twenty-five {now 27} beautiful years

Today we will we celebrate twenty-seven years... quietly.
No gifts, no cards. Just a whole lot of living. I found two anniversary posts in my drafts...I suppose I didn't get around to ever posting either of them. But now? Updated and posted for posterity {and your reading pleasure!}

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Two years ago was our big to-do, a silver spectacular. Twenty-five.
We celebrated while we were up in Orlando for Eric's FASRO conference. A little get-away, casual nights out, and... a progressive dinner adventure around the most magical place on earth.

I'm not sure how I heard about this event, but ever since my first progressive dinner during my middle school youth group years, my ears perk up at the mention of one. And the thought of this dinner, around the loop of the monorail, just delighted me!

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There are moments in your marriage that seem almost surreal. Like when you realize you've been together longer than you haven't, and when you hit a milestone anniversary that seems as if it would belong to grown-ups.

Twenty-five years.
The years that seems like yesterday & forever, the years that have been a lifeline and a challenge. The years you wouldn't trade for anything on this earth. The years that speak: I am me, and he is he... but together we are more.

We celebrated extravagantly... a progressive dinner at Disney, around the monorail loop. It was so special... to do something just for us, and at the same time, share the celebration (tour!) with people we had just met. Four hours of dining adventure with all the special treatment you'd wish for.

Like a private monorail car just for the tour!

We met up with our tour at the Contemporary Hotel in a the very blue Wave Lounge! We were greeted with drinks and were encouraged to mingle with the other people on the tour. And then, I actually ate pea soup... and liked it! 

We hopped on the {private} monorail and were whisked off to the Polynesian Resort. I had a delicious margarita (because I was allergic to the pineapple in the Mai Tai!) and we had three appetizers - sushi (a first!), a golden beet, and some kind of pork belly. I loved being in this group of new people with my husband, and being an adventurous eater!

Next Stop? 

The Grand Floridian for a cheese course, with Happily Ever After Champagne, and our main course at Citricos. It was all really delicious, and paced perfectly! Even the beverages!

And our final stop was for fireworks at the end of the night with beautiful desserts... we loved every minute of our anniversary adventure!

Twenty-five years.

Of love and laughter, and faith that carries us through the tough times - when the love doesn't seem very lovely and the laughter turns to tears. He is my forever hero, the love of my life, the one who made all my dreams come true.

before the storm...

Her 65th birthday celebration trip had been planned for months. Grown ups at Disney World!
When the talk of a hurricane started, we watched the forecast closely and tried to decide:
Do we go... or not? 

The New England in us thought... if we cancel and the storm never comes, we'd be mad. The Florida in us thought... Disney may be the safest place to be if it does come. The government agencies and the news urged everyone to get out if you could.  But Eric's boss told him he could still go, which made us lean into our New England roots. Our only disappointment was that my sister felt like she couldn't leave her kids here in town, just in case... which we totally understood. Three days before the hurricane, we filled the cars with gas, stocked up on supplies, documented our belongings, prepared the house... and headed four hours north to Disney.

Was it the right decision? Once we were on the road, it didn't matter. It was the decision we made. In the end, we were glad we went and everything turned out just fine. We enjoyed all of Disney we planned for (plus one more night)... and saw how Disney handles a hurricane - which was incredible.  

And the birthday celebration? Stay tuned...

love and tears...

He'll be home in ten days. Ten. I can hardly wait.

Sometimes I let myself think about when I see him in the airport and how that first hug is going to feel... and then my eyes get weepy. I would kind of like to let the tears fall now and get them out of my system, so I don't cry all over Cam. And because sometimes, love just spills down your face at the most unexpected times...

This year Eric & I decided that we'd postpone our anniversary celebration a month, and go to Disney's Night of Joy in September. It had been at least ten years since we brought our youth group, and while we always planned on bringing our own kids, it never happened because once they were old enough, they were busy with marching band. It was really supposed to be a trip for two, but after our long road trip with Camden, Eric thought it might be nice to ask Laura if she wanted to tag along with us. It didn't take her a minute to say, yes!

We drove up Thursday night, and spent a little time at Disney Springs to kick off our adventure. Laura loves to pin trade! The next morning we started out with breakfast at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. After filling my plate, I noticed that Laura was on her phone... snap-chatting with Cam. She was laughing because he called us Meanies, and the sadness soaked into my soul. I texted him that I was missing him and that I owed him a trip to Night of Joy. When he texted back But I SO want to be there! I lost it. Big sloppy tears, and the sobbing ugly cry, right over my Mickey waffles. My chest hurt, and so did my heart.

I had left my son at college, a million states away, without tears. I had made it two and half weeks without breaking down, and there I was, in the happiest place on earth, and I could barely breathe from missing him. I would have done anything for him to be with us.  The only thing that saved me was knowing he was so happy at school.

Somehow I pulled myself together, and enjoyed the rest of our day. It was the first time I had ever seen the fall decorations up in the Magic Kingdom, and we made it a priority to attend the Flag Retreat that happens on Main Street every day. I really wanted to stay until the very last minute of the night, and see the Goodnight Kiss, but after singing and dancing along with Josh Wilson, Francesca Battistelli, Colton Dixon, and Rend Collective we were beat and ready to head for the hotel.

I love Night of Joy, and I loved this little trip... even with the tears.

Worshiping in the Magic Kingdom is beautiful, and it is something I will always hold close to my heart. We had a great time with Laura, and she had a great time wandering on her own from time to time. Disney without kids is great, but I probably won't ever try it again with only one kid.

summer family fun... part one

We did not plan a summer vacation this year.  There was so much going on, and we have that week-long trek to Iowa and back coming soon. Laura asked if she was going, and I had to tell her no. Honestly, there will not be room in the car. And... Cam deserves to have all attention on him, like she did when it was her turn. But the question made me think we need to have some family fun, all of us. So out came the calendars, and we found exactly two weekends with possibilities... which meant we would have family fun weekend #1, and family fun weekend #2.  Now to decide what to do...

Weekend #1 plans happened by chance! When I made a silly comment on a friend's facebook photo about loving to see her family of three all together, she texted and asked how would you like to see our faces in person?! They were flying from MA to Disney World and their trip just happened to be over one of our free weekends. We did not renew our passes this year, but we all love Downtown Disney, and it was decided we could make a fun weekend out of it.

We splurged on a fancy dinner, we danced in the sand, we wandered all together and in pairs... and we spend Sunday morning and lunch with my dear friends.

We also took a trip up, up, and almost away!

I have wanted to go up in this balloon since I first spotted it flying high over Downtown Disney. Time, and the cost of it, kept me away. But here is my new favorite Disney tip: If buy your balloon ticket before 10am, it is only $10, which is almost half off! It was worth it. There was only one other family up with us, so we could walk all around and see it all from every angle. We spotted Mt. Everest and Spaceship Earth, and got a bird's eye view of all of the construction being down to turn Downtown Disney into Disney Springs. I loved it.

Coming soon... Family Fun Weekend #2

this and that...

Work has been crazy.
Home has been a flurry of preparation.
I am tired, but exhilarated.  This weekend we will celebrate Camden and he will receive his Eagle Scout Award.  The dreaming and planning has been fun, and I can hardly wait to get to Sunday and see it all come together!

Also?
I am so proud of this boy I could bust.  Seriously.
He heard from his last college the other day and he is in. Again. Seven for seven.
I don't know how he will decide... I just keep up my faithful prayer that God will provide the right place and the right finances, and Cam will just know.  One college trip planned, another on the horizon. At least he has a couple more months!

While I have been busy not writing, life has kept on happening.
Things like Empty Bowls, and Chalk Art, and children getting older.
I probably didn't even tell you we went "around the world in a day" for Laura's birthday!

I just wanted to let you know I am still here...
and after next week, I will have a little more free time.
Maybe.

friday letters...

Dear Friday Letters...
It's been a while.
I have had plenty to say, but sometimes I just think it, and forget to write it down.

Dear Disney World,
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  After riding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train before opening day I said okay, the rest of this trip is gravy!  And really, it was.  I had been watching to progress, and watching every website I could think of, waiting for the opening day announcement! I was disappointed that it would open after we left, but I held out hope for the 24 hour event... and by 8am, we had ridden twice!  You outdid yourselves!  This ride is fun and beautiful!

Dear Imagineers,
I love your imaginations!
The Festival of Fantasy parade was spectacular! And the costumes!!!  I think I might need one of those circus dresses...

Dear Buzy Bee Suz,
Thank you for driving out to safari road and the trail!  I loved sharing it with you and your family!  I wish you could have seen the baby gators, but seeing deer, owls and the BIG gator was fantastic!  I hope you'll come out again!

Dear Tanya,
Oh, my dear long, lost friend!  It was SO wonderful to see you, even if it was only two ten minute visits! Your family is beautiful, and your joy is always contagious!

And now... I'm running out to collect supplies for graduation gifts.
We have a five-party marathon tomorrow for these beauties:

a few last disney days...

We made a little trip to Disney World over the weekend... {well, it wasn't really that little, it was more of a last hurrah on our year-long passes!} I hardly slept for three days before we left, because, yes, I am known to act like a five year old, especially when it comes to Disney and Christmas!

The plan was to work a half day Thursday and leave as soon as Camden got out of school... but when my boss said I didn't have to come in at all on Thursday, we made Cam leave school early.  I am still not sure if he was really on board with that, but it was great to be arriving about the same time we would have been leaving our house!

Believe it or not, after a year of Disney, there were still plenty of things we hadn't yet done.  Like DisneyQuest, playing the Fantasia mini-golf course... and eating at the Irish Pub in Downtown Disney. That meal was definitely a favorite... delicious gluten-free fish & chips for my husband!  {I actually liked his better!}

Friday was the 24 Hour event at Magic Kingdom.... we may not have spent ALL 24 hours, but we were there when it opened at 6am, and made it through until 3:30am {with an afternoon swim/nap break.}  It was a day when dressing up was encouraged, and so... we did.

Thinking about/creating the costumes was certainly a factor in my sleepless nights!  But it was great fun... and I knew that if we didn't dress up, we would regret it!

We split the rest of our weekend between Animal Kingdom & Hollywood Studios...

We have loved our year of Disney... letting the kid in each of us shine on through.  I don't know how long we'll be able to resist going back, but until then, we'll carry the magic in our hearts.

p.s...I can't promise I won't share a little bit more... I do have a few more fun pictures!

feeling celebrated...

When Cam picked out his birthday plates & napkins last month, we let her choose a set, too.  Last week, we sent her a birthday-in-a-box {including a cake & candles} along with her birthday gifts... and those Frozen plates.  If we couldn't all be together, I wanted her to know that we were celebrating her anyway.  And that we wouldn't let her birthday pass like any other day.  I even posted birthday photos on facebook...

Saturday she expressed her joy and thankfulness... that so many would send her happy wishes.  She felt celebrated... and if I had one wish for her day, that would be it.  Because it feels so good.
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All I wanted was to see the Christmas decorations at Disney World... and December rushed by, as she likes to do, and there was only one weekend left.  He was supposed to work, but since it was my birthday and he had vacation time to burn, off we went.

At 42, I have learned how to mosey through a theme park {those who have traveled with me are now gasping and picking themselves off of the floor!}  We picked our favorites and the things we had never experienced, and strolled... and it was lovely.  My favorite?  Watching the Osborn Spectacle of Dancing Lights turn on in Hollywood Studios.  Dusk turned into a rainbow of sparkling lights, and I gasped with delight.  And when those lights started dancing?  A squeal could not be contained!  The woman standing in front of me turned and looked at me... and I admitted to acting like a five-year-old.  {Forty-two?  Five? They are really close, right?}  Later we walked through again... and I found a spot to sit and enjoy.  I could have watched them the whole night.  And when the soap-snow fell from the angel-filled sky, I was filled with pure joy.

All those lights, and a free birthday cupcake?  I was giddy.  Absolutely giddy. And oh-so-celebrated.

friday letters {the anniversary edition}

Dear Eric,
Thank you...
For twenty-one years.
For putting up with me, for loving me. 
For our children and the life we have made together.
For laughter and silliness and happy and sad.
For knowing me... and for knowing what I need to breathe, even when what I need is exactly the opposite of what you want. 
For trust and faith and... napkin roses.

Dear Laura & Camden,
I am so amazed by you... not once was there a pout or a complaint about us going to Disney World without you.  Thanks for not asking what we brought you... since we didn't. Oh, well, wait... there was free soap at the hotel!  But really, remember this. Remember that it is okay, and necessary, to take time for yourself and your spouse... that it is not just the kids that need to laugh and play!  I promise you that someday you are going to need this time...

Dear Angel {that was his real name!},
Thank you for finding us a reservation at Be Our Guest!  I loved how excited you were to find it!  I had faith that we would get in, but I never dreamed that we would have a reservation in hand before we even stepped into the park!  I hope it was okay that I jumped on the bed!

Dear Animal Kingdom Lodge,
Dumela! Thank you for welcoming us, even though we weren't sleeping there.  You were a shelter from the rain, a lovely sight for my whole being, a place to sit, rest and enjoy.  We loved touring your restaurants and discovering that you have gluten-free zebra domes!  And Chef Vicky, you are a star... our anniversary breakfast dessert was a beautiful start to our amazing day!

Dear Belle,
What fun to chat with you in France! 
Everything you told us about the Beast Castle was true!  It was amazing and beautiful!

Dear Mad Hatter & Fairy Godmother,
We could hardly believe your sweet personal anniversary wishes from way up high in the parade!  We thought we had the perfect spot... and it turned out that we were right.  You helped make it oh-so-special!

Dear Beast,
Your castle is magnificent. Just stepping in was like being whisked away into the fairy tale!  When I spotted you in your study, I think I exhaled... I was so hoping to meet you!  And our meeting was so much more than I could have imagined.  A kiss on the hand, and a warm embrace.  {sigh}  Perfect.   And dinner!  We loved our little table for two, set with a flickering candle and red rose napkins.  The food was divine... and the grey stuff?  I no longer need to ask the dishes...

Dear Eric,
Yes, you, again...
I may love the Beast, but you are the fairy tale that God wrote for me. 
You are my love story that never ends...