We did it!

I can't believe it, but we did it. We were able to assemble 16 family members at Walt Disney World for a great vacation and one big dinner together. Our annual tradition was made even sweeter this year with the arrival of our newest family member. Unbelievably we were able to share this trip with all of our family - both sets of grandparents, both aunts and uncles and 3 cousins. It was great!

Vacationing with 3 children is a little busier, but overall very doable and fun! We always feel when we come back from vacations and that we have learned something new about the kids and we watch them grow in just one short week. This trip was no exception. Joshua had been home only 9 weeks when we left for the trip and we were a little worried he may be nervous about getting on a plane again. We turned out to be half right. As soon as we arrived at the airport we could sense he was tense. He clung to us like never before and became cranky and nervous. After about 15 minutes in the airplane I think he forgot about being nervous, relished in the fact that we were all together and enjoyed flying high in the sky. Once we got to Orlando, Joshua was comfortable and seemed to express himself more that we had seen to date. It was great.

We also realized just how much Joshua loves his green stroller that helped carry him home from Africa. We took our double stroller with us, but after two days we realized it may be nice to have an umbrella stroller with us since our 6 year old got tired towards the end of the day. We had my parents bring the green umbrella stroller Jilma bought for Joshua and from the time it arrived, he far preferred to be in "his stroller" than the larger more comfortable one.


Joshua also surprised us with his love for the water. He fearlessly jumps in, goes down slides and puts his face right in the water. Caleb and Amelia (especially Amelia) loved watching him learn and just have fun.
All three of the kids loved being on the go everyday. They ate well, slept when they were tired and seemed to go with the flow great. I was even able to get them to sit down once in a great while for a picture together.


The Halloween party also turned out to be a huge success. Our army soldier, little bo peep and elephant looked adorable and had a great time at the party. I was grateful Amelia decided to wear a "girly" costume vs a doctor costume (once around all of those princesses I knew we would have a battle being a doctor) and was amazed at how Joshua left his hood on. As a matter of fact, I had a hard time getting him to take it off. We tried to surprise the kids at every turn and one big surprise was for Caleb. His best friend Nicholas was also at Disney World and we surprised them with an afternoon together. What fun!

I think the last thing we realized was how much we really do stand out. Even in 9 short weeks, we began to forget how conspicuous we were to others. After about 2 days of being around hoards of people from all walks of life, we realized we were getting quite a few looks. Everyone was pleasant and it didn't bother us, but it was definitely a reminder that our "normal family" isn't so normal to everyone else. I even watched a mom cover her about 8 year old son's mouth when he loudly began to comment on Joshua's difference in color from his family. It didn't bother me and if I had the courage to say something, I would have told her that it is OK for children to be curious and her son's comments didn't bother me. However conspicuous we may be, I am grateful Caleb and Amelia don't quite get it yet. I am sure down the road we will have many conversations, but for now I am enjoying the innocence and acceptance of my children and family.

We travel a lot and I think many people may question why. It is for stories like this. I love being purposeful about spending time together. I think traveling, no matter where you go (yes, even Walt Disney World!) allows for opportunities to learn about others and yourself. Every day there are opportunities to teach your children something valuable, but there is something about being outside of your comfort zone in a new environment and actively looking at the world around you. No matter how far we travel from home, I love watching our children actively look at their world and the people around them. Life is truly great!