The return from "Magical Land"

No, I haven't been working myself to death so much so that I haven't had time to blog. Actually the opposite. I told Trevor 2 weeks ago that I needed a vacation. Being a working woman was taking it's toll, and now that the Fall semester had gotten kicked off, I was ready for one relaxing week. We've been dying to return to Disney, and do it our way this time...less crowds, cooler weather, maximized family time!! We literally planned a last minute trip, told next to no one and off we went.

We didn't even tell Grayson!! As we woke him up last Tuesday, he did have to trip over the suitcases, so I'm sure that was his first clue, but we acted as if nothing was different and we were taking him to school for the day. As we drove over to the Norfolk Airport, he asked why we weren't going to school. We told him we were going on a trip. He asked if Mrs. Williams, his teacher, would miss him today, adn we assured him that we had already talked to her and that she knew he would be gone.

As we proceeded to get our bags checked and board the aircraft, he still had no idea where we were going. Several people had remarked that we were going to Orlando, but that means nothing to Grayson. We knew we had better tell him so that we were the ones to catch the excitement and not someone else. We had him guess, and he never got it, which I was kind of surprised. Here is the picture I took as we told him on the plane...

More stories and pictures to come. The highlight of the trip was meeting Cinderella face to face in her castle at the Magic Kingdom. It was a surprise for me too! It is so funny that my last blog was about just that. Who knew I would get to write a follow-up to the story?! I have read all your blogs to catch up on what happened while we were gone, but no comments were left. Keep writing about all your moments..I'm reading them in my "spare" time!!

Fireman Prince Grayson

Oh sweet Grayson, my little four-year old who is in love with Cinderella and being a fireman...

You have such a keen interest in being a fireman. It is the one thing that has remained for a couple years now. You love to dress up, get your siren blaring, and ride the Little People Fire Truck all around the house. You are way too big at this point for that truck, but you are loving it more now than you did when you were 2!! I love how you want to help people, and I swear that fire engine siren follows you to school each day as I'm convinced that I hear it in my Office as I'm working!! Maybe someday you'll actually grow up to love the fire service as your Daddy and his Grandpa H. did. Regardless, being a fireman has been good for you because apparently firemen can do anything!! Now that we must call you "Fireman Grayson" all the time, you have this courage that you muster up because firemen aren't afraid of anything. For example, we were riding in the car the other day and you said that we could take our car through the car wash, the one with the big brushes that pound that car, the one that has terrified you since you were small. You said that you could do it now "because I'm a fireman and firemen aren't afraid of anything"! Well, firemen do get scared sometimes Grayson, but with God on your side, you can do anything without having to be afraid.

As for Cinderella, the other woman in your life right now...I am not sure why she has captured your heart as she has. The Cinderella song by Steven Curtis Chapman came out at the same time as you grew to love her in the movies. Short of buying a Cinderella Barbie doll at the Disney store, which mommy refused to succumb to, you are in love and pretend with her all the time. For a while, Cinderella came with us on every outing and grocery trip. She would ride in the backseat with you and you would help her out of the car when we arrived at the store or wherever it was we were going. Now she only comes out at certain times and even I have been given the privelege to BE Cinderella. What are you going to do when you get to meet her face to face at Disney World!! Oh it's going to be a priceless moment!!!!!

The other day, we were playing together and you said that you were the Prince and I was Cinderella. You proceeded to take my hand and ask me to dance. You bowed, and I followed suit with a curtsy. We danced around the living room, you the Prince and me Cinderella. Every now and again you would lift onto your tiptoes and raise my arm and then proceed to tell me that it was time to twirl. I would crouch as low as I could to twirl but still hold onto your hand. As we contiued to dance together, you told me that with my free hand I needed to be holding out my dress so that it wouldn't get stepped on!! You were a very charming dancer.

Prince Fireman Grayson, I will dance with you anytime because as I like to tease you (and you can't understand!), all too soon the clock will strike midnight, and you'll be gone too. Except there will be some other sweet Cinderella girl holding your hand, holding your heart, and holding her dress so it won't get stepped on. Oh dear God, protect my little Prince's heart. Allow him to continue to grow in You and be nurtured in such a way that he keeps this innocence, this sweet gentle spirit. Help me as his mom, the first Cinderella in his life, to foster that in him, to nurture those qualities that a girlfriend and wife will someday admire and cherish. Sweet dreams my Prince Grayson!!

Amateur Photographer

Grayson actually has a pretty good eye for taking pictures. Here are some of his recents shots.