The Happiest Place On Earth!

     We went to Disneyland! Again.  :)  I know, I know, we've been a family for 19months and we've been to The Happiest Place On Earth twice.  But I say, why the heck not? I had another work conference in Anaheim, Gramma had the time off, and Isaac's social calendar was free (that kid is particularly popular!) so we traded cold & rainy Seattle for warm & sunny SoCal for a few days. And had a GREAT time!

Disneyland 2014

Day 1:

I continue to be impressed with what a fantastic traveler Isaac is. I thought maybe having to be buckled into his own plane seat this time would be an issue. Nope. He had his pirate's booty, his new backpack from Gramma, and a plane full of people to wave to. No problemo.

Holding on in the airport tram

All buckled in & ready to fly!

 

 After being strapped to a plane, a bus, and his stroller for most of the day, I let him run loose a little through Downtown Disney. I'm sure whomever was manning the security cameras back at Disney HQ got a kick out of the gramma pushing an empty stroller chasing a frantic mother with a camera chasing a three year old weaving through foot traffic like a loose leaf in a windstorm!  But he got his energy out, worked on some projects at the Lego store, and sat through a great dinner with friends at the Rainforest Cafe.

Running through Downtown Disney

Seriously...ALL legos.

 



Outdoor lego tables...couldn't get any better.



Day 2:

Breakfast with Minnie & Friends on Main Street in Disneyland!  Last year, he wasn't too fond of the giant stuffed animals bugging him while he was eating. This year, he remained a little cautious until Cap'n Hook tickled him with his hook!  Crazy Cap'n Hook. 

Breakfast with Minnie & Friends
(Not too sure about the giant mouse)

 

Who doesn't love Mikey-shaped waffles??
 

Apparently, Cap'n Hook is a tickle monster

 

I have no idea who this character is, but high-fives are his speciality.

 

Um, Mom....

It was a short morning because of my conference, but we hung around Story Book Land riding the boat and the train. His preference was the train (less waiting time too), and gave a notable & gleeful WHOA when the train went up and over a (very tiny) hill. I may have a future roller coaster-rider on my hands!

 

 

 

 

One of the highlights of the morning...Isaac got to ride up front with the driver of the horse-drawn carriage down Main Street. VERY cool!!

 

 

What a view!

We came back in the evening after my conference with reservations at Big Thunder Ranch. We had visited the goats in the petting zoo last year; apparently, Isaac remembered them--he stormed right in and stooped to look each goat in the eye as if to say "hey guys! remember me?!"

 

Jessie!

 

Hi goats!

 

I swear to you, he posed for this picture.
Walked up to the goat, placed his arm and waited for me to get the camera.
Cheeky kid!

 

 

Farley the Fiddle-dude let Isaac play Wheels on the Bus on his fiddle!

Dinner entertainment at Big Thunder Ranch

Day 3:

Good morning Disneyland!

We are one of the first people on the Jungle Cruise. Isaac was enthralled with the animals but took the recommendation to remain seated at all times very seriously. I am  NOT going to stand up to look at the hippos or elephants that are six inches from the boat, thank you very much, I can see them just fine while I'm sitting down looking through the mesh MOTHER.  Alright. Alright. 

We also got on our first real ride...The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh!  If  you've never been on that ride, it's pretty overstimulating with a 60's psychedelic theme, but he seemed to enjoy it!

Riding on King Arthur's Carousel.
We are BIG fans of carousels. :)

The afternoon parade was the highlight of the day--as it was last year. One of the dancing Chimney Sweeps from Mary Poppins came up and said hello to Isaac...I thought he was going to absolute faint with joy! I can only imagine that little experience was the front page of his mental scrapbook!

Waiting for the parade with my boy

Hi Mickey!

 

 

Mom-here they come!!

We ended the day with a 5.3 earthquake and a few aftershocks.  Thankfully, Isaac slept through it, but it took Gramma & I a while to relax again. I much prefer my planet to go roundy-roundy and not shakey-shakey.

 

Day 4:

Its our last day in paradise. Toon town called our name as did a showing of Mickey's Magical Map--both were great, Isaac konked out in classic toddler-at-Disneyland-style. :)

Rocking out on Goofy's crazy piano
(Wasn't such a good share-er on this toy)

Chilaxing

My sweet boy all konked out

Sleeping piggies

I asked a friend of mine, who has basically raised her kids at Disneyland, the best age to experience the happiest place on earth. She said "every age is the best age! You get to see it differently each time from their perspective.". That statement convinced me that, when possible, we will be frequent Disneyland-ers. Last year I saw Disney on the open water rides only with an apprehensive twp tear old, this year I saw it through the eyes of a toddler enthralled with teeney-tiny hills on a kid train and awestruck during parades; through people watching on Main Street and mingling with goats...and it was awesome. Already looking forward to next time!

Happy boy!

 

World Down Syndrome Day 2014!

     (Yikes--this is our first post at No Hands But Ours! Make sure to go check out their awesome site!!)


     Today, 3/21, is World Down Syndrome Day! (Get it? 3-21? Trisomy 21!) A day intentionally set aside to be aware of and to embrace the overwhelming BLESSING that is Down syndrome.

     Down syndrome is indeed a spectrum of special needs; some children & adults with Down syndrome are much more medically, developmentally & emotionally affected than others, but I believe DS has been wrongly labeled a disability. In fact, the more I learn about my son the more I realize that it is I that have the 'disability'.  Isaac's 'genetic aberation' allows him to see and feel and interact with people in a way that I will never be able to do; I have been crippled by selfishness, pride, ignorance & social morays. If he sees someone who is hurting, he simply hugs them. It doesn't matter if we are in the middle of Costco, that person needs a hug! And not just any person...THAT person.  Sadly, it wouldn't even cross my mind to minister to a stranger that way, especially while shopping for fifty pounds of hamburger. What crushes my ignorant heart is to see that stranger just melt in the short little arms of my sweet boy. They NEEDED that hug deeply. They were starving for the hands of my Lord to physically touch them and He did...through my child with Down syndrome. Isaac pats them on the back and looks them straight in the eyes as if to say, "it's going to be alright, you'll see. Me and Jesus love you!" It's true, Jesus does LOVE them and my son just loved on them. Do I love that stranger?  I mean, REALLY love them, like I know Jesus does...like I've been asked to by my Loving Creator? Like my son in his 'disability' seems to do so easily? The truth is no. I'm the one with the disability, and now with fifty pounds of hamburger.

      


World DS Day 2014
 

     Down syndrome is not a disease. It is not a health hazard. It is not a disability. It IS an extra chromosome of love placed PERFECTLY by our Heavenly Father with intention and purpose. Today is a day the entire world stops to acknowledge that very fact. What could we learn by letting go of our selfish, ignorant, crippled hearts  and really loved like our friends with Down syndrome do?  Would we love like Jesus? Would we be overwhelmed by the joy of the Lord like my son is? I can guarantee it'll make your trips to Costco more interesting!

 

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:35 msg

 

     For more information regarding World Down Syndrome Day events in your neighborhood, please visit: worlddownsyndromeday.org 

 

A New Adventure...

     This little blog was started as a way for me to document our adoption journey and to keep friends & family updated on our progress.  It took some convincing for me to even do that. Most adoption gurus (and several personal friends) recommend journaling through The Wait and recording heart-felt emotions.  I don't mind writing from time to time but I hate journaling. Let me repeat that: I HATE JOURNALING.  As a good Christian woman I should have stacks of cutesy landscape-encrusted diaries filled with prayer requests and devotionals, right?  But, that has never been my style...and I'm pretty sure Jesus still loves me  in spite of it.  (For those that have a passion for journaling and have grown in your relationship with the Lord through it, I am so very happy for you! Please continue and enjoy it!!)  So you understand my hesitation in regularly & vulnerably writing about God's work through family on the WORLD-WIDE web. 

     Ultimately, I consented, started slow and asked the Lord to spread our story; that some aspect of my tiny family following the Lord's leading would fan a flame in someone else's life. Whether it be through adoption/foster care, awareness of special needs or just stepping out in faith, I wanted our story to be bigger than just us; that the adoption seed would be planted in many (thus the blog name). Somehow with heart-wrenching writings through The Wait & hospitalizations,  celebration photos of Isaac's homecoming & milestones,  and goofy thoughts about whatever is happening in our daily life, there have been one hundred & eighty-eight posts, over 170,000 hits and nearly 5,000 regular readers...this little blog has officially become more than I imagined.

     Thus, a new adventure. No Hands But Ours is an amazing online ministry 'provding encouragement, information, and support for families of special needs children from China'. Several of our posts regarding The Bamboo Project have been shared on their site and I've gotten to virtually stand along side some families as they consider adoption of a child with Down syndrome. It's been kinda cool. Recently, the administrators of NHBO invited me to be a monthly blog contributor on their team. Whoa! This just got real.
     I don't know what this new adventure has in store for us. I prayed about the invite and warned the staff at NHBO I'm not a 'normal' writer. In fact, the phrase 'raw & unfiltered' was used more than once. Apparently, that's OK; God can work through that.  Although, I do feel a little like I did when I was twelve and went to my first Women's Aglow luncheon. I didn't know how to cut the chicken on my plate with a knife, it flew across the table, bouncing off the other ladies' plates and my BFF & I got "kicked out" in uncontrollable fits of laughter. I think one of us may have even wet our pants (True story). Raw & unfiltered...what can I say?
     So, here we go!  Once per month some aspect of our story will be shared with a whole lot of new people at No Hands But Ours and my prayer is the same...that the Lord would work through our little family's story to plant the seeds of adoption in many. Please join us in that prayer! Feel free to extend extra prayer coverage over us, as we walk into this sub-specialty mission field. And of course, feel free to follow along to see what the Lord does next!!
    

My little editor at work.