Utterly and completely mind blown. That’s how I felt after a day at the Ark Encounter. Things I’ve always wondered about? They now make sense. Like, how on earth did Noah fit billions of animals on his boat? He didn’t – but I’ll get back to that in a minute!
This week we did a lot of driving – Sunday afternoon we drove several hours to a campground in West Virginia, but the gunshots and spotty wifi had us moving onto Ohio Monday morning. That night while Dad was counselling we went back-to-school shopping! Then on Tuesday morning we drove to the Ark Encounter (in Kentucky), spent the rest of the day there, and then camped at a campground nearby. That was the end of all the major driving!!! On Wednesday we went to the Creation Museum – which we managed to finish in one day even though our tickets included two days there. We must be professional tourists or something because everyone says you need at least two days there…? On Thursday we had a relaxed morning and then went to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre. That is a museum where you need at least two days – there is so much to read that it’s almost too much! But it was still cool, and really eye opening!
One good thing about our campsite in West Virginia was a big flat boulder between our campsite and the next one. The sunlight was shining through the leaves onto this rock, and then when my sisters were lying in it I whipped out my iPad and we had a “photo shoot!” Most of the time the photos turned out pretty good but sometimes we all just had to laugh because jumping off the rock at the same time as someone else is apparently pretty difficult…?
We also went off-roading in the campground…
Our campground the next day had fireflies! They reminded me of home because we have tons of the them in the ditches near our house! Okay, so it’s not a great picture, but you CAN see the little line of light which is the back end of a firefly!
#camperlife? We didn’t bring any weights but our four gallon water jugs work well enough…?
We got four new tires put on the camper!!! Mom says they were about to blow – so I guess it’s a good thing! I can see how putting over 35 000 miles on the camper would wear out the tires…
The life size replica of Noah’s Ark. It was huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So at the beginning of this post when I mentioned that you’d have to wait and see how many animals Noah brought on the ark – well, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for…? “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.” Genesis 6:19-20 KJV So what those verses mean is that Noah was to bring two of every ‘kind’ not species or breed. All Noah had to bring on the ark were two dogs. And from those two dogs came many different species, but the dogs are still all the same ‘kind’. You see, ‘kind’ just means they can breed with each other. Different example: horses, donkeys, and zebra’s are all from the same kind – otherwise we wouldn’t have a zorse or a zonkey. I don’t have a clue if any of that made sense to you but check this out – it helped me…? https://arkencounter.com/animals/how-many/
One of the cool dinosaur models they had on the ark!
These cool paintings brought together the days of creation in a really cool way!
I put riding a camel on my bucket list the same day I crossed it off that same list…? It felt a lot like riding a trotting horse! Here’s a weird, and wonderful, fact about camels: camels can drink up to 35 gallons in ten minutes, and then they continually pee down their hind legs to keep cool!???????
I’m pretty sure Bosephus, the camel, was posing for this photo.
I’m pretty sure Sarai, the female goat beside Dad, won the longest goatee contest…????? Hmmm, I wonder if that’s why they call this type of beard a goatee!!
The next day at the Creation Museum we walked though a black light tunnel and our teeth began to glow!
Okay, I am about to sound incredibly lame but the Llama regurgitating its food to chew it again was one of the most fascinating things about the Creation Museum. If you watch carefully you see the stomach muscles clench and then you see a “bubble” rising up the llama’s neck. And when the llama begins to chew again you know that what you just saw is SO STINKING COOL!
Out in the Creation Museum Parking lot there was Archery tag and target practice! It was EPIC!!!!!!
On the end of the arrows there were these huge white marshmallow looking foam things. That’s what you shot at the opposing team. It was SOOOO much fun!!!!!!!!!! “Shoot your friends!” That’s what the shirts of the workers there said – and that’s basically what you did. You wore these huge Darth Vader like helmets, and shot arrows at the opposing team.
Dad and I were on the opposite team as Mom – so she didn’t stand a chance…? Just kidding, but it was SO much fun!!!
The day after that we rode paddle boats around the lake in our campsite!!! At one point, when I was on shore, Cassia had Lanaya peddling while Cassia fished off of the back – I’m not exactly sure how Lanaya let herself be talked into it, but hey, they seemed to enjoy themselves!
That afternoon we went to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre. It talked about slavery in the past, and the slavery that is still happening today. It was really eye opening – there are millions of men, women, and children who are enslaved today.
This week started off with a lot of sitting and then quickly turned into a week with a lot of walking. I learned a lot, and hopefully will remember a lot!
Once again an absolutely fascinating recount of your week…… and I learned a new fact about camels…. who knew how they keep themselves cool!?!? The Ark looks like an adventure to add to our travel list! Thanks Raquenna!
You are SUCH an awesome little writer! I love reading all your posts! So glad you got to see the Ark. but I may just be a LEEETLE bit jealous! ?
Wonderful write up again Raquenna. What an experience! I can see you and your Dad really piling the arrows your Mom’s way. See you in about 6 weeks. Love you all.
Very interesting post. How id Noah deal with all the manure? Were there dinosaurs on the ark? Love Gradad and Grandma SG
They had a few different theories on how they dealt with manure – which will be much easier to explain in person, when I see you!? There probably were dinosaurs on the ark and if so, juvenile ones!
Have read your post many times , it is all so fascinating & well explained. You have been to so many interesting places & we look forward treating more when we see you
Was amused at the 2 “Goaties”! Love Grandma.