Oakley had the INCREDIBLE opportunity to go on an international dance tour with America (Idaho) Footworks for 3 weeks this summer. They started dancing together in February and were together atleast once or twice a week....sometimes more.....until the very end of August. Oakley learned and grew and had so many once in a lifetimes opportunities through this experience.
Oakley, Brooklyn and Jenna loading the plane in Salt Lake. It was kind of a crazy morning because when they got to the airport their flight had been cancelled. It ended up that they had to fly into Oakland, CA and then get on a bus and drive to the LA airport to make their connecting flight. They then flew to South Korea, then Singapore, then onto Bali, Indonesia. They spent one night in Bali touring and experiencing some of their culture and then they were off to Sarabuya which was the first of their two festivals.
In Sarabuya they participated in a festival that included dinners and dancing and parades. They were treated like celebrities everywhere they went and people would crowd them like crazy to try and get pictures with them.
Boat ride
Oakley LOVED all the cute little kids. She sent home so many pictures of just cute little kids without her even in the picture. Hahaha.
Cody, Oakley and Kade along with one of their tour guides. They loved him!!
The second festival was on a different island and in the city of Tenggarong. They were able to meet the Prince, Sultan and city Mayor. They did a tree planting service project and spent time touring and of course DANCING! Again they were treated like celebrities. They got to where the girls had to link arms with the boys anytime they arrived at a dance performance before they would get off the bus to try and keep from being pulled into the crowd of people for pictures. Oakley said she always felt safe, the people were very kind, they just liked to take pictures. This festival they had 2 tour guides and 2 police officers with their team at all times. They were there over Indonesia's Independence Day and asked to stay in their hotel that day for their safety. I was glad they were being watched over.
Every once in a while I would do "find my iphone" just to see where my girl was. The first few days while she was wearing a dexcom I could see her blood numbers anytime she was where she had wifi. INCREDIBLE!!! I still can't hardly fathom that she was all the way across the world and I could see what her blood was on my phone! It was such a comfort. The humidity was a killer though and made it almost impossible for the sticky on her dexcom to stay in. So it was short lived, but I definitely counted it as a tender mercy of the Lord as she was traveling and arriving that I was able to monitor from afar.
Arriving home after 3 weeks.
They didn't want to leave the airport. They all just hugged and hugged. As we walked out to our car Oakley started to cry. She was so sad this amazing experience had come to an end. It has been a big adjustment to get back into real life and the normal world for her. She got home the day AFTER school started so she was thrown right back into the fast lane. She made lifetime friends and has missed them like crazy!
She was EXHAUSTED!! They left Indonesia Sunday afternoon about 3 pm our time and we pulled in our driveway Tuesday at 3:30 pm. They traveled straight for 3 full days! Then we were the mean parents that made her try to stay awake so she could make it to school the next day. She kept telling us that it was her "middle of the night." Poor sweet girl!
We were all SO EXCITED to have her home! I'm pretty sure we missed her WAY MORE than she missed us! ;) I am SO PROUD of Oakley. She did this ON HER OWN! She went through a dozen airports with all of her medical supplies in tow and had to just figure it out. She had to figure out carbs on food that she didn't even know what it was. Yuck! She had to figure out how to keep her pump in when the humidity didn't want to make it possible. She had to be responsible and pack diabetic supplies with her every where she went. And she did it like a CHAMP! One of my favorite compliments was from one of the leaders that took her when she told me that Oakley didn't let diabetes slow her down for even one second on tour. She said there were some long, tough days and Oakley did amazing through it all! She is already trying to figure out how to get on tour #2! :)
