Counting down...

We leave for Disney World two weeks from tomorrow. I am beyond excited. I have maintained a list of things to pack, things to be done before we go and now a shopping list. I want to be extra prepared and not forget anything. I so want this trip to go smoothly. I can tell you one thing for sure; I will NOT be forgetting the crib tent this time. We have our park days planned and I finished my spreadsheet with all the hotel info in one place. I can't believe how close it is now. For you all Florida gals, let me know if you'll be in the Orlando area during that week. I'd love to see you!

Today I'm finally feeling a little better. I still have some congestion in my nose, but otherwise, feel ok. Annabeth is slowly getting better, too. I really felt like I was dying on Monday/Tuesday. I couldn't get off the couch and could barely hold my eyes open. I had a goal to get better by tonight so I could participate in the MOPS progressive dinner that I had committed myself to. Tomorrow morning, we're supposed to have our regular MOPS meeting, but I'll have to see how Annabeth is before I can make those plans.

I updated my calendar of events for December in the sidebar. Sunday is Evan's Christmas program at church and I'm so anxious to see him perform. This will be his first program like this. Yippee!

We made a trip around the block last night to look at Christmas lights. There are some really nice displays in our little neighborhood and it was so sweet to hear the kids talking to each about how pretty they were and hearing little Annabeth say "Look, Evan!!! Wow!!! Cooooollll!!!" I can only imagine how magical it all must seem to her. We made the decision not to drag out all our decorations this year. No lights, no stockings, no nothing! It just takes too much time for such a short couple of weeks and we'll be gone for 9 days. We promised a big display next year and we'll let Walt Disney World wow them this year!

I don't think I mentioned yet, although you can see it in the sidebar, but my word for December is SHARE. It's important to me to give at Christmas time. And I want my kids to know that feeling, too. We did Operation Christmas Child in November and we've given to the food pantry at church, donated money every time we walk by a Salvation Army Kettle, given money to the church Christmas gift box program. Next week, Evan's school is hosting a food drive and Evan is very excited to give food to needy people. I'll be raiding my pantry to see what we have to give and purchasing some things to help out that cause.

I also plan to SHARE the magic of Disney with my family this Christmas. I'm most excited to just spend time with my family. Disney will just be the icing on the cake. This will be our very first family vacation together and we are making the most of every second and focusing on the family first, the World second. I'm so proud of the plans we've made and I believe this trip will provide memories that will last for the rest of our lives!

Oh, and update on my van. I needed two new brake pads just as we suspected. We were pleasantly surprised with the cost (although we didn't want to spend a dime on it right now!) and they did some other checks and the van looks to be safe and ready to travel to Florida. The guy did tell me the driver's side pad was completely gone and it was metal on metal. OMGosh! The Lord was with us on the trip home from Iowa.

A quick funny story from yesterday. When I picked up Evan from school, he asked me for a cough drop. I handed him one and within a couple minutes he said he lost it. It just slipped out of his mouth. I laughed (because I was not surprised to hear such a thing) and gave him another one. I told him I'd find when we got home. So we pulled in garage and he gets out and goes right to the bathroom to wash his hands (that's our routine) and I looked in the van for the missing cough drop to no avail. I came in the house and he comes running out of the bathroom, all proud. He had found the missing cough drop, in plain sight! :)
Can you see it? There on his sweatshirt?? LOL

And a Trevor update:
My last update came last night from my mom. She said Trevor's blood cultures came back poor. He is supposed to be heading back to ACH today for an unknown length of stay. His next round of chemo is still scheduled for Dec. 16th. His hair has started to fall out. It seems so soon and like such a defining moment in the life of a cancer patient. :( I'm finding it so hard to be so far away, but I praying every day for a miracle. Lots of love to my Trevor D.