Disneyland

Andy and I got to get away by ourselves for our anniversary/my birthday. (Thank you Oma, Opa and Anika!) We had SO much fun! Of course we talked about the kids the entire time though! We went to Disneyland on my birthday because I got in free. Andy is very anti-pictures...so he wouldn't even let be bring the camera into the park in the morning. When we left to go to lunch to get my most favorite food of all (cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory), we went back to the room for the camera so I could at least take a few pictures to document our fun trip. Unfortunately most of the pictures were all taken around midnight as we left the park, so we both look pretty hammered from all of our roller coaster riding!

Mmmm, vanilla bean cheesecake - worth EVERY last calorie! :)

Andy gave me the sweetest birthday gifts! He actually went down to JoAnne's and sat with the cute old ladies to learn how to make this blanket. I'm always complaining that he steals all the covers at night, so he made me a double sided *warm* blanket of my own. That is one thing that I just LOVE about my hubbie. He gives the MOST thoughtful gifts. He also got me one of my favorite candies, cinnamon bears, awesome lotion for my alligator hands and a gift card to Cheesecake Factory.
Just a funny tid bit: The first time we rode Space Mountain we were sailing along when all of the sudden we came to a complete stop. So, there we sit in the dark in the middle of the ride. We sat like that for a few minutes until a speaker comes on telling us that we are all going to be exiting the ride. Then they turn all the lights on and we sit there for another 20 mintues (wish I had my camera then, (grrrrrrr) then I could have showed you all what Space Mountain looks like in the light! We were pretty high up on the coaster sitting there waiting to be rescued. Good thing we're not afraid of heights! The kid behind us wasn't doing very well...poor guy. Odd that he found riding a roller coaster in the dark less scary than in the light??? Anyway, we rode it two more times later that day. LOVE THAT RIDE!We watched the fireworks from the Thunder Mountain ride.


On the way home from Disneyland, we came to a complete halt on I-10 near Quartzite. We soon found out that there was a severe accident about a mile ahead involving two fatalities. We sat there for almost 4 hours. Now I know this is an odd ending to a happy posting, but Andy and I had some great learning moments during those four hours. Firstly, I wish now that I would have taken a picture of the scene around us (NOT the accident, just the miles of cars stopped along the highway and the people all standing around). It sounds so corny, but my faith in mankind was restored a bit today. Rather than everyone being grumpy about the situation, they were all OUT of their cars mourning for those lost and visiting with one another. People who would never see one another again, but for the time we sat together on the freeway, we were all friends. At one point Andy and I had a nice long walk along the side of the road, and I can't tell you how many people wished us happy holidays and safe travels. We also had funny conversations with all sorts of people. I am so grateful to know that in situation like this, people would pull together and treat strangers as friends.

The second lesson that this situation taught me is a sobering one. Never take life for granted. Thank the Lord every day for your safety. Andy and I had a long discussion about this family who has lost two of its members today. And I have to tell you that hugging my children when we got home tonight took on a whole new meaning. I see them in a whole different light. EVERY SINGLE MOMENT we get to spend with our spouses and our children is a precious gift. Time is a gift. So, drop those dishes and go run around with your kids or snuggle with your spouse on the couch! I know I'm going to do that more often...