Meeting Astronaut Scott Kelly

We got to meet a real life astronaut - Scott Kelly! I was walking into the PX on Friday the 17th and saw this sign on display up front:

I texted my dad, the space enthusiast, and asked if he was interested. TOTES! But traffic in Seattle is a beast - 7th worst in the country, just sayin' ;) Anyway, instead, I thought it'd be fun to go ourselves and get my dad a signed book for Christmas and meet someone who has been in space! A concept so foreign and out of reach to me! Who goes into space?!?! This guy does!

While we were waiting in line we asked the kids if they had anything they wanted to ask him. When it was our turn I nudged Jane, "Jane, do you have anything you want to ask?" Jane said enthusiastically, "How was space?!" Scott Kelly replied, ever as enthusiastic, "Space was COOL!" :)

We got ourselves and my dad a signed copy of Endurance. 

 "A stunning, personal memoir from the astronaut and modern-day hero who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station - a message of hope for the future that will inspire for generations to come. The veteran of four spaceflights and the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few have. Now, he takes us inside a sphere utterly hostile to human life. He describes navigating the extreme challenge of long-term spaceflight, both life-threatening and mundane: the devastating effects on the body; the isolation from everyone he loves and the comforts of Earth; the catastrophic risks of colliding with space junk; and the still more haunting threat of being unable to help should tragedy strike at home - an agonizing situation Kelly faced when, on a previous mission, his twin brother's wife, American Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot while he still had two months in space. Kelly's humanity, compassion, humor, and determination resonate throughout, as he recalls his rough-and-tumble New Jersey childhood and the youthful inspiration that sparked his astounding career, and as he makes clear his belief that Mars will be the next, ultimately challenging, step in spaceflight. In Endurance, we see the triumph of the human imagination, the strength of the human will, and the infinite wonder of the galaxy."

After the book signing we went to dinner at a new Thai place called Chang Thai for the first time in Lakewood. It's only been opened two months and has "stellar" (get it?) reviews, so we gave it a whirl and oh.my.goodness it's so good! We will definitely be going back as much as as often as we can!

Two family photos in one night?! Fun!

Basically a winner of a day!