket. 

Around 6:45AM Chris, my parents and I said one last prayer before I would get into my Corral.  I got into my Corral E and started to put on my armband and take off my light jacket. Chris gave me a final pep-talk and kiss and I was ready. The nerves and the butterflies were at all time highs at this point and I was tearing up just thinking about the "What-if's" and other things were running through my head. I could barely hear the Star Spangled Banner but I knew it was playing as people outside of the corrals in the spectator areas had their hands over their hearts. I knew it was almost time to get this thing started and I was really freaking out!

I'm here... LET'S DO THIS! 

I've got all of my stuff and I am ready to go! 

Chris being the AMAZING and supportive husband throughout this all! 

Chris giving me one last pep-talk before the race started! 

After that was over I turned my music onto none other than the song "Great is thy Faithfulness", This song and these words have literally gotten me through EVERY hard time and trial in my life and I knew I needed it once again. I only had 1 goal... To FINISH! I did want to try to beat 3:30 but I knew all that mattered was crossing the finish line and I knew I needed JESUS to get me there!  As the song came to a close I found myself walking to the starting line and running past the gate. Within minutes the butterflies were gone and I was running in a Half Marathon.

The starting line... just waiting for me to cross over! 

There I am... I was crying as I crossed over just listening to "Great is thy Faithfulness".
"Strength for TODAY and bright hopes for tomorrow. Great is thy Faithfulness Lord unto me" 

I am now ready to tackle these crazy miles. 

I made the 1st few turns to get me onto Research Forest Dr where I would spend the next 4+ miles. I made it to the 1st water stop at mile 1.25 with no issues and an incredibly good time... Maybe too good as I was coming in under 12:00/ per mile. Within feet I saw Chris and my parents cheering me on at what would be 1 of 8 stops where they found me and cheered for me along the way. They were so supportive and if it weren't for them I may not have had the motivation and determination to finish! Thank you ALL so much!

TWO miles down... 11+ to go! I think I can, I think I can! 

Mile 2
This is a great picture and captures my true feelings, emotions and literal pain! 

It was around mile 2 that I began to feel my left leg and especially hip start to hurt real bad. It felt like a joint was giving out or something. The pain was increasing with every mile and I was really hurting by the time I turned onto Kuykendahl Rd at mile 5.5. Luckily Chris, Mom and Dad were there at each and every mile along Research Forest Drive giving me words of encouragement and helping me push through the pain.

Chris, along with my parents, cheering me along the way. This was around mile 4-5. 

Coming in on mile 4... I was really staring the feel the pain at this point. 

Around mile 7 I lost the pacing team that would have a 3:00 final time. Again, I didn't really have a GOAL, except to cross the Finish Line, but I did want to beat 3:30 for sure and I led myself to believe that after 7 miles of keeping pace with the 3:00 team I could finish in under 3 hours but at mile 7 they passed me and that dream vanished. It was here too that as I saw Chris and my parents again, and I was feeling a lot of pain and tension in my legs and hips especially. I was able to see the Elite leader and Kenyan of the Full Marathon pass by me at this point too. This was kinda cool and depressing at the same time. He was on mile 19 and I was on mile 7... He was going strong and I was about to pass out! Good times! 

Here I came... up those Kuykendahl hills around Mile 7. 

I was about to turn directly into the sun so Chris gave me my sunglasses and I got an extra pack of GU for the next 5+ miles. I was feeling AWFUL at this point and honestly just wanted to QUIT... But I just kept on pushing! 

As I turned on to Kuykendahl and knew only 4-5 miles remained I began to start walking more and more and the pain in my hips had now moved to my knees, calves and even feet. At this point I felt like I had thousands of blisters on my feet and each and every step was burning with pain. I remember there was a lot of moaning and groaning around these miles and people around me kept looking at me as I would groan in pain or sigh really loud. I didn't expect Chris and my parents to be able to find another location to stop and cheer me on before the finish line but much to my surprise there they were around mile 9.75. This was a true God send as I was really struggling and needed a little push. The random people who would give me a "you got this girl" or "keep pushing" were great but seeing your loved ones was priceless. 

Coming up on mile 9.75 and seeing my family as a surprise! 

I could barely make it to the pit stop for my water... I was worn out! Just over 3 miles to go and I was not sure I would be able to RUN anymore. 

I walked away from that pit stop and really began to slow down!

As I saw the "Mile 10" sign I knew that I had to push through no matter the pain and no matter the cost. I tried walking but my legs and feet hurt so much it did not matter if I was walking or jogging so I decided to try to get this misery over with SOONER rather than later so I just tried to jog as much as I could. I did a lot of "run to that light post then walk" but it worked for me and I only slowed down about 15-30 seconds per mile the last 3 miles but oddly enough my 11th mile was my FASTEST! There was an older gentleman who was crippled and a few pregnant women who passed me and that was enough determination and motivation to keep me jogging to finish ahead of them... And I did! 

I came up to the populous part of The Woodlands and the last 1 mile and I really tried to run as fast as I could to get to the finish line. Oddly enough, "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey came on my earbuds and I knew I could push through. Besides a wise old runner once told me "When you run, you run and when you're done... YOU'RE DONE"! All I wanted at that moment was to be done so I just pushed and pushed. I ran along the trolley path to the finish line and saw Chris and heard my family cheering for me. I had "Great is thy Faithfulness" playing once again as I came closer and closer to the finish line. I pulled out one earbud to hear the announcer say "And Half Marathon Finisher, Kellie Davis from Conroe". What a GLORIOUS feeling that was and one I will NEVER forget! I immediately gave God the glory as I crossed the finish line, knowing I could not have done it without the strength from Him. 

Coming up the trolley path to the finish line!

Just yards away from crossing that finish line. 

I crossed the finish line and immediately said a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus for helping make it through those 13.1 miles. I could not have done it without the strength He provided me along the way. I finished with a Gun time of 3:09 and an OFFICIAL chip time of 3:05! 

The pain, agony an joy on my face tells my story! 

Thank You Jesus for helping me get through this! 

I DID IT! I AM A FINISHER!

 I loved being able to use RunKeeper and UP aps to track my mileage, calories burned and even steps! HELLO 31K steps! 

The run began with 48* and ended with 66*... Perfect weather and I am praising God for this perfect day! 

I received my AWESOME medal and headed towards my family. Chris stopped my RunKeeper and helped me make my way to the food and beverage tent. I was exhausted but still had the most amazing feeling in the world. I got my plate of protein and carbs, Raising Canes Chicken and cookies, and sat in the grassy lawn while my family guarded me from the sun as I was already a little sunburnt from the 3 hours in the sun. I grabbed my shirt and took a few more pictures but at this point all I wanted was to go home, shower and lay down. 

I did it! Crossing this off my Bucket List now! 

I love (and so greatly appreciate) my daddy ALWAYS being there for me!
No matter the event! I love you Daddy!

My favorite signs along the way

Obviously, those made by MY family were my ALL-TIME Favorites! 

1. Run Kellie Run 
2. You Can Do it Mommy! 

Others I liked: 

• All of this for a FREE Banana 
• Run Random Stranger Run 
• You thought they said Rum, didn't you? 
• If Britney Spears can get through 2007, you can get through this
• Don't worry, you won't feel your feet AT ALL tomorrow 
• Just think... You paid GOOD money to do this 
• Smile if you peed a little 
• Run like you stole something 
• On a Scale of 1-10, You're a 13.1 
• Keep Going, Keep Going (That's what she said) 

The random encouragement from the strangers, police officers and water station workers along the way really helped me and made me feel special. I tried to be sure and thank each and every police officer who was stopping traffic along the way and the workers, both young and old, handing out water and Gatorade at each station. They helped me push through and I will never forget that! 

We made our way home and I got an ice bath and Epsom salt bath all while the kids and my parents ate lunch and got showered themselves. It was a AWESOME morning filled with amazing achievements and I will NEVER forget that feeling of crossing the finish line. I do not know if I will ever run in a Half Marathon again but oddly enough I am not going to say I will NEVER run it again! You just never know! I do know that THIS is MY MARATHON... Meaning I will NEVER run MORE than a Half! No Full Marathons for me! 

I think the training was harder than the actual run and as tired, exhausted and sore as I was/ am after it was all over, I think the feeling I get from achieving something like this is worth the pain and agony in the long run (Ha... not pun intended)! 

I am so grateful to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for helping me get through these 13.1 miles and giving me this opportunity! Plus Chris and my parents who were the best cheering section EVER. They cheered me on so many times that OTHER RUNNERS were recognizing them too! Thank y'all so much! Dan and Jackie, my in-laws, also took care of the kids for us on Friday night and even brought them to the finish line to cheer me on too! I am blessed beyond measure with the best family and support system a girl could ask for! 

It was hard... It was painful... There was blood, sweat and tears (LOTS OF THEM) but I conquered those 13.1 miles and am better because of it! Once again, thank You, Jesus for giving me yet another opportunity to TRUST YOU! 

God is good... ALL THE TIME!