Is that a parade I hear?

I keep expecting to be greeted by a parade in my normal life...the fact is that the return to the normal "world" ain't easy! And, I bet its that way for a a lot of vacations, (my brother's zip line pics and repelling pics looked pretty awesome)! But for me, this was really the first vacation where when I returned, I just had a hard time getting really, really back to life! I think it took me about one day in regular life for each day I spent at the World to really adjust. So now I've moved on to re-living our adventures, and thinking about the ones to come!

I really felt like all of my planning paid off at WDW, for instance I had the map of Disney really under my belt. I had character dining reservations made, I had a list of prioritized things that I thought my family would enjoy. And all of this planning (though made fun of by some of you) really made it so that I could enjoy the unexpected magic. One of my favorite things at the World were the parades. I did not plan to be in a certain place when the parades came, (with the exception of the lighted parade at close at the Magic Kingdom), but periodically we would be greeted by High School Musical, Block Party Bash, or my favorite the Celebrations Parade mid day at Magic Kingdom. On this particular day it was Woody/Buzz Day because it was the opening of Toy Story 3. We had fun dancing with the characters, not just getting our autograph and picture.

<>

I wonder now in the regular world how many times I miss the joyous spontaneous celebrations of life because they are not accompained by music, and men in costumes? Thanks to WDW I'm going to try and look harder for the celebrations and find the magic in my every day life!

Disney's Have a Laugh! Mickey Mouse - I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)

Stop CMV pictures sent to me already!

Thank you Sarah Hobson, Thank you Heidi & Charles Lynn, and their healthy baby girl Tori

, Thank you Marcia and Jacob Thurman and their precious baby to be. Thank you Stacie Manary and her children Cameron & Kate!

Joining Hands to Stop CMV

The Stop CMV network is an amazing organization. When you have a baby, or a grandbaby with CMV, this network of amazing mothers and grandmothers joins together to be there for you. I found stopcmv.org after my daughter Lauren was born. In the medical community I found few doctors who were willing or able to take the time to discuss CMV, and I have come to believe that it is in part due to a lack of general knowledge about the virus. I was so relieved to find a network of supportive, caring, and smart people who not only could answer any question I had, but could anticipate the next question that was coming. On mornings when I judged myself, Janelle Sargent Greenlee the founder of stopcmv.org was there to remind me that I was currently at war. At war with a virus that was stealing from me, a war I was not prepared to fight. Stopcmv.org continues to work hard with various campaigns to bring public attention to this disease that hurts so many families. June is National Congenital CMV Awareness Month. 1 in every 150 children is born with congenital CMV, causing deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, mental and physical disabilities, seizures, and death. The statistics are staggering and it is time to bring the message of CMV prevention to women...

Stop CMV is asking people like you and me to take a picture with the words "Stop CMV" written on your hand. Take a simple picture, a picture that depicts you, a picture that rings true to you. Take a picture of a friend, a child, your spouse, or yourself...just simply include your hand with those words. Upload your picture here.

"Join Stop CMV as we work to increase the public profile of CMV to save thousands of children from disabilities and death. Join your hand with ours and help become part of a global community dedicated to raising awareness of congenital CMV and impacting millions of lives worldwide! Ask a friend, coworker, family member, or photographer to take your hand picture. Submit your photo online before June 30th by uploading your photo to our Hands to Stop CMV Awareness Wall! Then vote for your favorite image to become the new face (and hand) of Stop CMV! This image will be featured in web, print, and broadcast awareness campaigns for Stop CMV! "

In addition, if you email me your picture (eor1415@mchsi.com) or at my blog, I will post it as well. Stop CMV needs about 50 more pictures to reach their goal, and I would be so proud if some of my friends and family members would take the time to submit pictures.

Included in the pictures above is a picture of me taken in our empty baby room by my husband, as well as another taken by my friend Jessica of her own hand and her own healthy baby daughter's hand. Like many of you she was saddened so deeply by our story, she held my hand along the way and she continues to hold her hand out now. Please hold yours out as well for all the children living with, and dying of CMV.

Finding our smiles again!

It has taken me a few days to post on our blog! I think some people were afraid this meant that I didn't have as good a time as expected...this could not be further from the truth. The truth is that I don't even know where to begin about what turned out to be a week of magic for our family. While some days were more magical than others, there was not a single moment when I wondered if it was "worth the money," or over hyped. I at one point felt that one particular day at the Magic Kingdom rated in the top 10 in my entire life. If you would have told me four months ago, that one of my best days ever was just around the corner; I wouldn't have believed it. And yet there it was, my smile. So long on my face that my cheeks ached. Countless times, I felt weepy over the magic and happiness that filled my chest and just how good that felt. We traveled with friends who made the trip extra special, in fact tomorrow's post, "Traveling with the Shorts" ha just kidding..Zac hates appearing on the internet so I will leave it alone. But suffice it to say the five of them added to our adventure and I would do it again in a heart beat! Top ten most magical moments in no particular order:

1. Will says to giraffe on Kilimanjaro safari: "Hi Giraffe, I Will!"
2. The rainbow that appeared in the sky while we were waiting for Fantasmic to begin.
3. Meeting Mickey Mouse Safari, meeting Mickey Mouse at his house, meeting Chef Mickey.
4. The realization that my husband kept pace with me every second for 5 days of Disney magic. Every day I got to the car I thought I could not have gone one more step. You were heroic Joe!
5. Toy Story Mania 3 times, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin 6 times with the help of the fantastic Fast Pass planning as posed by the Williams family!
6. The day at Magic Kingdom where we managed to be there from nearly open to close.
7. Our entire family and great friends on Cinderella's Golden Carosusel at nearly 1 AM following Chef Mickey's the lighted parade and fireworks.



8. Seeing will meet Woody and Buzz


9. Chef Mickey's, Chef Mickey's, Chef Mickey's



10. Coming home to a letter promising that the Magic was just beginning for our November 2010 visit to the World!

Walt Disney World 1987

So I have actually been to Walt Disney World once before! When I was about 14 my parents took my brother and I on a very long road trip to Orlando. Pictured above is my brother and I along with my mom and grandmother. I remember my papa taking this picture and I felt like some sort of crazy scene out of Chevy Chase Walt Disney World Vacation! I believed they were trying to torture me for sure. At the time, the World was only two parks large. Magic Kingdom & Epcot. It seemed worth it to dig out these old photos while visiting my parents tonight. We had some good laughs about fashion and how we have all gotten fatter. Except Micky, he hasn't aged a bit; though his fashion is questionable here as well! I do in fact remember having a good time, and it is remarkable that my parents felt like it was safe enough that they toured Epcot extensively while we explored the Magic Kingdom to the ends of the World. At the time, I didn't let on to the fact that I was having fun, by I think the smile in the picture below might have given me away!

Gratitude

I don't know how many of you have had a semi-charmed kind of life, where you have experienced little upheaval, or tragedy...I know at least one of my friends who has talked about being nervous that her "thing" is just around the corner. That she knows that she can not go a lifetime with no bad luck, and that since she has experienced none, she is constantly worried about when "it" is coming. This trip we are taking is sort of a benchmark of sorts. A trip we booked within days after our largest life tragedy to date, a trip that was a reminder that there would be a tomorrow, and indeed there is. As it nears I have been thinking about what it is that I am grateful for and here is just a short list with the general disclaimer that there are things that are not here, these are just the ones that came to mind THIS morning:

1. These specific nurses and doctors who did more than they had to. Laura, Kate, and Dr. Lyndsey Maines. Not for being nurses and doctors so much, but for being human beings...and for making me better then and always. All three of you helped me survive the storm, and made me a better woman by knowing you. I will pay your kindness forward.
2. My mom and papa. It would have been much harder to survive the last months if I did not have them to give us their ear, a pat on the back, a hug. In the beginning I felt like sleeping between them like when I was 8 and they let me.
3. My brother and because he is private that's enough said.
4. My friend Jessica who brought us dinner every night forever and offered to take care of us, and we let her.
5. Old friends who knew when to call and when to not
6. Neighbors who knew when to push and when to pull
7. Colleagues, teachers and AEA alike who have worried about us and worried about Lauren, who have prayed and hoped and cried with us.
8. New friends who accept me now, just as I am.
9. My husband for allowing me to go on vacations when there are so many other things that we could spend our money on, who knows what I need and lets me have it.
10. And you, who ever you are for reading this blog.