Holy Moly!!

This vacation has turned out to be rather exciting due to an unexpected turn of events. We had a phenomenal time at Disneyland...we opened the park and we closed it with only Joshie taking a short nap in a stroller late in the day. We hit both California Adventure as well as most of the rides at Disneyland, I got almost no pictures because we were on the run and more concerned with enjoying ourselves than documenting the trip. We had several highlights to the day, as we all sat "ooohing" and "aaaahhhing" over the Soarin' Over California ride...what an experience! We loved meeting our friend face to face who helped us gain entry to Disneyland, we all enjoyed the absolutely perfect weather and the short lines.

But the thing that cracked us up the most was at the end of the evening, when Kenny finally found the perfect souvenir to take home. A friend of his from school had gone to Disneyland over Spring Break and found a set of Mickey Mouse ears that had lights in the ears, and we finally found them at a store on our way out of the park. I wandered down the street to look while the boys were getting Kenny's name sewn on the ears. As I was walking back toward them, trying to locate them in the crowd, I see this shadowy figure in the darkness waving his head back and forth...with only lighted ears to see!! What a riot as Dominick told Kenny to move his head like a radar dish so Mommy could find them...and all the boys, big and small, thought this was hilarious and were almost rolling on the floor with laughter. So we took our human radar dish and our day was over.

We have admittedly had some challenges with Kenny while on the trip, nothing major but things that could not be ignored or put aside. I felt it creeping up the last week or two prior to leaving for California, as it really is cyclical in nature, but there was nothing I could do to curb it. It always revolves around control for him, and he has had this strong urge lately to again "be the daddy" and run the show. We have about 2 weeks of this usually, then about 4-5 weeks when he is more open to being parented easily, to relinquishing control. I have joked about it, but it is still true, that when Kenny is in "the mode" he will even try to tell me exactly how to comb his hair, where I am to put things in the house, when I should do laundry, etc. Although he does so in a kind way, usually, it is still his way of dominating the other person, of parenting himself...of not trusting us to do the job well enough to satisfy him. Today he ended up sitting on the couch for a couple of hours and then off to bed at 7:30 for an incident where he decided to tell Josh what to do in a Daddy-like way...and after several warnings over the past few days it was time to take action. But despite these kinds of things, the trip has been a lot of fun for Kenny as well as everyone else...frustrating at moments, but not bad enough to really turn everything sour, thankfully. The good news is that if it runs true to form, about the time we get home he should be back in "Mellow Mode" and we will have an easier time of it.

As if this trip was not filled with enough joy, this morning we received an unexpected email.

Holy Moly, it is happening...yes, after spending a day in the "Land Where Dreams Come True" we had our own dream come true. It seems we have a busier summer than we anticipated ahead of us, and I am about to get writers cramp from paperwork that needs to be completed. If no other road blocks are placed in our path, we are finally able to move forward with our adoption plans!!!

Honestly, as I write that, I am having a hard time absorbing it, not sure if I can let go and trust it after the false starts and stops we have experienced along the way. I have decided to put it aside for the remainder of our trip, other than sharing the good news, and will face all that lies ahead once we return. We have much to think about, much to do, much to prepare our hearts for. We also have much praise to offer the One who moves mountains, as He surely moved mountains this time.

So, a couple more days of pretending our life is simple, and then we return to tackle a new adventure. I think my days of multi-tasking are only beginning!!!