Retreat
Steel was chosen to be on the Senior Ministry team for this upcoming school year. Quite an honor that comes with much responsibility. A new addition to their activities is a two day retreat at a center up in the foothills of the Central Valley. (About an hour away.) He left today, along with his other team members for what will prove (I’m sure) to be a memorable experience for him.
It has cost us a small fortune to send our kids to Catholic school, but we still feel that it has been worth every penny. They have been given opportunities and experiences that they never would have enjoyed if they had been in a public school, and this is just one example. I am thankful for the people behind the scenes that work so hard to put on such an event and I hope that they know how much they are appreciated.
There are some extraordinary young men and women in Central’s senior class this year and I look forward to witnessing their accomplishments.
My Own Bed
My father in law used to complain about traveling and I thought he was crazy. He would say the best thing about going away is coming home again. The older I get, the more I have to agree with him. While I still love to escape, I do love to come home as well. There is nothing quite like climbing into your own bed when you’ve been away a while. That feeling of perfect, familiar comfort is one that can’t be duplicated. I’m sure it helps that when we travel, it’s not very restful and we’re usually exhausted when we return. But whatever the reason… I’ve grown to understand that there really is no place like home.
Blue Bayou
Today was really a momentous occasion. Each time I go to Disneyland, I try and do something I’ve never done before.. and today was a big one. Today, we had lunch at the Blue Bayou restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. This is something that I’ve always wanted to do. When I expressed this wish to a friend yesterday she said… “Let’s make the reservations right now” and so we did. Good thing too… the only opening was at 2:40 in the afternoon. Perfect timing to end our day at the park and plenty of time go to back to the room for a quick rest before our trip to Medieval Times for dinner.
The atmosphere inside the restaurant is really spectacular. It’s beautiful and serene and you really do feel as though you are dining outside on a moonless night. The crickets are my favorite part. The food was delicious and the company was even better. Another memory that won’t soon escape me.
80’s Night
We decided to mix things up a bit on our vacation and attend an Anaheim Angels game while we were in the area… something that is always enjoyable… but when you combine that with a t-shirt give-a-way and 80’s night… It just doesn’t get any better.
All throughout the game they played music and videos from 80’s and we sang along with every one. There were flashbacks and trivia questions about trends, movies and news from the time. Lots of fun.
Three Hour Wait
We heard that the Fantasmic show in Disneyland had been changed so I was anxious to see it. I love the parades and show in the park and I’ll tell you that I would be perfectly content visiting the park and never stepping foot on a ride. The best way to experience Disneyland is to participate and to witness the magic. Because I love the shows so much, I’m more than willing to go early to get a good seat and to wait… wait and watch. To find someone else who is willing to do the same… is a great blessing. I’ve created a Disney monster in Sierra. She’s as crazy as I am.
We went 3 hours early to New Orleans Square to get a seat for Fantasmic. No one else in our group was willing, but we were excited for the opportunity. We found a table outside the restaurant and we waited. We would take turns guarding our post while the other made a food or restroom run, but most of the time we just sat there, watched the people and talking. That was the blessing. The uninterrupted time with my daughter. Something we don’t always get anymore.
We talked about everything… deep, meaningful things… and trivial things. We made fun of the people walking past us (especially the kinds of shoes they were wearing) and we remembered loved ones who have died. We talked about priorities and experiences… what makes for a good husband and how his willingness to sit for 3 hours for the Fantasmic show just might be a deal breaker in a relationship. (We aren’t kidding.)
Reserved Seating
We’re in Disneyland… we arrived this morning and the blessings abound. This is one of my favorite places in the whole world and just being here makes the world seem like a better place. Our trip down went well and we had a terrific day (even though we’re very tired…) but the greatest part of the day came in the evening.
I love the fireworks show at Disneyland and they’ve recently redone the show with new music and lighting. A friend told me about the changes and encouraged us to get a good seat in front of the castle for the best experience. Sierra and I went back to the park at 6:30 pm willing to sit in the best spot for the 9:25 show. As we approached the area in front of the castle, Sierra recognized a classmate of hers from high school. Lizzie is a student at UC Irvine and doing an internship at Disney. Her job is to stand in front of the castle and keep people out of the roped off, VIP, reserved seating for the fireworks show. After visiting with Lizzie for a few minutes, she told Sierra she would try to get us into the VIP section! We were thrilled, but not willing to take any chances in case the plan fell through, we stayed in our spot and held on to wait to hear.
Lizzie did get us seats… 3 of them… and since we were the first ones there, we had the pick of the best. We sat in the first row of the middle section so that it was guaranteed that no one would be in our way. Then… I prayed the rest of the time that the show wouldn’t be cancelled due to high winds. (That’s happened to us before.)
Needless to say, it was a spectacular show. And, as I had been told, the best place to view them was right in front of the castle. With the new lighting, the castle is an important “character” in the new production. The other surprise? Not only does Tinkerbell fly out from the Matterhorn, but just as the song Baby Mine starts… Dumbo flies into the air with his ears flapping. That’s when I lost it. I bawled like a baby. That song always gets me, but sitting there in the best place possible, with two of the three people I love most in the world… I couldn’t imagine anything better.
What a memory. We have had so many memorable moments at Disneyland that it’s overwhelming sometimes. That’s why I love to go back so much. Experiences with people we have loved and lost are especially priceless. I know that this experience will be forever in my heart. If I didn’t spend another moment in the park the whole week, it would have been worth the trip. Thank you Lizzie for the opportunity of a lifetime and a great family memory that will last forever.
Empty House
Sierra left for San Diego on Wednesday and I delivered the dogs to their babysitters yesterday. Steel has made plans with friends that will keep him away all day so that means the house is empty. Not everyones idea of fun… but for me… pure heaven. There is such freedom in a quiet, empty house… Especially considering I am busy with preparing for a trip. It could not have worked out any better if I had planned it myself.
Don’t get me wrong… I love my family and my dogs (especially my dogs) but the ease of not having to care for them allows me to work on things I need to do to prepare for the trip and offers a bit of “down time” which has been sorely lacking in my life lately.
I know that someday I will miss the chaos… but for today, I am blessed with the peace.
Sugar Scrub
Leroy brought home a present for me today. I love using scrubs on my skin in the shower and when he was in the mall today, he picked up a new jar of Sugar Scrub from Bath and Body Works in my favorite scent… Coconut Lime Verbena. I’ve been out for several weeks so this was a real treat.
Big Hearts
Today was Steel’s EKG. (An irregular heartbeat was discovered during his sports physical on the 21st.) I took him in and waited again in the lobby. The doctor came out to speak with me again about the results. This time there was good news. Dr. Ken said… “Your son has a behemoth heart.” I said… “Is that a good thing?” He assured me it was. He explained that because of Steel’s physical conditioning his heart (being a muscle) is huge. He said that if a 50 year old, inactive man had walked in with that heart, he’d call 911… but considering Steel’s athleticism, it’s a good thing. Steel’s resting heart rate was below 60 and his rhythm was regular. All signs of an athlete in prime shape.
After getting over the initial relief, I started thinking about the results. We’ve always known Steel had a big heart. Not physically of course… but the kind of heart that makes him who he is. His personality and sensitivity have shown that since he was a child. I can’t tell you how many coaches have told us the same thing… and that’s not something you can teach. What he lacks in physical size, he more than makes up for in his passion and drive. That’s what has made him an outstanding athlete and built such incredible character. He has long been my hero and now we have physical proof of the size of his heart.
Pedicure
When I tell people the I hate pedicures they usually look at me like I’ve gone insane. To be honest… I think of them as a form of torture, not the relaxing, pampering experience so many of my friends enjoy. First of all, they take too much time and even worse than that… I hate it when they scrub my feet. I’m cringing as I write this.
But, because I really want my toes to look good for our vacation, and I can’t possibly do them as well as a professional… I had a pedicure today and for once, I’m really glad I did. Don’t get me wrong, I still think it was torturous, and I’m not likely to do it again any time soon, but my toes look FABULOUS and it’s one more thing I can scratch off my list.
