We had not taken our family on a big family vacation in over a decade. In fact, it was the only big family vacation we had ever taken. So, two years ago Bryant and I developed a goal to surprise our kids with a trip to Disney World and he started savings towards it each month in preparation.
All this time, we have our 7 year old begging to go to Disney World, saying it’s her lifelong dream!! We didn’t tell her we were trying our best to save for it, but she on her own started saving all money that came her way (mostly from grandparents and family haha).
A few months ago, I finally got to tell our kids that I was going to take them to Disney World and one day to the ocean/beach which most of our kids have never seen! They were so excited, and my now 8 year old asked earnestly: Mommy, please let me pay for my own plane ticket! I promised her I would.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving week. We arrived in Florida on Sunday and the next day, on Bryant’s bday, our kids got to spend the day in Magic Kingdom. I fought back tears all the while just feeling so grateful.
On Tuesday, we went to Animal Kingdom, and at one point I was holding my 8 year old's hand as the older kids walked in front of us. She looked up at me with such carefree joy and said: Mommy, I feel like such a kid! Like I feel like an actual kid here! Don’t you?!
She, and my other kids have had to have such adult, heavy experiences, conversations, and worries this past year that are too painful to even talk about. Her statement summed up why this was all worth it.
Being back home, I’m so sad Bryant wasn’t here long enough to see our goal come to pass, but I made him a promise in the hospital that I would do all I could to give the kids a good life and I know this trip was the best birthday gift ever for him ~ For all 5 of our kids and me to get to experience this joyful trip and God’s beautiful creation together.
Every sacrifice and the blessings from family to make it happen was so worth it.
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