So, I hadn't been to Stampede in a few years. With being at camp and such, I didn't have a ton of time off and I decided that this year, I would take the time to go. I ended up going three times!!!
The first time, I worked until 9 and Matt came to meet me and then we went down and met up with my mom and Holly and wandered and tried some of the food and the games. We wandered through the Round-Up Center and checked out the various booths and then watched the fireworks before heading home.
The second time, I worked until 5 and I was supposed to be meeting Dana, Matt, Nick, Kevin, Graham, Josh, Jon, Justin and Candace down at Nashville North. I got there around 6 and waited in line for two hours. At the point I was almost at 2.5hours and was feeling faint from lack of food (I hadn't eaten since 11am and it was 8:30pm) and I needed to use a bathroom, I gave up. I was still an hour away from the door and the people ahead of me were drinking anything alcoholic they could get their hands on and the people behind me were smoking anything they could get their hands on so I left. I had been receiving text messages about what the people inside were doing (apparently standing around doing not much at that point) so I sent a message saying I was going to go my own thing and I did. I hit the washroom, grabbed something to eat, wandered the midway and played some games, rode the skyride one way, listened to Lillix and Headley, shopped in the Round-Up Center, played some more games, checked in with my brother and ran into a bunch of people I know from camp and such! I saw Mary, Brityn, Seena, Mark, Orin, (and by camp names) Spam, Splash, Aurora, Fluffy, Waldorf and Tinkerbell. I was on the verge of leaving when Matt called me to say that everyone else was heading home and he was going to come meet me. We met around 11pm and did some more games and such and then took the train home.
Sunday was the last day of Stampede as well as the day of the Third Day concert! :) :) :) :) :) :) Emily and I went to the concert and ran into many people on our way into and our of the concert... We saw Andrew and Nancy, Scott, Chris, Trevor and Michelle, Jon, Justin and Candace, Matt, Dana, Elaine, Selena, Nick and Sarah, and Shannon. The concert was amazing!!! Emily and I were just above and to the left of the stage and we had a great view! It was awesome to be able to worship along with all three bands! I loved Starfield and Chris Tomlin was fabulous!!! We jumped up and down and danced as we sang along! Emily wasn't sure at first if she had heard of either of them but she knew more songs than she was originally aware! :) Third Day rocked!!! They did "Thief" and I cried... It reminds me of the Stations Team Fiesta skit from TEC 38... I texted Dana about it and bawled... They also did "Cry out to Jesus" and I cried during that one... Emily and I both bought Third Day t-shirts and I got a guitar keychain as well as the new Starfield CD. After the concert, we met up with Matt, Dana, Jon, Justin and Candace. We went to the midway and went on a few rides (well, they did, I went on the "Skyscraper" or whatever it's called with Emily...) and then we sat on a grassy hill and watched the fireworks. Afterwards, Emily and I went on the Ferris Wheel and then on these huge slide things and played a game each and picked up some random food and then headed for home.
I think that all in all, I pretty much enjoyed this year more than I have the past couple that I have gone. I don't think it was the best year of Stampede ever but it turned out to be a ton of fun!!! I think next year I might try to do an entire day of it or something, rather than a bunch of small outings... Or, even a couple of late afternoon into evening forays into the crowds... :D
Either way, it's going to be an interesting next couple of weeks and last night was a good kick-off to it!!!
