Texas Vacation: Day 5

The highlight of my entire trip was going to Johnson Space Center in Houston! I have worked at and visited so many museums but I have never set foot in an actual NASA facility. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, the anticipation was almost more than I could bare. My sis, Mo and I met up with his sister, brother-in-law and nephew who also love space history. Having a big group was so much fun and we literally arrived at opening and stayed until closing. Not too often have I opened and shut a museum down!

Lunar Module

Saturn V building while taking the tram tour

Mission Control...the real Mission Control from the Apollo days.

I almost couldn't breath, seeing it in person and sitting in the VIP section was such an intense moment. After looking at pictures for decades, I finally saw it with my own eyes and sat in the exact same chairs as prominent historical figures.

Mercury Redstone Rocket (outside the Saturn building)

Walking the gantry

For decades I looked at pictures in books of the moon-era space flights. I have read, studied and know this section of our history better than anything I learned in college. For 4 years at Evergreen, I took people on tours and tried to explain to them the incredible size of a Saturn V rocket. "It is over 300 ft tall", "it is three Titan II's on top of each other tall", "it is wider than this particular area of our museum" but nothing could prepare me for walking into that building and seeing it. To say that it was a spiritual moment for me just doesn't explain it. My hand immediately went over my mouth and tears welled up in my eyes. Not just because of was the Saturn V stands for but because I was finally there, with it, in person. I could touch it and smell it. A dream that I have held in my heart since I was 16 years old was realized in that moment. I have my sister to thank, who made this trip to Houston happen and who was hell-bent on getting me there, even in the worst of Texas weather. I also have my hubby to thank, who sent me on this trip with a smile and hug and told me to have a wonderful time and make incredible memories. My Love -- it's you and me at Kennedy!