A Hint of the Hess House: So We Booked a Trip to Disney

After losing Hannah, spring break vacation wasn't exactly the first thing on our minds. When we thought about spring break we were thinking I'd be at home on maternity leave snuggling with a little baby, or you know, changing millions of diapers and getting little sleep. Turns out plans change. After I returned to work, I was looking forward to spring break. A much needed time to not only relax, but a time to maybe smile a little more. A vacation seemed like the perfect week after everything we'd been going through.

I will tell you though, and I'll share more on this, but I'm not sure a vacation would always be appropriate for everyone, or that there is a certain time that would be a 'good time' to take a vacation after losing a child. I'm sure that for some people walking around Disney World with millions of smiling children is the exact opposite of what they'd want to do after losing a child.

But I will tell you that our vacation just happened one day.

So one day we were sitting on the couch throwing around Spring Break vacation ideas. It went something like this:

Kyle: What about a fishing trip?
Brittany: What about a beach vacation?
Brittany: Oooooo, what about Disney World?!?
Brittany: Wait, spring break is in like 2 weeks, we can't go to Disney World...
Kyle: Why not?

And so I did what I do best when Kyle says things like "why not?" I research. And in less than 24 hours I had budgeted the entire trip, we knew what the costs were and we decided that it could very well be our last chance to venture to Disney without kiddos. (Well, we hope.) And so we did it, we booked a trip to Disney. I spent the next two weeks planning, researching, and making my DIY vacation tees. Then we were off.

And there we were in Florida. Pulled out of a world that has been so very hard for the past few months, dropped right into a world where everywhere we really did feel like kids again.

I think I probably got way to excited to see Woody. But let me tell you, Buzz and Woody did not disappoint. When people ask me what my favorite moment was at Disney I'm most likely to say meeting Woody. That's me, I grew up with Andy and I just can't get over the fact that I shook hands with Woody. I mean I love mascots/people in giant costumes. Kyle should have known after I screamed for the DQ Blizzard-man in the local parade that I'd be crazy at Disney. But let's just say that it was clear that Woody was excited to see me too... right?

There were moments when Kyle just stared at me. Mostly when I wanted to wait 45 minutes to meet a 'person in a costume' which was obviously the 'real thing'! Or when I jumped up and down at a parade because, well, we were just walking down the street and a small parade popped out of nowhere! That's when I caught Kyle Hess looking at me. He later said that one of the best things he did on vacation was watch me smile. If that's not the sign of a keeper I don't know what else is.

There were times when it seemed like we got to ride in the first row of every ride. I will say that not only did I get picked to be the 'spy' on the Star Tours ride, but I also got picked to have my wand chosen at Ollivander's. We happened upon the very best seats for the parades and wandered into the best viewing area for the fireworks at Cinderella's castle. The day we were at the busiest park just happened to be the day it rained in the morning so we practically walked on to the rides without wait lines. Other than the time a bird pooped on Kyle's hand, I'd say we were the luckiest people at the park. It was very 'Michelle get's to be the princess' circa Full House goes to Disneyland.

Or maybe, not that He had to, but maybe it was God's way of giving us these little reminders that he cares for us. Just little smiles to remind us of how He still in in control of all things, and how he is very, very good.

I'd love to tell you all of the stories. I'd love to tell you all of the research. I'd love to tell you about every one of the 'magical' moments where things just seemed to go our way. But I'm sure many of you would fall asleep reading all the details.

So here's just a little sneak peak into our Disney Vacation. It was this little blessing from God to just relax, to not care about a thing, and to get to spend time with the man that has loved me so very well over the past few months when I've needed it most.