Sarah Hubbell

Family Fun at Sea World AdventureCon 2014

For the third year in a row, my family enjoyed an awesome weekend at the Sea World AdventureCon blogger’s conference. I always enjoy getting together with other professional bloggers to learn from experts on improving my craft. AdventureCon is unique in that it includes cool activities for families at Sea World and Aquatica in San Antonio.

This theme of this year’s conference sessions was “Amplifying Your Digital Voice” which meant speakers and panels on working with the media, storytelling, Pinterest and Google+. It was great hearing from my good friends from Houston, Sara Patterson of KPRC, and John and Carrie Pacini of Mom 2.0 and Dad 2.0 Summits.

AdventureConsmall-33 — Kami moderates a panel with Sara Patterson, John Pacini and Carrie Pacini.

Shoutout to Stacey Teet, queen of Pinterest.

The best part of blog conferences is always the other bloggers. We share ideas, laugh and learn from each other. The size of this conference is small enough that it gives an intimate vibe and the Sea World Wildside Ambassadors (which I am one) come to many events over the years so we really get to know one another well.

AdventureConsmall-23 — Tori and Jennifer sharing blog advice.

One of the highlights of this year’s AdventureCon was a tour of the newest attraction, Roa’s Aviary in Aquatica. This bird paradise is built over top of Loggerhead Lane with waterfalls to keep the birds inside, and even the little ones can feed all the beautiful species of birds.

We also got an exclusive behind the scenes tour with some Sea World Animal Ambassadors, such as this awesome Kookaburra bird and a cool king snake.

AdventureConsmall-124 — So glad April and her daughter joined us!

Sea World AdventureCon

Another highlight was meeting Star, a young American bald eagle rescued when her nest was destroyed in a storm in Florida. She doesn’t look quite like a bald eagle yet, but she will in a couple years when her new white feathers grow in.

Another special event just for us was an exclusive Q&A with one of the orca trainers to answer any questions we might have about the care and nurture of killer whales at Sea World. We had the freedom to ask absolutely anything we wanted about how they treat the orcas and the trainer was absolutely candid with us about everything. I was at Sea World in December the day after a new baby orca was born so I already saw firsthand and knew a lot of the truth about the orca program, but it was great to hear the questions of even the skeptics who had seen the Blackfish film get their questions answered. I’ve seen the film as well and I know the truth and still support Sea World completely.

My boys and Mike had a wonderful time riding the water slides and roller coasters while I got schooled in blogging and then we came back together for the orca trainer talk and VIP splash zone seating at the One Ocean show. Yes, we got completely soaked. Those orcas move a lot of water with their tails.

Nate and I waiting for One Ocean to start.

We also really enjoyed staying at the Courtyard Marriott Westover Hills, just five minutes from Sea World. It’s a great hotel with a sweet pool and a DJ dance party every Friday and Saturday night. The bartender makes a mean margarita too. I highly recommend it.

As a reminder, I am a Sea World Wildsider so I do get certain benefits such as season passes to the park, but Sea World is one of my favorite places to visit and I would still pay to come often.

Adoption Advocacy and Casting Crowns

Last night I had the honor of representing two adoption organizations at a huge concert here in Houston. America World Adoption is the amazing agency who has walked us through each step of this two years plus process and I am happy to steer folks who are considering adoption in their direction. I was also there for Show Hope, the organization Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman founded to provide adoption grants. They also run Maria’s Big House of Hope for medically needy orphans in China.

Casting Crowns headlined the tour with the very pregnant (with twins!) Laura Story and American Idol finalist, Colton Dixon, supporting. From my display table I could see the whole show while I spoke to lots and lots of people about adoption. The reason we were invited is the lead singer of Casting Crowns, Mark Hall, is an adoptive father of a daughter from China, through America World. He apparently talked quite a bit about orphans and adoption during the show but I didn’t hear it because I was too busy sharing my own story nearby.

Side note, while walking the long path from my car to the pavilion, I heard two older guys on bikes ask someone who the concert was. “Casting wha? Casting Crowns?” “Oh, it’s JESUS band.” I chuckled.

Driving up to the concert venue in the Woodlands, I had time to think about what I would say about adoption, how we were called to this, how it is a visible representation of the gospel, and what I have learned along the way. (SO MUCH and that is a post for another day!)

I got lots of questions about timelines (“how fast can I get a baby?”) and surprisingly few about money. I encouraged soooo many folks who want to adopt but their spouse isn’t on board yet. Our personal story shows the power of prayer and waiting in that.

And of course there were the goofy comments like “do you have any real kids now?” Um, yeah and my daughter is real too, not a unicorn.

My tour contact was John Michael Hall, high school aged son of lead singer, Mark Hall. I failed to make that connection when I was told to meet him before the show for the materials. When he whipped out the photo of his sister on his phone it dawned on me who he was. Great guy. We teased him a bit to tell his dad to speed up the sermon during the show via text and I’m afraid he didn’t quite get the joking intent. Oops, sorry John Michael!

The most special part of the night for me was when the newly hired on-air talent for KSBJ, Rochelle, stopped by to talk. She was sweet as pie, and already talking about the heat in Houston, bless her heart. She just moved from New York and yesterday it was 85 here. She clearly has a heart for adoption, and with two biological boys I related to her a lot. She intently listened and asked great questions and swooned over my photos of Rose. Then she suddenly said “Let’s pray!” grabbed me and prayed one of the most moving and beautiful prayers over my family I have ever heard. I am so grateful for that and hope to keep sharing the rest of the story with her as we go.

More and more I realize this is what I want to do. I want to share my story and advocate for the fatherless, not just for adoption but for family preservation and child sponsorship and poor mothers and more. I don’t know the hows or wheres but I’m just going to keep saying “Yes” to whatever God asks me to do.