Michael came to visit me about two weeks ago to experience what life in my (new) old Kentucky home is all about and hang out with me (his favorite oldEST sister). We had several adventures while he was visiting, but I can confidently say our all-time favorite day was spent at King's Island.
If you know anything about me, or my brother, you know that we take our roller coasters very seriously, so naturally we came up with a game plan prior to entering the park. We decided we would hit up the most popular coasters first, which meant we needed to start with the Firehawk. However, we were side tracked a bit too easily by the giant "hamster wheel"/slingshot. (Literally a giant hamster wheel that shoots you 275 feet into the air at 100 miles per hour...YEAH). Despite my love of adventure and roller coasters, I don't love heights, but I do love my brother, and he can talk me into just about anything (and he knows it). Alas, before I knew it we were strapped into this tiny and somewhat unstable metal ball that shot us toward the bright blue sky at 100 mph and then flipped upside down, spinning us toward the ground as it turned forward and backward. We bounced up and down from the ground to the sky and back again, all the while spinning forward and tipping backwards, seeing shots of the land around us, and the concrete ground below. I held on so tightly (just in case we were launched into space) that I couldn't feel my hands by the time it was over, but it was well worth it to see the giant grin my brother was sporting the rest of the day.
{see what I mean... hamster wheel}
We had fast passes which meant we got to cut to the front of the line for every other ride, so we spent the next little while checking the Firehawk and Flight of Fear off of our "to-do list" and finally made our way to my personal favorite, the Diamondback. After a short debate on whether the front or the back of the coaster is the best place to be, we decided to try out all of the seats and then make a more informed decision, starting with the very back.
The great thing about the Diamondback is that no matter where you sit, you always feel like you're in the front of the ride because of how the seats are arranged. However, after a very intensive case study, (which involved testing out all of the seats and riding the coaster 16 times) we discovered the very front is in fact the absolute best. We also discovered the location of the camera that snaps your picture as you wiz by, so that added another piece of excitement to our riding adventures. Really, who doesn't love a photo shoot with the wind blowing through your hair as you travel at 80 mph?
{Mikey is Superman and I'm spelling "wow"... we're creative}
{look Mom, no hands}
{round #5...should we sit in the front again? ABSOLUTELY.}
{best day ever}
{so much joy}
This was absolutely the best day I've ever had at an amusement park, not just because I set a new record for the consecutive number of times riding the Diamondback, but mostly because I laughed and smiled all day long with my sweet little brother. We would get off the ride, run and check out our photo, discuss options for the next photo, look at each other and run back to the front of the line. Over, and over, and over, and over. The people working the ride knew our routine, learned our names, and adored us (I'm sorry, but my brother is precious, who wouldn't love him?). It was such a pure, innocent, child-like fun that so many kids today miss out on because they grow up so quickly. I love seeing my brother being just that: a kid.
Like any and all kids do, we ate junk food all day - diet coke, ice cream, chicken fingers; the works. I guess I'm still like a kid in that aspect of my life too... I can eat all of that junk food and spin upside down, topsy-turvy, backwards and forwards and not get sick!
After getting our fill of the Diamondback, we did go on the rest of the rides as well, but always came back our favorite! After a solid 8 hours of riding adventures, we drove back to Lexington and met some of my favorite Dunbar high school students to play putt-putt for a Young Life event. This just so happens to be another favorite activity of my brother's and he dominated and won in our group. After all 45ish of us finished playing, the final moment of glory happened: 90+ tacos were delivered and eaten. YES, 90. What better way to end putt-putt than with Mexican food? (Hint: there isn't a better way). I'm fairly certain this was one of the best days in my brother's life, especially since tacos are his favorite food.
{putt-putt + tacos = LOVE}
I was reminded throughout the day of how important it is to throw caution to the wind sometimes, to love people by surprising them, and to be silly and laugh at yourself. It seems like children are sometimes better able to do all of those things. I'm a young adult by the numbers but I want to always remain a kid at heart... to never grow tired of doing the things I love with the people love over, and over, and over, and over again.
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