Not to be sacrilegious, but I'm talking about 5-year-old Nicholas! We did our family Christmas outing this past Saturday to the newly-opened Georgia Aquarium here in Atlanta. Oh my. Talk about Wonder for all of us!
On 9 acres next door to our 1996 Centennial Olympic Park, it is the World’s Largest Aquarium, with over 8 million gallons of fresh and marine water, and 100,000 animals representing 500 species from around the world. The brainchild of Bernie Marcus, founder of Home Depot, it cost over $200 million, $80M+ of which Marcus donated himself. What a gift to our city!
Btw, in the top right photo is Nicholas at the window with G'ma (moi) in picture-taking mode up close and personal (photo taken by my son, Mark).
Everything you'd ever want from an aquarium, and then some, is what we got. So much of the space is dedicated to interactive touching, playing, watching, feeling. The 4-D theater show made a child out of ME, full of wonder, as bubbles popped in front of my face and Deepo told us about why we need to take care of our oceans. Yes, Deepo (get it!), the Aquarium's mascot.
The good news is that I got some wonderful photos everywhere we went. The bad news is that I still have camera and PhotoShop settings to learn to make them better. However, I've still put them in the album because as far as I'm concerned, they're better than nothing. The good news is that we bought annual passes to the Aquarium, so when I go back, I've promised myself to know how to do it better!
I pictured Jesus, the Star of Wonder, at age 5 going to the Aquarium. We know about his Virgin Birth and his little episode in the Temple at age 12. But apart from that, we really know nothing else about his childhood.
Nicholas chose the whale shark as his stuffed toy to take home. I wonder what Jesus would have chosen?! Maybe a starfish :)
The aquarium looks wonderful and Nicholas is absolutely precious. I love the pictures in your album of the both of you together.
ReplyDeleteYou're a sweetheart, Christina. Thank you. I'm guessing by the "both of you together" you mean Donica and Nicholas, since I'm not in any of the photos except 2 where you can't really see me. Donica and Nicholas are definitely "buddies," both Cancers who love each other dearly.
ReplyDeleteAh, sorry Ginnie! I thought that was you.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, Mom -- thanks for sharing! Soooo, where are the other 300+ photos? ;-)
ReplyDeleteNo problem, Christina. I don't mind at all being mistaken for Donica since Nicholas loves her so much :)
ReplyDeleteAnd HA HA, Amy. The other 300 photos are either in the Photographers' Black Hole or are in the DVD Donica is making for Nicholas' 2005 year. I thought you'd be proud that I held the album down to only 100 photos :)
PG, you have absolutely astounded me! I am speechless!
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks Prairie Girl for the awfully nice "review" of my mom's portrayal of our time together. We've learned to accept my mom's camera as an extension of herself (literally as an appendage), and while it can sometimes be an irritation, for the most part I'm grateful for her eagerness to capture these moments because I don't have the patience to do it myself!
ReplyDeleteThese photos are neat. You have a way at capturing aspects of Nicholas' life on camera that command a sense of awe.
ReplyDeleteThanks, James and Tim. Your comments themselves are inspiring!
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