Magic Springs |

On Saturday, July 28, some friends invited us to spend the day with them at a theme park nearby, called Magic Springs. It’s a place I’m very familiar with, since I grew up in Hot Springs, where the park is located. It was so very sweet of them to include us on their celebration of their daughter’s 12th birthday! They were only in our church for a short time, while the husband was working in our area. The mom and daughter had to return home to Indiana, but we enjoyed their fellowship while they were here!

Lauren and Mitch went with their family to ride the “big” rides, so I don’t have any photos of their fun! 🙂 Terry and I took the three little ones to do the smaller rides. It was an *exceedingly* hot day. I can’t emphasize that enough – it was 112 degrees…with a much higher heat index. I think we all fried a portion of our brains that day, BUT, we did have fun! 🙂 lol!

As some of you may know, Terry and I met at my home church’s teen camp when we were 15-ish. Each year, on the last day of camp, we used to come here as a group. I never spent the day with him back then, seeing as we hated each other’s guts and all, so it was nice to come here as friends. 🙂 I made some wonderful friends at camp, many with whom I still keep in touch. Spending the day here brought back so many good memories. *sigh*

Here is our group! (Minus me)

The Gwin family – happy birthday to their sweet girl!

The girls riding a ride.

Leslie’s not as scared as she looks. 😉

Did I mention it was hot? My poor babies are baking here, waiting on the ride to start.

Matthew was supposed to be smiling, but just as it snapped, he moved his eyes. It’s suc ha cute photo! Here he’s waiting in his covered wagon while the girls enjoy a ride on something he was too small for.

Finally! It started moving!

I rode this little balloon ride with the girls and Matthew. I was very happy that I could fit!

The girls also rode it alone. We all enjoyed riding the carousel, too, but I didn’t get a photo.

Last, but not least, the others got to ride the Log Plume, or log ride, as I have always called it. The line was an HOUR for this five minute ride! I couldn’t go because I couldn’t take the wagon in line, so I waited with our things. At least I was able to get this photo.

Blurry, but another shot as Terry, Leslie, Laci and Matthew (not visible) ride the log ride.

Here’s a short clip of them as they come down the slide. Click play below or go HERE.

My parents operated a shop that sold blown glass figurines when I was four and five years old. I can still remember the thrill I had as I entered the “employees only” entrance each day of summer, flashing my ID badge (yes, I had one!) to the receptionist and heading inside the park. On breaks, my parents or sister would take me to ride the rides. In the afternoon, I took a nap in the storage closet – mom plugged in a fan for me – and I rested on a pallet. As I walked along with my family two weeks ago in the heat, inhaling the scent of tobacco and funnel cakes, I remembered those happy, carefree days. As I rode the rides and felt the wind in my face; as I beheld the valley that I once called home, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness. How wonderful it is to be born in a beautiful place!