People keep asking if we had fun, and Brooklyn replies with, IT WAS AWESOME.
I feel like that's an understatement.
The truth is, our vacation was mind-blowing.
You know how you feel as a parent, when Christmas morning rolls around and your kids rush downstairs, screaming and cheering to see what Santa left them? Or how you feel when you hold your newborn child in your arms for the first time? Or how you get choked up when you watch a video about a rescued pup who loves his family so much he won't leave their side?
ALL THE FEELS. As the kids say.
Well this trip was better than all of that.
It was sustained bliss.
Complete and utter joy.
It was heaven on earth.
Our trip to Give Kids the World Village (GKTW) was bigger, sweeter and more impactful than I even imagined was possible for our family.
We laughed all day.
We ate too much (they make the BEST chocolate chip cookies)
We rarely said no. To anything.
I woke up every morning to our three children giggling and laughing together in their shared bedroom. One day Brooklyn even admitted to 'giving Ethan a noogie' in order to wake him up to play.
We had impromptu coffee cart deliveries in our driveway, Dippin Dots and dance parties, Christmas celebrations in October and Brooklyn participated in her first-ever food challenge. The cafeteria happily ensured Ethan's dairy allergy was a non-issue, we rode the carousel after ever meal and we met AMAZING families who courageously shared their stories with us while our kids bonded and played.
BROOKIE AND I ATE ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST.
It was the best banana split of my life.
We visited all four Disney parks, and the defining moment came when the kind staff at Epcot SHUT DOWN the Frozen Anna and Elsa character meet and greet so Brooklyn could spent dedicated time with each princess.
It's hard to explain what happened in that 10 minutes, perhap it was much shorter than that but the impact it had will never leave me.
You see, when Brookie was at the hospital recovering, post surgery, she had a wound infection that pushed her discharge date back by more than five days. On one, particularly painful day we received a surprise visitor... a music therapist. Brookie strummed away, singing a line that gives me chills, 'they say have courage, and I'm trying to," you can watch a video snippet if you've not seen it before.
We spent hours, her and I, watching Frozen and singing along over the days and weeks surrounding her diagnosis. It was a safe place for us to get away, and enjoy a sure thing, the only 'for sure' at that moment in time.
Fast forward to our trip, and this photo:
LOOK AT HER FACE!
HER SMILE!
This is the exact moment I started bawling like a crazy cancer mom. The memories of her time at Mac flooded back. The songs, her time with the music therapist and watching the hours tick by.... tick tock tick tock tick tock....
I couldn't breathe, for a minute. I literally felt another layer drop off my shoulders.
A bad memory was replaced by a good one.
This was magic.
Pure magic.
Heaven on earth.
The week went by so quickly. Our family connected on a deeper, more authentic level than ever. I floated in the pool and realized I didn't spend even one day floating in my pool at home, because I was too busy to enjoy it this past summer. I vowed to slow down again.
I realized my children are getting older, but fart jokes really are still funny, especially when Ethan refers to shooting a bomb out in our villa.
I noted the way Brooklyn scrunches her nose when she is laughing like a crazy women in the Ice Cream Palace.
I saw Nolan's self confidence climb through the roof by simply being brave enough to ride a horse at Keaton's Korral.
I watched my husband cry, more than I've ever seen in my life. Tears of joy, gratitude and release. I was so proud and overwhelmed by the way he bared his feelings in front of the kids and I.
(And Jay, my heart was overwhelmed when you pointed out to Nolan that our Prime Minister was crying on TV, following Gord Downie's death. I loved the way you said to him - see buddy, its always ok to cry - if the guy who runs our country does it on TV then its always ok for you to - But, my dearest husband, you already showed him this while on our trip... and for that I am forever grateful)
Disney is magic.
But Give Kids the World Village is so much more than that.
We will never, ever forget our time there.
And we cannot wait to visit as an alumni family in the future <3
To all of you - donors, volunteers, board members - associated with Help a Child Smile....
Thank you. You're generous hearts have impacted us beyond words and measure.
To the over 1700 volunteers and staff a week who make Give Kids the World Village a place of sustained bliss... Thank you. Your energy and love was felt every, single day.
xoxo
