Czech students and Creation Fest 2010

Students from the Czech Republic came to PA, hung out with our youthgroup and stayed in our houses. We had Katka and Iveta in our house, Katka spoke pretty good english and we had a lot of fun hanging out. They all went to Creation Fest and thought it was absolutely burning hot there (since the Czech Republic is pretty far north in Europe and doesn't get quite this hot). I took them up to the lookout on top off the 'mountain' and I showed them how to jump around at the concerts, they weren't exactly sure what to do hehe.



From the lookout, that's only one section of the camp sites, we were in a totally different part which was just as large. There are usually about 60,000 people there and sometimes pikes to 100,000 for the saturday night show

The main stage with Mr. Sullivan off to the left heheh



Elysa gave me a tatoo of a cross and rose which says "mi jardinero"

They spray painted everyone's hair, even their beards

heheh roarr

We had a praise service for them and they shared a big presentation about their country and town, this is with my step sister Elysa who is one of the youth leaders and my mom and stepdad

Katka and Iveta at Christina Loscalzos' and we spontaneously created a dance routine because some of the girls are on really good dance teams back in their country

Adela and Katka, these girls are sooo funny

Aunt Carol's surprise 60th birthday party

Dad and I drove out to Ohio to surprise Carol for her 60th birthday party, she sorta caught on that people were going to have a special event for her birthday but she had no clue that Dad and I would be there. The drive went by really fast as we conversed and laughed the whole way (a good 6-7 hours)and then suddenly we were there. It was nice to see my extended family after a while of not seeing them.


Aunt Carol with Lizzy and Rae Rae laughing at the ridiculous card Aunt Marcia bought her


Jen with Grandma


Lizzy, Rae rae me and Gwenny, Gwen is always attached to my leg hehe


A and Matt

Carrie and Gwenny, hehe I love her smile

Dad giving Carrie a back massage

hehehe

We were all acting silly

Rae rae

Baseball with the Astronauts

All of the staff at the Goddard Space Center that worked on the Hubble Service Mission were invited to an Oriols game with the astronauts so Ken invited me and I invited my dear old buddy Timmy to come. Ken showed Tim around the space center and we toured the Goddard facilities and saw the clean rooms. We met Mike Massimino first in the center and Michael Good (nicknamed Bueno) came shortly after. The others didn't make it until way later because of a flight delay from Dallas and missed most of the game. If I had met them about 10 years ago, I probably would have considered pursuing being an astronaut further because at one point in time I really wanted to be an astronaut. I was really struck by how physically fit they were and how bright and friendly as well. I was honestly impressed at how they were not cocky or "too cool" to be meeting us. I got all of them to sign a baseball that I have in a case on my shelf :)


Timmy as an astronaut


This is a picture of them taken in space, notice Megan's hair floating hehe

Ken showed us the Goddard Space Center and this is a huge amplifier in a room which tests the instruments and equipment to see if they can endure the sound of the takeoff

This is Mike Massimino, he was super friendly and one of my favorites

Although.. Megan was baisedly my favorite, being the only woman on the team. She was the one to capture the Hubble with a mechanical arm, I told her that it takes the finess of a woman to be able to do so.

This is John Grunsfeld, captain of the team, he considers the Hubble his baby.