How Not To Launch A Space Shuttle

I have always wanted to see a space shuttle launch. John and I have talked about it for years.

When they announced that they were ending the shuttle program we knew we had

to make a plan if I was going to get my wish fulfilled.

So......

we began planning to go to the November 1st launch of

The Space Shuttle Discovery.

We put our name in The Kennedy Space Center lottery

for tickets to be able to watch the blast off on the base.

In what was the first of many No-Go in this experience. We did not get picked in the lottery.

But, there would be one more chance. You can buy 1 to 6 tickets if your name is picked. When the deadline is up to order they do another lottery for the leftover tickets. Surely, we would get in on the second chance. That was another NO-GO!

So, I did some investigating on the Internet about the buses you can take to the causeway to watch the launch and also about just finding your own spot to watch the launch.

Our son in law, Dave, lived in Orlando for many years. We mentioned to him that we needed a place to go watch the launch. He said he knew the perfect place and he would tell us how to get there. I joked and said......why don't you go with us and show us where to go. Dave asked when it was. When I said November 1st.....he said.....I would love to take Lawson to

"Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party"!

After some talking and realizing that Lawson could also go Trick or Treating with his cousin Steven.....Ken and Shawna's son.....Dave's brother and his wife. I think that sealed the deal.

So.....

Thursday, October 28th, I went to the orthopedic doctor that did my surgery and he released me. John and I headed out to Orlando. We split the trip into two days because of my having surgery 6 weeks before. We picked Courtney, Dave and Lawson up at the Orlando airport

Saturday morning. As they walked into the airport........Law man was flying high. He has flown so many times that we finally quit counting. Courtney and Dave were talking to a woman that sat close to them. She had flown down for the launch and was also staying at Disney World.

She broke the news to us that the launch was cancelled for Monday, November 1st

It's a NO-GO

At this point we weren't too disappointed with this information. This way we could go to the Haunted Halloween with Lawson and also see the launch.

How foolish we were

Little did we know

etc.

In just a few minutes my iphone beeped and I got this message

So, we did Disney World.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

We went to the Mickey Not So Scary Halloween Party

with this sweet little

Dinosaur

Then we got this message

another

NO-GO

okay

That's alright.

Wednesday works for us.

Courtney and Lawson

were flying home Wednesday morning.

Dave was staying one more day to play golf with his brother.

When we made our plans...we thought we would also be going home Wednesday after we dropped Court and Law at the airport.

So...

we will watch the launch, head home for a few hours, stop and get a room

and get home Thursday. That will work!

So....

What did we do Tuesday

Anything Lawson wanted to do!

I think this is such a good picture

except

for the "ole lady" with the bird legs and the shoes that looks like boats.

But we were having too good of a time for me to care. But I have taken note and I don't care how bad my feet hurt.....I will never have this look again!

And....

here it is again

another

NO-GO

okay

this is getting serious


So
John and I had to make a plan

We dropped Courtney and Lawson at the airport and took

off to Cocoa Beach. We had never been there and were looking forward to seeing it.

It is a neat little beach town and we ate at a really good beachside restaurant.


We rode on down the road to Titusville, Florida.

Our destination. Dave had told us where to go in this town to get a really great view of the launch. Several hotels had really hiked up their prices but we lucked up and found a nice room for a good price without us having had reservations.

Maybe things were looking up!



We were really tired that day anyway

so.....

we rested that night.

We had our clothes ready for the early morning dash to get a good spot to park.



Then as I opened my eyes Thursday morning.....

John said....go back to sleep. It's a

NO-GO


So.......

after falling back asleep.

John and I got up and decided to drive to Daytona Beach. Another place that we had never been.

It is pretty neat. I doubt I would like to have my summer beach vacation there but I am glad I got to see it. The Boardwalk was really neat and we ate at really cool bar. We came back to Titusville and went to Target to buy some things to have for snacks at the launch the next day. Everybody in the hotel and in the town was there for the launch. In Target everybody was talking about it. I have to say that Titusville is one of the friendliest towns that I have ever visited. You could feel the anticipation building.





Friday morning

John woke me up at 5:00 and said

It's a

GO

I jumped up like a little kid on Christmas morning. We got dressed, packed the car and checked out of the hotel.

It was cold!

We got a great spot at a park directly on the water. We could see the launch pad. We put out our chairs and waited on the sun to come up.

The picture above is what we watched.

it was beautiful and I was so excited.



We got this message on facebook and it was still a

GO



The countdown had started


And then

we got this message

John and I talked.

We both agreed that we were heading home if it was cancelled. We were tired

and were spending money just sitting in a little hotel room.

But I kept trying to believe that it would launch!

The sun came up over

DISCOVERY

and then we got this message......

it's a

NO-GO

SCRUBBED

Words cannot describe how disappointed I was. But I also understood. It just wasn't meant to be this time. We got our chairs, shook hands with the people around us and took off for Berry

at 7:45.

Just a few minutes down the road we got the messsage that it would be Monday before they attempted launch again. This made me feel a little better. We would have gone stir crazy by Monday but I would have been sad if I had missed the launch by one day.

Then about an hour down the road we got another message

NO-GO

for Monday

GODSPEED DISCOVERY

Keep our astronauts safe

This was all going on in the middle of Bow Hunting Season

John's favorite time of year

and yet

John was so patient and tried so hard to make this wish of mine come true

so.....

even though I didn't get to see a Space Shuttle launch

I will always remember that my husband

loved me enough to give it his best try!

***************************************************

I got this message on facebook this afternoon

Space Shuttle Launch

now postponed until

Friday, December 3 at 2:52 AM