I’m laughing at myself and my trip to Six Flags over Texas. You see we only live a few miles away. Traditionally we have taken the family once a year making great use of Six Flags’ awesome Read to Succeed program. Using the free tickets we only need to purchase one or two additional tickets, making the trip very affordable. We try to go when we think it will be the least bit crowded and since we have plans already for all of my husband’s vacation days he told me to go ahead and go without him.
Not really wanting to take all five kids by myself I was thrilled when my friend Paula said she would go with me. We made plans to meet at the park when it opened. No problem, I’m only a few minutes away. I spoke, “Six Flags” into my GPS and headed out…forgetting the tickets. Tickets in hand we were on our way again.
Losing the children is what was on my mind. The whole way I talked to them about how we were going to behave and what to do if something went wrong. Joy said, “Mom, we past Six Flags!” but I didn’t hear her I was so engrossed in my safety lecture. Sure enough when I followed my GPS to the end point we were somewhere in South Arlington with no Six Flags in sight. I was so mad at myself for making my friend wait as she had to drive over an hour to get there.
It has been such a mild Texas summer. I mean I don’t remember the last time we had 80 degree weather in June and July. Every one of those days I’d tell myself I should be at Six Flags. The day we went? 102. Go figure. I was pouring sweat by the time I met up with my friend and the day had just begun.
It was about that time that I started smelling something…it was ME. I am obsessive about deodorant so it wasn’t that, but I instantly knew what the problem was. The smell is unmistakable. You know when you forget to switch the laundry from the washing machine to the drier for…a whole day and you think, “Oh well, it’ll be okay,” because you don’t want to waste money rewashing the load? NOT OKAY! I stunk the whole day in the sweltering heat. Ha ha. 
I’m not sure who was more scared, my son or the horse! It was so fun to watch Bobby all day. He’s been on rides before, but this is the first time that he’s really remembering them. You know? He was scared every time we got on something new, but he wanted to go. I took him on the boat ride that rocks back and forth. He wouldn’t ride that one again, but asked to ride the Tea Cups again!
It was great to go with friends. All of the waiting in lines and for riders was so much more fun with friends to chat with.
The heat wore us all out. I might have stayed longer, but everyone was completely done in at five o’clock so we went home and crashed. Now that the children are older, I’m thinking about season tickets for next year. Maybe then I’ll be able to drive six miles without getting lost. Ha!
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