The End of a Busy Week

Each year for the last three years, part of the youth group has attended the Challenge Youth Conference in Gatlinbug, Tennessee. This year, Shawna and I were in Atlanta from Saturday to Wednesday. We arrived home shortly after Bible study on Wednesday evening, spent Thrusday getting caught up, and then had the teenagers at the house Thursday evening so that we could leave for Gatlinburg early Friday morning. Here is J.T. and his friend, Christian at CYC Friday evening. They are showing off their CYC hats.CYC usually has between 6000 and 7000 attending. As you can see, it is a big event. Here are some of the group from our congregation.

This year, we met someone who attended the congregation in Tennessee where we used to attend and Jeremy used to preach. It was good to see Jonathan.

Gatlinburg used to have a steak house called Damon's at which we used to like to eat. Over the course of the year, Damon's changed to Flapjack's Pancake Cabin. We ate there but it just was not the same. The Aquarium of the Smokies gave discounts to those who attended CYC. We got in for half-price! Here is Jeremy and the kids posing in front of a display.
Here is Shawna and the kids posing in front of a display.

The kids were impressed with the sharks. This is a picture of one swimming over our heads. They have the longest aquarium tunnel in the U.S. J.T. thought it was awesome.

J.T. and Kaylee were reluctant but each of them finally touched the horseshoe crabs.

They were impressed with the fossils on display as well.

J.T. got to play laser tag, ride gocarts, and do other things with his friend, Christian and Christian's Dad. Kaylee got to go up in the Space Needle (a lookout tower). Here she is proving it was 407 feet up.
Here she is pointing at the Skylift which we all rode last year.
Here is Shawna staying down below in the pizza shop because she is scared of heights. (In fairness, she has been up in the needle in the past).

It was a good trip with very little drama from the teenagers. After Atlanta and Gatlinburg back to back, we are glad to be home.

-J&S