72 Days Without Michael: Together!

Cell phone pic in the airport, taken by Nathan, lots of happy tears.

 

The boys tackled Michael before he reached the bottom of the escalator!



Quick stop by home (we're only a couple miles from LAX) for a quick costume change and a brush of teeth, then off to the Happiest Place on Earth to celebrate Benjamin's birthday (yay!), Michael's return (yay!), and the day our Annual Passes expire (boo!).



Ben's birthday booty: Daddy home from Macau, Trip to Disneyland, Lovable Ewok, Chernabog button (tiny circle on letter N on his shirt), oversized green Disneyland watch he's been asking for, Mario Bros Hat, and a couple other things he can't open until tomorrow since everyone passed out on the drive home. Happy 8th Birthday Ben!



Ben's Birthday Lunch/Dinner request: Monte Cristo Sandwich from Cafe Orleans, right across from the Blue Bayou. They're less expensive there, and you get to sit outside and watch the people walk by. Good choice Ben!





Me and my boy Nathan, eating lunch.



Daddy and Ben at lunch.

 

Michael, sound asleep sitting up after finishing lunch. Jet lag rears it's ugly face!
And nearly made Michael fall face-first into his grapes!



Our very last ride at the Disneyland Resort: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Ben has been super scared to go on it, but promised me a couple weeks ago that he would be willing to try when Daddy was home. It's a free fall attraction where you fall down 13 stories multiple times while seated in a freight elevator. Have I mentioned that our home in Macau is in a high rise building which we'll access by riding an elevator? Please God do not let either kid develop a fear of elevators now! We'll be in so much trouble!

Our final photo at Disneyland, California, right at the exit. I'm crying.

Disneyland is my happy place, filled with a lifetime of memories from my own childhood, my days working there, Michael working there, and a wonderful place to share with our own children. It has been such a great family bonding activity for us over the last few years while we've had passes. Sure, we'll come back, but these days with Nathan and Benjamin being this age and still a little awed by the Disney Magic will be over before we do. So my tears were for the passing of this season, and for the realization that over the next nine days we'll be faced with a string of goodbyes.

I've been so looking forward to today's "Hello" that I didn't even think about the "Goodbyes" that now follow.