I found myself becoming emotional frequently. At the beginning in just disbelief this was actually happening. Then in appreciation for how well we were treated and gifts we received. And as the joy spread on their faces while they saw things and people they'd been looking forward to. Also when suprise and awe filled their eyes as they saw new things. And then in the last few days not wanting the whole experience to end. If we could just stay in that suspended reality were Drew is so full of life and happiness...
Everyone had a different favorite part. Molly probably enjoyed the broadest experiences of the trip. To say it all was her favorite part wouldn't be an exaggeration. She was definitely at the perfect age to ride rides, sit through and enjoy shows, and take in all the Disney magic. She loved all that the Village had to offer too!
Drew enjoyed mostly all that Molly did. It was so interesting to watch him take his cues from her. He looked to her, than mimicked the awe in her face for all the Princess encounters and fear at all the character encounters! He was a little too young and too "boy" to sit through some of the shows and wait in lines (although we didn't have to do to much of that!). He did like the Space Center better than Molly. Talked about the "fire" from the rockets for days after! There was also a sleeping tree on the corner in the Village that he was obsessed with. He loved to be scared of it, talking about it the whole way home at night, anxiously looking for it, then shying away from it. Weird.
Josh and I were continually blown away by the special treatment, perks, and kindness shown to us throughout the trip. From the limo that picked us up for our flight at the start of the trip, to all the access our special passes gave us at the parks, and the wonderful conveniences at the Village--like pizza delivery after hours and cookie/milk cart going door to door at bedtime! I know we will never have a trip like this again, and we so appreciated every part of it! Specific moments I'll never forget include all of us playing at the pool the first night, and the thrill and excitement Drew experienced as he "drove" the car at the Speedway ride in the Magic Kingdom.
I think my real favorite part of the trip was getting away from hospitals, doctor visits, tests, bad news and disappointment. As much as I try not to focus on the negative aspects of our life since cancer became a part of it, there is no denying it has consumed and dictated so much in the last year. It was so great to feel like a normal family again, doing normal things. I took so much for granted in our life before 2016. This week I got to enjoy some again, and this time I didn't take them for granted!
Even there though there were reminders of our reality. Pre- filling syringes with meds before we left each day, having to clean up after Drew getting sick in the morning, and the stares and even questions we generate in public. But if I can't chose joy in Disney World, there's something wrong! So as I wrote this, sitting the airplane flying back to our snowy home, I spent some of the sitting time praying. I don't know what 2017 will hold for us. And it's become very obvious how little control we have. But what we can control is how we react to whatever does happen. Gratitude, focusing on the positive, and living in the present and giving the rest to God has served us well this last year and will no doubt be the cornerstones of getting through the next. I feel like this trip was in a way a new beginning. We are starting this year off on the highest note, energized by our time together, and more determined than ever to enjoy each day and not take anything for granted. With a fresh hope in God that works miracles, but also promises that everything will be okay in the end.
Here are just a few pictures from the trip!! We are forever grateful to Make-a-Wish and Give Kids the World!
~ Heidi
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