Monday was packed with activities from 7:30 in the morning to 2:00 the next morning. In short, it was a marathon day. My goal in this journal is to share with you all the excitement and exhilaration I felt every minute of this noteworthy day, launch day. Well, here goes nothing.

My first stop was the badging office. I received a badge with my photo on it permitting me to pass through the gates. Upon entering, we went on a wildlife tour. With a guide, we were able to see alligators, big birds(turkey vultures), small birds (the endangered scrub jay), many more birds, and plenty of insects. In Florida there are 23 different species of mosquitoes, and I think my arms and legs have had experiences with an unmeasurable number.

At 10:30, we went to a room where we would do the live web cast. I really enjoyed the full hour. With a microphone attached to my shirt and a camera recording my every move, we began our live web chat. I simply shared with all those on the web my position as a student ambassador, my background, and my wishes for the future. This hour of discussion and being on camera was pure fun. It really increased my desire to become a broadcast journalist.

After lunch, we joined a large VIP group and had tours, lectures, and entertainment while gaining a lot of knowledge. With astronaut Joan Higginbotham leading our group, we visited the Vehicle Assembly Building, Orbiter Processing Facility, and Launch Control Center. Each building was huge and contained fascinating information.

Next, at dinner with Teresa (a musician who wrote a song for astronaut Cady), NASA Administrator Dan Goldin, and Secretary Donna Shalala, I was inspired that women can do anything. We have the power! We then heard a discussion with seven honorable astronauts about the past, present, and future of space and the role women have. I was in awe of the moderator, Lynn Sherr, from ABC news. She ran the discussion in an organized manner while posing wonderful questions. Yvonne Cagle, an astronaut on the panel, shared a wonderful analogy. She said that women are like caterpillars crawling back and forth on a limb. It is the caterpillar that takes a risk to become a butterfly that will be able to soar to new heights, meaning women must have the will and desire to change, then have the motivation to act, and then they will be great.

At the end of this discussion we quickly went to the O&C building to watch the crew walk out, and yes, they did walk out and straight into a bus. I saw them for maybe ten seconds. Though brief, it still was exciting. After two workshops, one on training your mind and the other on gender differences, we had about an hour and a half until lift off. We drove to Banana Creek Viewing Site.

I was in awe of the launch pad and shuttle; it was simply gorgeous. I sat on the bleachers with hundreds of other people to watch this night launch. With nine minutes left, my heart-rate picked up and I was getting excited. I was trigger happy! I had to take a photo of anybody or anything I saw.

After a minute of silence and the national anthem we were really close. One minute was left....thirty seconds.....ten seconds....six seconds and then it stopped. No, the space shuttle did not launch on July 20th. The computers picked up an excess amount of hydrogen and stopped the launch. My face dropped, and I was confused. I thought nothing like this could or would happen, but it did. However, after learning more about it, I felt appeased. Nobody was hurt, the engines were not started, and the crew was safe. They have 48 hours to fix the computer since it was a flaw, there was no hydrogen leak. So they will try it again Thursday. And don't worry, I will be in those stands again. I'm not going anywhere.