Bandwagon moment

At this time of reflection and thanksgiving, bandwagon here I come! In the last two weeks, I have been very fortunate to hop my way around the southeastern part of our country with my family and friends. All thanks to this little endeavor, my family called me two weeks ago and invited me to go to Disney World with my aunts, uncles, and grandparents. I was torn; we just bought a house, the holidays are upon us, we need a new washer and dryer, more money, more money, more money. On the other hand, how often is someone able to take an impromptu Disney World trip with her family the week before Thanksgiving? J aided in clenching this decision and off I went.

The three days I spent in the wonderful world of Disney were truly magical. My dad's sister, her husband, and I were the only people in our jovial party that had ever spent time in Disney's dream before this trip. My dad's brother and his wife had never been, but even more astonishing than that, my grandfather, who turned 75 in September, and my grandmother, had never traveled to the Magical Kingdom. This fact is truly shocking if you have ever met the wonderful Mr. Henry, who channels the late Mr. Disney is many ways. My grandparent's house is bursting at the seams with all things Mickey. There are Mickey pictures, prints, trivets, magnets, blankets, shirts, pants, pens, papers, phones, phone covers, bedding, hats, ears, and I'm sure if I searched long enough, I might find some Mickey underwear. Well, there were definitely more trinkets that were added to the collection after this trip! We spent one day in the Magic Kingdom, one day at Epcot, and our last day at Hollywood studios. We had so much fun at each park, but the icing on the cake was the fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom. I have never seen anything so incredible in all my life. Even people that aren't firework people, unlike myself, were in awe of the amazing show!

Aside from my personal delight, I think the most heart-warming moment of the entire trip was when we snakes through the line at record pace (thanks, one-armed wheel-butt!) and met Mickey and Minnie Mouse. My grandfather's face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, and I don't think he could do anything to help it. It was an automatic reaction, and it was priceless! Between getting to spend some unencumbered time with my family and seeing first-hand the Mickey Mouse reaction, I know that my impromptu trip was the best way to spend that little bit of money, even if the timing wasn't planned.

Upon the conclusion of my magical trip to the wonderful world of Disney, I made my way west to my old stomping grounds: Memphis. I decided that since I had a week before Thanksgiving and all I would be doing was sitting my in palatial, luxurious hotel room, I might as well come back and spend some time with my best friend. I anticipated that J would be somewhere in the midsouth during my week of play time to train his replacement, but unfortunately that was not the case. I decided that would not deter my plans, and off to the M-town I went. I have spent the past week and a half living with my best friend, and it has been one of the most relaxing weeks I've ever had. We have watched more Twilight than should be legal, all while talking out the problems of the world and grading papers in the process. I cannot thank her enough for putting me up and putting up with me. (Not to mention the fact that she let me crash her New Moon party, which was incredible! )

Now that we are nearing the least sacred of the winter holiday, most often just used as a place marker between the more popular times of Halloween and Christmas, I am off to spend more time with my family today. I have always been a family person, and I think that is why this holiday in particular is so special to me. It is at this time of giving thanks that my whole family stops whatever it is that they are doing and travels to our home base from all around the country to spend some quality time together. Is it all smiles, laughter, and constant joy? Of course not! There are the obligatory curse words, the pans chucked across the kitchen, the threats of early bed time, the consent to early bed times, the Patron, the... after Patron, the fit so artfully pitched, and the over crowded bathrooms, but all of these are mixed with the smiles and laughter, making this holiday one of my favorites!

So now comes my bandwagon moment. In this hectic time of giving and wanting, I am so thankful for and content with the life that I have been given. I would not be the person I am at the place I am without all of the wonderful people around me. There are plenty of things to be thankful for: our new house, J's job, our ability to travel all over, all of our materialistic things without which we could not live comfortably (or sanely), and many more. Despite my gratitude for each and every one of those things, it is the people in my life for which I am most grateful. I married the most incredible, loving, smart, capable, and mostly patient man that God could have created, and I am grateful. I have the best girl friend, who understands me more completely than I even know myself because she is me with experience, and I am grateful. I have a family that would drop anything to help with whatever I might ever need, even travel to the middle of nowhere Alabama to celebrate my wedding, and I am grateful. I have a sister who is so special to me, even if we are now sixteen hours apart. I have a wonderful family of in-laws that genuinely care about my well being, not just because I into the family, but because they sincerely love me. I have two wonderful sets of grandparents who are so vivacious that some sixty year olds are jealous. With all of these incredible people surrounding me, how can I not succeed in the world. With all of the things in my life, it is people that have made all the difference!