I RODE THE FERRIS WHEEL TWO TIMES!

The first time and the last time! period. never again. never. well maybe.

We took a road trip with my parents to a state mountain attraction this past weekend. It was an action packed day with loads of fun. The kids had a blast seeing new sites, seeing the mountains for the first time (half of them!) and making memories. The day ended with a trip on the ferris wheel with Bottle Rocket. Who knows what I was thinking? I mean really, I am sure they are bad enough on flat ground, what made me think the mountain scenery would make it more pleasureable? Boy that was one of the silliest things I have done in awhile!

When I got on the ride, I joked with the teenage "ride manager" about the ride not breaking down. AND HE JUST CHUCKLED!?! Wait let me off! But it was too late at that point as I was strapped in and he had his hand on the lever to make the ride go. It was a feeling similar to when I was 7 months pregant with an appendicitis and had to have surgery. There was nothing more I wanted than to jump off the bed when being rolled down the hallway to the OR. It was like my head and thoughts were screaming and there was nothing I could do.

So off we go and I am petrified. PETRIFIED! I could not even move my head....or hands which were locked onto the bar and sweating profusely.....or feet.......or anything. I was paralyzed. All I could do was scream. And then scream some more. And more. To make things worse, each time we went on the down side of the wheel I had a close up view of the pulley system that cranked that bad boy up. Why was there not a cover on it? I don't need to see that kind of thing. Being married to MacGyver, I know somewhat about how these things work........and how they can malfunction!

Bottle Rocket was beside me and thought it was funny to ask his dad, who was directly behind us and not so excited himself, to take his picture. ARE YOU INSANE? The only time I let go of the bar for the 15 minutes was to motion to him to turn around.....right now! I mean now and don't do it again! Don't you see the sign on the cart in front of us that says DO NOT ROCK THE CART? He just laughed. Finally I mustered up the courage to turn and look at him. I asked him if he was the least bit afraid. His reply was, "Nope, not at all!" So I just stared at him a little longer wondering how that could be? I felt suspended in time! And air! Polar opposite reactions. How can that be? Then it dawned on me in one of those lightbulb moments of life. Of course he is not afraid. He has blind faith. Period. He trusts with his whole heart. He lives each moment to the fullest. He takes on new adventures. He does not fear the 'what ifs' in life. He does not worry about what might happen. He believes in what is happening now. He has the faith of a grain of mustard seed. Wow, this was quite a reminder at 5200 feet above sea level. Sometimes we have to be given a gentle (or terrifying!) nudge to keep us on track. I don't ever plan to ride another ferris wheel, but if someone promised I would learn another thing or two on board, I just might consider hopping back on. Just not one in the mountains!