I think that the lesson for our family during the last six months has been thankfulness and realizing that it is so much more than just words--it's an attitude of the heart.
When Ben and I married almost 10 years ago (May 29, 1999), we said that we would take a cruise for our 10th anniversary. Obviously, we had no children at the time, so we couldn't truly picture what life would look like 10 years down the road. So here we are, 2 kids, a dog, and almost 10 years later, and we have taken our trip. It was wonderful! As I stated in the last post, we took a Disney Cruise; with kids, this is absolutely the best way to go! We are both so thankful for the gifts we've been given in Abby and Hayden and really couldn't picture taking a vacation without them, so we chose to go on a 4-night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas.
When Ben and I married almost 10 years ago (May 29, 1999), we said that we would take a cruise for our 10th anniversary. Obviously, we had no children at the time, so we couldn't truly picture what life would look like 10 years down the road. So here we are, 2 kids, a dog, and almost 10 years later, and we have taken our trip. It was wonderful! As I stated in the last post, we took a Disney Cruise; with kids, this is absolutely the best way to go! We are both so thankful for the gifts we've been given in Abby and Hayden and really couldn't picture taking a vacation without them, so we chose to go on a 4-night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas.
First of all, we drove from our home in Virginia to Cocoa Beach, FL, in two days. I think we hit all of the welcome centers in the states we drove through, and we have pictures from each one. They were welcome breaks to stretch little and big legs alike, chase bubbles, play with sticks and leaves, pick flowers, climb trees, and even take care of some necessary business. We always stayed at each one longer than we had originally planned... but do you want to know something? There was a lot less grumpiness and there were fewer melt-downs because we did. And I must tell you that it felt absolutely liberating to be free from the constraints of time! For once, we weren't in a rush!
On Sunday, April 26, we drove the short distance from our hotel in Cocoa Beach to Port Canaveral and were truly awed by the sight of the cruise ships in the port. They are huge! I've watched the shows on the Travel Channel that talk about cruise vacations, but until you actually see a cruise ship with your own eyes, it's nearly impossible to grasp just how big a cruise ship really is. Immediately, we found our cruise ship--the Disney Wonder. It was pretty easy to spot... the red stacks with the Mickey Mouse ears on the sides of the stacks really helped. :) Ben dropped the kids and me off at the terminal, we unloaded the luggage, grabbed our carry-ons, and he went to park the van. So off I go, into the Disney Cruise Line terminal with a 4-year-old girl, a 1-year-old boy, and two pieces of carry-on luggage on my shoulders. Once we got through the security checkpoint, I saw that this was not an uncommon sight! The kids even got to stand in line to see Minnie Mouse while we were waiting for Ben to meet up with us. When we were finally all together again, we quickly got our Key to the World cards--one for each person, which unlocks your stateroom door and gives you access on and off the ship at ports of call--and got Abby signed up for children's activities. She had a blast in the Oceaneer's Club!
On Sunday, April 26, we drove the short distance from our hotel in Cocoa Beach to Port Canaveral and were truly awed by the sight of the cruise ships in the port. They are huge! I've watched the shows on the Travel Channel that talk about cruise vacations, but until you actually see a cruise ship with your own eyes, it's nearly impossible to grasp just how big a cruise ship really is. Immediately, we found our cruise ship--the Disney Wonder. It was pretty easy to spot... the red stacks with the Mickey Mouse ears on the sides of the stacks really helped. :) Ben dropped the kids and me off at the terminal, we unloaded the luggage, grabbed our carry-ons, and he went to park the van. So off I go, into the Disney Cruise Line terminal with a 4-year-old girl, a 1-year-old boy, and two pieces of carry-on luggage on my shoulders. Once we got through the security checkpoint, I saw that this was not an uncommon sight! The kids even got to stand in line to see Minnie Mouse while we were waiting for Ben to meet up with us. When we were finally all together again, we quickly got our Key to the World cards--one for each person, which unlocks your stateroom door and gives you access on and off the ship at ports of call--and got Abby signed up for children's activities. She had a blast in the Oceaneer's Club!
Once aboard the ship, we were treated like special guests. Your family's name is announced as you enter the ship, and applause is heard all around. We were taken to a restaurant called Beach Blanket Buffet for lunch, and someone was there to help us carry our trays and find a seat as soon as we got through the buffet line. So helpful! After lunch, we deposited our carry-on luggage in our stateroom then went up to Deck 9 for a party. There were characters there dancing and singing and everyone was having such fun... and we were still in the port! When it was time to set sail, we went to the railing on Deck 10 and waved goodbye to the onlookers on land. Hayden loved seeing the water; Abby loved seeing the characters; and Ben and I were amazed that this little dream vacation of ours was finally a reality.
The Bahamas were really fun; we were in port in Nassau for the second day of the trip and went to the Ardastra Gardens and Zoo. The kids thought it was fun to see the flamingo show there; Abby has declared that flamingos are now her favorite animal (I think it's because they're pink) and Hayden still says, "Clap for birdies!" We got to ride a bus in Nassau, and both kids fell in love with busses on the spot. I wonder if it's because they didn't have to sit in their car seats??
The third day was spent at Disney's private Bahamian island, Castaway Cay. Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe this island! I have never seen water so clear or so blue, or sand this white, or such an abundance of perfect seashells. While we were swimming at the family beach, we actually saw a few fish swim past, and you could see all the way to the bottom, no matter how deep the water was. There is even a pirate ship at Castaway Cay... how cool is that? (It's the one from "Pirates of the Caribbean.")The kids loved spending time on the beach and in the water. Abby found out that it was super fun to get really wet, then roll around on the beach, stand up and triumphantly declare, "I'm dirty!" and then run back into the water and start the process all over aga
in. She was so much fun to watch! While she was doing this, Ben and I were taking turns holding a sleeping Hayden. When it is time for his afternoon nap, nothing else matters! Bless his heart, he tried to stay awake. He even went to sleep holding his own special treasures: two small seashells that he picked up out of the water. Nothing could pry those treasures from his little fist!As I said at the beginning of this post, the last six months have been a lesson in thankfulness. I am so thankful for my family. God has blessed me with a husband who is a hard and diligent worker, a man who is a fair boss at work and a fun and loving husband and daddy at home; He has blessed us both with two wonderful children. What gifts they are! Abby brings laughter and silliness to any and every situation. Hayden is still young enough and small enough to want and need that loving, cuddling touch from us. I have said from the time he and I came home from the hospital that he is my "slow down and take it easy" baby, and it still holds true. Both kids have precious smiles and beautiful laughter, and we got to see and hear so much of that while on vacation! I am so thankful for the 10 days that we got to spend together. The kids seem to play together better; Abby is a little bit more patient with her brother; we are both more patient with the kids; Hayden seems to be talking a lot more than before we went on vacation; and both Ben and I really appreciate the small things even more. Sure, we were treated like guests of honor while on the cruise, but even at home we have heard a lot more "please" and "thank you" going around the house.
This vacation certainly ranks at the top of our family vacations so far, and we are in no way on a quest to top it any time soon. Maybe next year we'll go camping, and that could very well blow this vacation away. We got to spend uninterrupted time together as a family. We were able to slow down and just enjoy being together... something that we need to do a better job of in our everday family life. But more than that, I am so thankful that God provided for us to take this vacation and that we were able to take in the beauty of His creation in another part of the world. Only God could create water so blue and so clear; only God could create the sun that shines so brightly; only God could create the magnificent flowers and plants that we were able to see during our vacation; and only God could create in us hearts that are eternally thankful and in awe of Him and His creation.
Yes, I loved vacation and would love to take another cruise sometime. I loved watching the kids interact with the different Disney characters. I loved getting away from the everday-ness of life and having the opportunity to reflect on the wonderfulness of my Lord. Who else could create an ocean that vast, or skies so blue?
Above all of that, I am thankful for today. Remember, today is a gift!
Don't wait for vacation to show your family how much you value and appreciate them. Don't wait for a holiday or a birthday to tell someone how much you love them. Walk in thankfulness today... Vacation is a drop in the bucket when compared to the rest of the days of the year. Enjoy today! Laugh today! Make today memorable! Every day can hold the specialness of vacation when you have the right heart attitude. Be thankful!
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