The previously scheduled post...

Before I begin my last post on our wonder-filled Summer 2009 Trip to Disneyland, I have to give you a little background info...so bear with me.

As far back as I can remember, I have been a huge fan of Dumbo. Huge. And if you know me at all, you know that I don't even for a second consider this a coincidence...no, absolutely not. God has been preparing me for mothering my sweet boys with their own special needs (like Dumbo's amazing ears) my entire life!

Now, you probably also know -- and if you didn't you maybe could have deduced -- that Wade and I went to Disney World for our honeymoon (My first Disney trip ever!). After one of the parades, where we had seen Dumbo in the final float, Wade and I made a beeline for ToonTown where we were told the characters in the parade would be greeting guests. Wade knew that I really would cherish a photo with the elephant with overgrown ears. Sadly, upon our arrival at ToonTown, we were told that Dumbo had flown to Disneyland in California. Really. To which I promptly sat down on a bench and shed a few tears. (Would this be a good point to interject that I had gotten very ill prior to our wedding with Mono....actually fainting on my sweet Wade three weeks before the wedding and having to be rushed to the Emergency Room? Clearly, the exhaustion of our beautiful wedding day and the fun of WDW was catching up with me...but Wade rarely tells the kids that part when recounting the story...much better to believe Mommy cried over Dumbo at a completely grown-up age!)

So, now that you have the appropriate background info...you should know that Claire is following right in my footsteps with a complete adoration of that cute elephant. So, when Wade heard that for the first time ever -- EVER -- Dumbo would be flying in the fireworks at Disneyland, we began booking our tickets!!

As we approached the trip, Disney announced they would be having a patriotic firework show (read: no Dumbo) every night but ONE of our trip. I don't take my prayer time lightly...but I can confess that I actually prayed for good weather that night so not to disappoint my children (by then all four were absolutely giddy with anticipation). And OK, I didn't want to test whether my disappointment in 1991 at WDW was completely illness-related or not!

And friends, it was a perfect night. The weather was lovely. The fireworks amazing. And Dumbo. Well, Dumbo was just magnificent!! He flew around the castle, back and forth, back and forth before joining Tinker Bell!!


Sadly, even though I was using my tripod, I was so excited about SEEING Dumbo that I couldn't focus well enough to take his picture...if you look carefully...that blurry blue thing above the castle, with the yellow hat and the red collar....well, that is Dumbo in flight!

The castle was so beautiful during the fireworks...I love watching the colors change.

And just one of my favorite shots of the trip, reminding us all that our fun trips were all started with....this Mouse!! M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E...see you real soon!

We interrupt the previously scheduled post...

To tell you about the fun thing that happened at the grocery store yesterday. The kids and I were on a mission to create a Chinese meal from scratch (we had done this menu previously after studying China and it was so delicious everybody was eager to try it again!), and so we were hunting through the produce department for items not generally on our grocery list. As I'm counting heads (of my kids) and searching for won ton wrappers, a dear lady leans toward me and says she's glad we enjoyed our Disneyland trip. I, of course, am racking my brain (perhaps you won't understand this unless you are say 41ish like me but my knee-jerk reaction these days is that I'VE forgotten something, someone, somewhere...) as to who she is and how she knows about our trip. I assume, after my memory reservoir comes up empty that she is a mom to one of my kiddos' friends...but as I look at them they are staring at her blankly.

She obviously recognized our rude, blank stares because she quickly interjected that she is a neighbor of my friend Kristin and reads my blog!

Did you hear that -- she reads my blog? I have a reader!!

Well, the kids and I were so excited that we barely made an audible thank you....and completely forgot to ask her name or introduce ourselves. So, I need to publicly apologize to this sweet neighbor of my friend Kristin...and promise her that NEXT time we will use our manners and behave in a much more civilized manner...

But for now, can I just say, you made our day?! You were a blessing indeed! (And please keep reading...we are just tickled that you do!)

Smile Therapy

July is zooming...it always does. I remember my college days when the fourth of July marked the halfway point of our summer work at Camp Garaywa (one of my favorite places on earth). The days always seemed to accelerate after that.

This year is no different. We are rapidly approaching my sweet Benjamin's hip surgery date of July 31. I want the days to s-l-o-o-o-w-w-w way down. Instead, they seem to be zipping by two at a time!

With that in mind, I am in extra need of smiles this morning. So, I decided today would be a great day to share some of my favorite smiles from our Disney trip! I'm feeling better just thinking about the fun we had!!

Claire and Mommy on the King Triton Carousel in California Adventure!

Mason's smiles always make me smile. They are very contagious!

I love love the Storybook Land at Disneyland. So while I'm sure the kids are humoring me, they never protest about loading the boats and heading into Monstro's mouth for the journey through the miniature land of fairy tales!

Daddy and Cate were having a "stick-out-your-tongue" contest of some sort...I think he was aggravating her and she was using her favorite defense -- tongue out! The sight made me giggle.

Sweet sister moments always bring joy!

Cuddling with my girls in the big comfy chairs in the Grand Californian's lobby also make me smile!

And Daddy especially loves the chairs...he'd like them for our house!

This one might need to be enlarged...the twelve year old daughter riding with her twelve-year-old brother and smiling and having fun together! Do wonders never cease?!

Did I mention I love Storybook Land...we also ride the Casey, Jr train through this delightful land!


Riding Mickey's new and improved Fun Wheel brings nervous smiles until we get used to the sliding and swinging of the Ferris wheel!

I love taking pictures of my family. Love seeing their smiles over and over again. It brings me great pleasure and joy and yet, Hebrews 12:2-3 reminds me how to keep my joy:

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

So today, I am happy for the blessing of the beautiful smiles of my family who remind me to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, the one who will sustain us through this month.