Last week I went to a conference in Orlando and Keith came with me. My parents came out to watch the kids and it's a testament to how fun my parents are that our children had no issue with us going to Disneyland without them.
The conference was good. I learned a lot and met a few people. I'm unclear why that has to occur in a windowless, severely air-conditioned room but I'm not an organizer so it is what it is. It was definitely worth going so that's positive.
After the conference we spent a day at Universal and a day at Disneyland. We blitzed Universal - going on 17 rides and doing all the big splash rides, stood in awe at all the creativity in the Harry Potter exhibitions (it's amazing), had Butterbeer and basically we were giant nerds. We were there for 13 hours running from ride to ride like kids. With two minutes to spare we made the last run of the E.T. ride, hopped on the bikes and floated over the city to the sounds of that iconic music. What a memory and I caught Keith watching me as I relived childhood memories. The perfect way to end off the night.
We spent the next day at Disneyland. We went to Pixie Hollow to meet our daughter's favourite Tinkerbell (thanks for blowing her a kiss Tink!) and I had reserved Fastpasses for Keith's favourite rides. As we were standing at the gate to enter the Space Mountain roller coaster suddenly it washed over me how lucky we were to have all these memories together. That after almost 11 years together that we have shared almost a third of our lives and that he is the only person that will remember what it felt like as we walked into Diagon Alley together or as we sat together having snacks waiting for Disney's electric parade. I am the only person who got to see him see his first big character parade at Disneyland and watch him take pictures to show our kids. I regularly realize how lucky I am to be in a loving marriage but I don't think I'd thought about the memory aspect and how for people who aren't married anymore how that's an added hurt to what they have to go through. That your memory companion isn't with you anymore. For all my friends where that is part of your life's journey I hope you know I'm thinking of you and that I don't take what I have for granted.
We sat on the stoop on Main Street that evening and watched the Electric Parade and the fireworks show. What amazing creativity and wonder - I can't wait to share it with the kids when they are a bit older. We spent a lot of time thinking about how we would share this adventure with them - it's a nice way to spend a day in Disneyland - preparing to share it with your kids. It was a wonderful break for Keith and I to recharge and to come back to our kids with a newfound enthusiasm. It was also really good for them to spend solo time with their grandparents - I remember the times I had alone with my grandparents with such fondness and it's so good for them. Even if they get spoiled rotten as yesterday would attest:
Cian: Mom I want ice cream with cookies in it.
Me: Where did you get something like that?
Cian: YOUR mom gave it to me - OMI!
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