Guess Where We Were!?!?

So...last week, David had a business trip to a certain southern state, and Y and I decided to tag along.

 

Somebody may have been just a little excited! ;-) We had originally planned to go to Disney last fall. We had planned the trip, set aside the vacation money, and were just ready to book our hotel and flights when David felt very strongly convicted that our vacation money needed to be donated to drought victims in Ethiopia. We quickly regrouped and spent our vacation at our cottage in Michigan instead, but a certain 5-year old had let us know numerous times over the last several months that he wasn't exactly on board with our decision. When we learned a month ago or so that David had a conference to attend at the Walt Disney Dolphin, we decided that we'd all fly down and make a mini-vacation out of it. The timing worked out beautifully: a generous bonus from David's employer and our Christmas money more than covered the extra expense, and of course our hotel room and David's flight were covered by work. Just a little reminder that God's plans are usually better anyway if He asks you to wait  for something!

Yikealo LOVED this trip! He was the most pleasant little boy that I could've imagined in spite of a rather severe sleep deficit. He adored meeting the characters, and enjoyed most of the rides (Space Mountain and Expedition Everest were the big exceptions!) We did, however, ride Splash Mountain 4 times and the Kali River Rapids twice...apparently anything that gets you wet is a big hit with 5 year old boys.

Here are a some photos of our adventures:

 

 As we walked into the Africa area of the Animal Kingdom, Yikealo proudly informed the two lovely greeters from Botswana, "I used to live in Africa!" They of course asked him where he was from, and when he told them "Ethiopia" they gave him a high five and said, "Welcome home, brother!" As we moved on, he looked up at David and said, "They think I am their brother! Am I really?"

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 Meeting Snow White was a huge hit with the boy, although he was too shy to actually say much to her. She started calling him her "bashful prince" which made him quite happy!

Yikealo also fell in love with all of the Viking paraphernalia in Epcot's Norway shops. That's what he decided to spend his money on, and he spent the rest of that evening hacking and slashing away at everything in sight.

 

 

The fireworks shows were beautiful, of course, and the one at Epcot had one of those big "We are one" type of songs, as the huge globe turned in the middle of the lagoon, and each of the eleven countries around the lake added their part to the laser show. I am especially prone to goose-bumpy tearing up during those kind of moments right now...especially when the continent of Africa is prominently featured! It was great to be there with David and Yikealo, but I miss our next child too!

 

The Dolphin is a beautiful hotel, with great pools and a wonderful location. Epcot is actually within walking distance, and complimentary transportation was provided to all of the Disney parks.

 

 

One of Y's very favorite things at the Magic Kingdom was yanking away at the "Sword in the Stone" display. It probably had something to do with the fact that David told him that if he could get it out, he would get to be king for the day, but we had to pay repeated visits back to the "Rock and the Stone" as he called it for him to strain and tug at the sword...proving once again that sometimes it's the smallest things that entertain children!

On our last day there, Yikealo begged to have his face painted as a tiger. He delighted in "scaring" everyone on the plane, and when we've asked him since what his favorite part of our trip was, he almost always says, "Being a tiger!"

 

We definitely had a great time getting away for a few days...and now we're home waiting again. We know that our agency received some new children into their transition home last week, and David and I have both been feeling like we are getting very close to getting our call!