Saturday, February 25, 2012
For the love of little minds
I have a very intelligent (or as I call it, BRILLIANT) little 3 year old on my hands...her name is Adison. She is beautiful, strong-willed, determined, and very easily intrigued. Being the literal minded child that she is, she needs to know the how's and why's of the things in her world. She understands so much and is constantly seeking to discover more. And so, I am constantly on the lookout for opportunities to make sense of things for her....seeing the light bulb come on in her eyes is priceless!
Recently when I talk to Adison about God, I often notice a slightly puzzled look on her face. Not a look of doubt or compromise but just a "I don't quite understand who exactly you're speaking of" look. You see, for Adison, everyone she knows and loves so dearly is also someone that she can see, feel, touch and love on in the flesh. Now, if you ask her about God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit she will clearly tell you that she loves them but, does she grasp the concept?...likely not. And so, I have been praying and waiting for God to show me how to help make sense of this for her...today the opportunity presented itself and I can't help but share the moment...
Today was- well, is a cold and blustery winter day. Too cold and windy for me to make any more excuses about not going to the grocery store because it's "too pretty outside"...not to mention we were almost completely out of food. I had procrastinated long enough so off the the dreaded grocery store I went...UGH! As we were walking through Wal-Mart, just Adison and I, a display of kites caught my eye and I couldn't help but think FUN...Adi had never flown a kite before so I invested $1.27 in a Cinderella princess kite. We finished our shopping and headed home hoping the wind hadn't died down. As I was unloading and unpacking groceries little footsteps followed mine and Adison's little voice continously asked, "is it time to fly my kite yet Mommy?". Finally I was able to give her the answer she desired..."yes baby, now we can go fly your kite."
As we made our way outside her excitement level went up, even though she really had no idea what to expect! I opened and assembled the kite (as Adison is repeatedly asking...what does assemble mean?) and we went running into the wide open hayfield behind our house. Of course, at this moment, the wind was calm but it didn't take long for it to pick up again....up, up and away the Cinderella kite lifted into the air. All Adison could do was squeal with joy and ooooohhhh's and aaaahhhhh's. This was simple fun.
In that moment, as I stood there enjoying the laughter of my 3 year old, I heard God speak to my heart clearly as if to say..."this is your chance to explain me to her". And so I took the opportunity I was given and knelt down next to Adison who was still flying her kite high in the air and said to her, "Adison, do you know what keeps your kite it the air?" She says, "Yes Mommy, it's the wind". When I asked her if she could see the wind she said, "nope- but you sure can feel it!" I told her that the wind was a lot like God...you can't necessarily SEE Him but you can certainly FEEL Him. Light bulb!!! She then told me how much God loved her and special it was that she could feel His love for her and how neat she thought it was that he was invisible and that she loved him too.... I love that little girl!!
It's the little moments like these that make me feel the peace and presence of God in a very real way. I am so glad that I made the decision to partner with God in raising my girls...after all, he know best and can take better care of them than I can. Heck, he's able to be with them and watch over them even when I can't...now that's what I call blessed assurance! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I cannot ever be all that they need on my own, but with God...I am completely equipped for the job.
Dear Adison,
You never cease to amaze me. Don't ever lose faith when you can't "SEE" God, it's all about feeling Him and you will always feel Him if you will seek Him and stay in tune with Him. He is always speaking, always moving and always working all things for your good. He created you, He knows you and He loves you more than you can even imagine. He's got big plans for you angel, so stay close to Him and get to know Him well. He is ALL you will ever need.
Love,
Mommy
Friday, February 24, 2012
We did DISNEY!!!
I am NOT a winter person...period. If you haven't noticed, I haven't even posted anything since November! Mainly because I got a bit overwhelmed with the holiday events and planning and shopping and such but more than that...because honestly, I haven't felt like writing. I get the winter blues EVERY YEAR without fail. Even in a mild/warmish winter like we're having...I'm still bummed. I despise cold weather...if it's below 65 or 70 degrees I am not a happy camper. When I look outside at our beautiful mountains...I hate that they are bare, no leaves...essentially empty. No flowers, dead grass, mud from all the rain...you get the picture. I have been rather uninspired.
Until...
WE WENT TO DISNEY!!! 70+ degrees, sun and fun!!!
We have been talking about a Disney trip with our dear friends Dan and Sommer Collier for over a year now...although Adison is only 3 and may seem a little "young" for the Disney experience, I also have to consider that I have a 13 year old who may not think it's "cool" to go to Disney much longer. So we decided to take the plunge and go. The trip was a Christmas gift for my girls (so they knew that we were going) but Dan and Sommer completely surprised their 2 kids (Ava and Carson) and did not tell them until they woke them up to put them in the car at 3:15am on the morning that we left...AWESOME!!!
I have never taken a winter vacation before and it felt REALLY weird for me dragging out bathing suits, shorts, tank tops and t-shirts in the middle of winter. It was even more of a challenge trying to figure out which of Adison's summer clothes and shoes would even still fit her! Once we got everything packed and loaded...we hit the road SUPER early on Friday morning (3:30am) in hopes of allowing the kids a few hours to sleep in the car which would make the trip easier for them. We made it in 9 and 1/2 hours and all of the kids traveled like champs!
We arrived about 1pm and our condo was not quite ready yet so we dug through our suitcases for pool supplies, changed in the bathrooms at the pool and it was on! We hit the pool full force...2 water slides, 2 hot tubs, a kiddie splash and play area, a HUGE pool and perfect weather! After a couple of hours we heard a comotion of fun at the Wakoola Springs grill next to the pool so, of course, we had to go check it out and I was SOOOO glad that we did! They were having a TGIF kids party...free goodie bags, sno cones, face painting, a DJ and dancing! Being in Florida's amazing weather lifted my spirits and I became my fun loving self....I completely engaged in the fun! Adison and I danced and had our faces painted (which I could not convince Krystin to do with us), Krystin and Ava did the hula hoop contest and Brad busted a move in the dance contest. The memories had officially begun! Once our condo was ready we unloaded, settled in for a few and then got ready to head out for some exploring and dinner...we ended up at Downtown Disney with no idea how BUSY that place would be on a Friday night! By the time we got sat down to eat at House of Blues, everyone was so exhausted from the long day that the kids were almost falling asleep at the table. We headed back and collapsed for the night....dreaming of the day ahead = MAGIC KINGDOM!
Saturday morning arrived and we got a relatively early start at our day...the excitement was building as we prepared to head out for what we knew would be another long day. There was a lot to see and do in the time that we had at Magic Kingdom. Luckily we had the amazing strategic plainning of Sommer who did the research and formed a plan of attack...We had read that you don't just "decide to go to Disney", you go with a plan. We packed snacks, sandwiches, drinks, water and all the necessities and headed off to purchase our tickets and hit the park.
For a February weekend, the park was pretty stinking crowded, moreso than I had expected but the joy, smiles and enthusiasm were contagious! We had an absolute blast! From ride to ride, fastpasses and strategies...we did everything we wanted to in the 12 hours that we spent there (for the most part). I was very proud of Adison who was an absolute trooper...she rode everything that she was big enough to ride, stood in line without complaint and loved every minute of it! Unlike most of the others kids her age throughout the park, she did not complain, whine or pitch a fit of any sort. The one ride she was not big enough to ride was Space Mountain and we had planned our day well enough that she took a nap while everyone else rode. It was an amazing day and an awesome experience! Exhausting..yes, worth it? ABSOLUTELY! We also saw Princess Rapunzel, 2 parades and an awesome firework show at the end of the night. The day was all that I had imagined it to be and more! Memories made = check!
Sunday was our day of rest...there was no way after the exhaustion of a day at Magic Kingdom that we were going to attempt another park day. And so we did just that...we rested! We slept in, got in NO hurry and then spent the day at the indoor/outdoor pool and clubhouse. The kids got to have a blast and the adults got to take it easy. And, yet again we lucked out and the weather was awesome...a bit windy but still awesome! After some pool fun we headed back to the room to give the kids a chance to nap/rest before heading out for another evening at Downtown Disney. Rested up and ready we adventured out into the crowds again...we hit the Lego store, World of Disney store, and Little Miss Matched while we waited on our table at the Rainforest Cafe. After an almost 3 hour wait...we made it in at the Rainforest Cafe...a very neat place to eat, especially with young kids...we felt like it was worth the wait. Another day of great memories made.
Monday was our day at Animal Kingdom. It was very much a different experience than the Magic Kingdom...it's a more laid back atmosphere of less "rides" and more shows. We went on the Safari which was AMAZING!!! We saw so many animals in their 'natural' habitat including crocodiles, rhinos, giraffes, elephants (and their babies!), lions, cheetahs, ostrich, and many more! A very neat experience! We saw Finding Nemo-the musical, Festival of the Lion King, and the It's Tough to be a Bug shows. We also got to ride all the rides including Expedition Everest- a definite thriller! By the end of the day, Adison had met Goofy and Pluto and all the kids got to meet Mickey and Minnie! Once again, all the kids did an amazing job hanging in and being tough through some long waits... they confirmed what both sets of parents already know...we have got some AWESOME kids who were having the time of their lives! More memories = MADE!
That night, we went to dinner at Macaroni Grill and after such a busy and eventful few days, Adison didn't even make it long enough for her food to come before she passed out on the table. Bless her heart...she was a casualty of the Disney experience that night!
Tuesday was our final day and we decided to spend a few hours at the pool again before hitting the road home. So we had some more fun on our final day (which was of course the warmest and best weather of the whole time we were there) and by lunchtime...we were headed back towards the mountains.
On the trip home I was overwhelmed with pride and joy and emotion from the realization of what unbelieveably amazing kids I have. I am such a blessed Mommy! Krystin was such a great big sister and enjoyed the experience of Disney all over again (she had already been with her dad back in April of last year) but she took so much care to ensure that Adison got all the good out of her very first visit. She is nurturing, attentive and sensitive to the needs of those around her. And Adison, being 3, blew my mind with how well she behaved and how willing she was to ride anything and everything... even the "scary" stuff. She literally pretty much rode everything she was big enough to ride! She is the biggest little girl I know...strong and mighty and very sure of herself.
This trip is one I will never forget. And it was a great way for me to get out of my winter "funk". I now think I will be needing some sort of trip to warmer climates EVERY winter! Seeing the happiness and excitement in my childrens eyes brought me such joy. It makes me so thankful to have such an amazing family and friends....and leaves me feeling so very blessed!
To my angel girls,
Take this life and live it up...don't get stuck in the routine of every day life, EVER! Always choose to be energetic and full of life...just like when we were at Disney! Cherish the memories and make more every day! You two are truly the best girls I know and I consider it such a priviledge and a gift to call myself your Mommy!
Love,
Mommy
Until...
WE WENT TO DISNEY!!! 70+ degrees, sun and fun!!!
We have been talking about a Disney trip with our dear friends Dan and Sommer Collier for over a year now...although Adison is only 3 and may seem a little "young" for the Disney experience, I also have to consider that I have a 13 year old who may not think it's "cool" to go to Disney much longer. So we decided to take the plunge and go. The trip was a Christmas gift for my girls (so they knew that we were going) but Dan and Sommer completely surprised their 2 kids (Ava and Carson) and did not tell them until they woke them up to put them in the car at 3:15am on the morning that we left...AWESOME!!!
I have never taken a winter vacation before and it felt REALLY weird for me dragging out bathing suits, shorts, tank tops and t-shirts in the middle of winter. It was even more of a challenge trying to figure out which of Adison's summer clothes and shoes would even still fit her! Once we got everything packed and loaded...we hit the road SUPER early on Friday morning (3:30am) in hopes of allowing the kids a few hours to sleep in the car which would make the trip easier for them. We made it in 9 and 1/2 hours and all of the kids traveled like champs!
We arrived about 1pm and our condo was not quite ready yet so we dug through our suitcases for pool supplies, changed in the bathrooms at the pool and it was on! We hit the pool full force...2 water slides, 2 hot tubs, a kiddie splash and play area, a HUGE pool and perfect weather! After a couple of hours we heard a comotion of fun at the Wakoola Springs grill next to the pool so, of course, we had to go check it out and I was SOOOO glad that we did! They were having a TGIF kids party...free goodie bags, sno cones, face painting, a DJ and dancing! Being in Florida's amazing weather lifted my spirits and I became my fun loving self....I completely engaged in the fun! Adison and I danced and had our faces painted (which I could not convince Krystin to do with us), Krystin and Ava did the hula hoop contest and Brad busted a move in the dance contest. The memories had officially begun! Once our condo was ready we unloaded, settled in for a few and then got ready to head out for some exploring and dinner...we ended up at Downtown Disney with no idea how BUSY that place would be on a Friday night! By the time we got sat down to eat at House of Blues, everyone was so exhausted from the long day that the kids were almost falling asleep at the table. We headed back and collapsed for the night....dreaming of the day ahead = MAGIC KINGDOM!
Saturday morning arrived and we got a relatively early start at our day...the excitement was building as we prepared to head out for what we knew would be another long day. There was a lot to see and do in the time that we had at Magic Kingdom. Luckily we had the amazing strategic plainning of Sommer who did the research and formed a plan of attack...We had read that you don't just "decide to go to Disney", you go with a plan. We packed snacks, sandwiches, drinks, water and all the necessities and headed off to purchase our tickets and hit the park.
For a February weekend, the park was pretty stinking crowded, moreso than I had expected but the joy, smiles and enthusiasm were contagious! We had an absolute blast! From ride to ride, fastpasses and strategies...we did everything we wanted to in the 12 hours that we spent there (for the most part). I was very proud of Adison who was an absolute trooper...she rode everything that she was big enough to ride, stood in line without complaint and loved every minute of it! Unlike most of the others kids her age throughout the park, she did not complain, whine or pitch a fit of any sort. The one ride she was not big enough to ride was Space Mountain and we had planned our day well enough that she took a nap while everyone else rode. It was an amazing day and an awesome experience! Exhausting..yes, worth it? ABSOLUTELY! We also saw Princess Rapunzel, 2 parades and an awesome firework show at the end of the night. The day was all that I had imagined it to be and more! Memories made = check!
Sunday was our day of rest...there was no way after the exhaustion of a day at Magic Kingdom that we were going to attempt another park day. And so we did just that...we rested! We slept in, got in NO hurry and then spent the day at the indoor/outdoor pool and clubhouse. The kids got to have a blast and the adults got to take it easy. And, yet again we lucked out and the weather was awesome...a bit windy but still awesome! After some pool fun we headed back to the room to give the kids a chance to nap/rest before heading out for another evening at Downtown Disney. Rested up and ready we adventured out into the crowds again...we hit the Lego store, World of Disney store, and Little Miss Matched while we waited on our table at the Rainforest Cafe. After an almost 3 hour wait...we made it in at the Rainforest Cafe...a very neat place to eat, especially with young kids...we felt like it was worth the wait. Another day of great memories made.
Monday was our day at Animal Kingdom. It was very much a different experience than the Magic Kingdom...it's a more laid back atmosphere of less "rides" and more shows. We went on the Safari which was AMAZING!!! We saw so many animals in their 'natural' habitat including crocodiles, rhinos, giraffes, elephants (and their babies!), lions, cheetahs, ostrich, and many more! A very neat experience! We saw Finding Nemo-the musical, Festival of the Lion King, and the It's Tough to be a Bug shows. We also got to ride all the rides including Expedition Everest- a definite thriller! By the end of the day, Adison had met Goofy and Pluto and all the kids got to meet Mickey and Minnie! Once again, all the kids did an amazing job hanging in and being tough through some long waits... they confirmed what both sets of parents already know...we have got some AWESOME kids who were having the time of their lives! More memories = MADE!
That night, we went to dinner at Macaroni Grill and after such a busy and eventful few days, Adison didn't even make it long enough for her food to come before she passed out on the table. Bless her heart...she was a casualty of the Disney experience that night!
Tuesday was our final day and we decided to spend a few hours at the pool again before hitting the road home. So we had some more fun on our final day (which was of course the warmest and best weather of the whole time we were there) and by lunchtime...we were headed back towards the mountains.
On the trip home I was overwhelmed with pride and joy and emotion from the realization of what unbelieveably amazing kids I have. I am such a blessed Mommy! Krystin was such a great big sister and enjoyed the experience of Disney all over again (she had already been with her dad back in April of last year) but she took so much care to ensure that Adison got all the good out of her very first visit. She is nurturing, attentive and sensitive to the needs of those around her. And Adison, being 3, blew my mind with how well she behaved and how willing she was to ride anything and everything... even the "scary" stuff. She literally pretty much rode everything she was big enough to ride! She is the biggest little girl I know...strong and mighty and very sure of herself.
This trip is one I will never forget. And it was a great way for me to get out of my winter "funk". I now think I will be needing some sort of trip to warmer climates EVERY winter! Seeing the happiness and excitement in my childrens eyes brought me such joy. It makes me so thankful to have such an amazing family and friends....and leaves me feeling so very blessed!
To my angel girls,
Take this life and live it up...don't get stuck in the routine of every day life, EVER! Always choose to be energetic and full of life...just like when we were at Disney! Cherish the memories and make more every day! You two are truly the best girls I know and I consider it such a priviledge and a gift to call myself your Mommy!
Love,
Mommy
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