Is it December Yet?? Cancelled with a Heavy Heart!

[DizNee Luver]

Let's take a trip back to 2009~~Here are a few highlights of our Magical 25th Anniversary trip to Disneyland.

This trip was planned to be just my husband & I. We were going to stay a few nights at the Disneyland Hotel (which I had always wanted to do) and then switch to a Good Neighbor motel across from the parks. We planned a few nice dinners and a Walk in Walt's Footstep's Tour. We were all set, then about a month before the trip......my older boys~Ty & Derek, decided to buy their own package to go with their tax refunds. Well......we had the twins taken care of (they were still foster kids at this time, so we were able to line up respite care).....but I wasn't sure what to do about Anthony & Addy. I couldn't leave them if they boys were going now. So our trip of 2 ended up being a family trip of 6 of us.

The deal with the boys was.....we weren't going to change our plans. So there would be times they would have the 2 younger ones & for the first 2 nights too. We rearranged things and got the 4 kids set up in a motel for the week. Addy & Anthony stayed with big brothers for 2 nights & then joined Mike & I when we moved to the Good Neighbor motel.

This actually worked out nicely. We were able to spend quality alone time but still do memorable family things as well!!!! Probably our best trip EVER!!!

Here are a few pics from that trip:

Addy & Anthony our first morning in the parks!!

Ty & Derek on the Alice in Wonderland ride:

Addy on the Carrousel:

Anthony on the Carrousel:

Addy, Mike & I in the Teacups!!

Tyler, Anthony & Derek in the Teacups!!

Anthony hamming it up while waiting to get on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters:

One of the days, we walked the grounds at the Disneyland Hotel....they had these beautiful waterfalls....which sadly are now gone. They did a huge remodel & changed everything about this resort. I miss the nostalgia of old.....but the new is neat in it's own way. Glad we had the chance to really spend time here before the changes.

Loved how this pic came out:

We did a meal at Goofy's Kitchen. This is one of our favorite character meals.

Addy & Anthony with Minnie Mouse:

This was probably the biggest Ahhhhhhh moment of the trip. Addy saw Baloo and ran up to him & started singing the Bear Necessities song to him. He knelt down and listened to her sing the whole song to him & then gave her.....what else??? A BIG BEAR HUG!!!! (as mom sat there with tears in her eyes)

More to follow....

 

[DizNee Luver]

Prior to this trip, I started chatting with some ladies that are part of the Dis Diva's. They were going to be meeting for their 2nd annual trip at Disneyland. It worked out to be during a few days of our trip, so I arranged to meet up with them for one of their group pics.

The rest is history......I wasn't able to go the 3rd year.....but was there for their 4th & 5th trip. I've made some amazing friends over the years and look forward to next years trip.

I mentioned that Mike & I kept our original plans and here's a couple pics from our "alone" time.

We got to take a ride in the Wheelhouse of the Mark Twain Riverboat!! I got to ring the bell & pull the horn....so much fun!!

We took a tour & while we stopped at the castle I took this reflective picture.

This was after the tour, with our guide~~Albert. He did great (and he had only been doing this tour for 2 weeks!!)

We did a romantic dinner at the Blue Bayou, waterside. The Pirates of the Caribbean runs beside the restaurant. We were sitting there and then we hear "Mike, Mom, Mike, Mom" and realize our kids are on the ride & floating by......lol

After meeting back up with the kids, we ran into Brer Bear & Brer Fox up in Critter Country:

These are from Disney's California Adventure.

Ready for Toy Story Midway Mania!!

Character Meal at Ariel's Grotto:

Probably one of the funnest character meals we went this trip was the Lilo-n-Stitch breakfast at the Paradise Pier Hotel. Lots of interaction with Stitch & Lilo.....the kids were laughing so hard.....wasn't sure they'd ever get any eating done.

This meal is now the only character meal with Mickey. It's now called Surf's Up with Mickey. Stitch is still there, but haven't seen Lilo since the change over.

We did a dinner at the Rainforest Cafe in DTD. This is Mike, Addy & Tyler:

Derek, Anthony & me:

Sleeping Beauty Castle right before the fireworks on our last night:

So this is where the 25th Anniversary trip ended. We got home to find out the twins adoption had finalized on our anniversary: March 17th!! Guess we'll always remember that!

........but we actually have a little more of the 2009 DL trip....what?? you've gone home you're thinking.........stick around to find out what happened!

 

[DizNee Luver]

So we're at home, a couple days after being in Disneyland & the phone rings. It's Disneyland Hiring Staff.....wanting Mike to come in for an interview. (he had applied online a couple weeks before the trip). He set up his interview for the following week. So we're going back to Disneyland (now usually this would be the most exciting thing ever....but we're still tired from the 14 hr drive home) The thought of getting right back into the car to go again was daunting!!

Ok, let's think about this......a job at Disneyland, moving to Southern Cali.....getting to see our favorite place........ WooHoo, we're going back to Disneyland!!!!! Now to figure out who was going.....kids couldn't miss anymore school, Ty needed to be back at work & there was no way I could put the twins back into respite. So Mike & I took Derek to help us with the twins. Ty & the 2 littles stayed home this time.

We arrived Weds. afternoon & headed to the parks to get dinner & see the fireworks. The twins didn't even notice the fireworks....we were surprised! The next day was Mike's interview & then we'd head home the day after that. So it was very limited time in the parks but hopefully some good news would be coming our way.

This was the twins at the motel with their first set of ears. I had to take the pics quick....they don't like things on their heads!!

Shyann:

Michayla:

We did one character meal to see how the girls would react to them. Didn't go so well......they liked the noses & hands but other than that, they weren't thrilled.

After breakfast, Mike went off to the interview. Derek & I took the twins to ride Small World & Peter Pan.....but they didn't like to do those....so we just walked around & waited for Mike to return.

Things didn't go well.....Mike didn't even get to interview!! They have you start with a computerized test (deals with customer service & such).....unfortunately Mike didn't want to come off as bossy, so he can went middle ground on a number of the questions (asking you things about your co-workers work habits).....this is where we figure he went off track. So make sure you have an opinion if you take one of those tests!!!

Anyways, he didn't "pass" the test and was thanked for his time......ummmmm, do you realize we drove 14 hrs to do this??? After talking with a few CM's at the park, they said to go back & ask to speak to one of the managers. So that's what we did. The mgr he spoke with said they don't even know the "answers" to the computerized test but once you fail that, you can't try again for 6 mths. They talked for quite a while & she said she wished she could by-pass it....she would have hired him on the spot!!! They understand they may be losing great employees with that test??? So at least Mike felt better knowing he probably would have left with a job if he had not been wishy washy on the test.

My feelings are "everything happens for a reason". The dream of being at DL and living down there was just that.....a Dream! Once we got serious about looking at the logistics of it for our family....the pay wouldn't have been enough to keep us afloat. The cost of living in Southern Cali. is 3 times what it was in Oregon.......there's no way we could have survived.

Ok, back to the trip..........we spent some more time in the park.....and after a long day....the twins were ready to go back to the motel.

We headed home the next day and back to real life.

 

[DisneyStitch626]

Love the mini TR for your 2009 trip. How nice that you and Mike got some alone time together, minus the yelling at Blue Bayou from the ride. That was funny though.

How cool that Mike got an interview, and too bad one of those tests messed it up. I literally just finished one of those for Michael's craft store. It was 15 pages long! Jeez!. But anyways, it sounds like it would have been harder for you guys if he had gotten that job, so it worked out in the end.

I am still really wanting to move down there. I just don't know the first step in seriously doing it. Not sure we could qualify for working, where to live, all that fun stuff. But it is definitely a dream for me too.

 

[Trentmom]

Thanx for the birthday wishes for Nick!!!

Derek is the one in the DCP. None of us have been to WDW. I'm hoping he'll let us know how his day went!!

Woops, sorry about that

Me too

 

[DizNee Luver]

Love the mini TR for your 2009 trip. How nice that you and Mike got some alone time together, minus the yelling at Blue Bayou from the ride. That was funny though.

How cool that Mike got an interview, and too bad one of those tests messed it up. I literally just finished one of those for Michael's craft store. It was 15 pages long! Jeez!. But anyways, it sounds like it would have been harder for you guys if he had gotten that job, so it worked out in the end.

I am still really wanting to move down there. I just don't know the first step in seriously doing it. Not sure we could qualify for working, where to live, all that fun stuff. But it is definitely a dream for me too.

It was fun seeing the kids float by.....I took a pic, but it was way too dark & they were too far away to see anything. Quite a few of the boats that went by would yell "throw me food" or "throw us a roll"......so one of times, I yelled back "throw money"!!

It really wouldn't have worked for us. Our family is big (and getting bigger as you know....... ) The rent prices/home sales are outrageous, but the wages don't reflect that. Both Mike & I would have had to work full time, Ty & Derek would have needed full time employment as well to break even. The childcare pretty much would have emptied my entire paycheck.....so it just wasn't gonna happen....no matter how badly we wanted it.

For your family, if you could stay with your mom for a while until you could get established in jobs & then find a home in your price range (and in a neighborhood you wouldn't fear for your life).....then it could be a possibility. Just not sure if that's even an option for you.

I'm glad we stayed here......I got to spend time with my step parents & dad and that's time I could never have gotten back if we lived in another state.

 

[Trentmom]

What a whirlwind trip. That is a shame about that test, but like you and others have said, probably for the better with cost of living out there

 

[DizNee Luver]

Woops, sorry about that

Me too

What a whirlwind trip. That is a shame about that test, but like you and others have said, probably for the better with cost of living out there

No problem.....I have enough problem keeping track of my own kids.....I surely wouldn't expect you to keep track of them too!!!

We were wiped out by the time we were done with both trips. It was fun to say I went to Disneyland in March & and in April.....but woof, 28 hr round trips in the car twice was TOO MUCH!!!!

 

[lovethattink]

Great pics on the past trips. Too funny about eating dinner while the kids went on pirates.

Did Derek have to take a test like that for the CP?

 

[DizNee Luver]

Great pics on the past trips. Too funny about eating dinner while the kids went on pirates.

Did Derek have to take a test like that for the CP?

They knew we were in there, so they thought it would be funny to do that to us.

You know.....I'm not sure?! He was the one that told Mike that he needed to have an opinion on those tests.....so if he did, he already knew what to do.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Well......I got a very interesting phone call this morning that is life changing for us~~it looks like we're becoming parents again.....YES you heard that right!!

Addy's half sister (Mia, age 4) has been in foster care since January and the bio-mom is not making progress, so we might be taking her in permanently. We will not be allowed to adopt her, as she's half Native American. The tribes 99.9% of the time will not allow the parent's rights to be terminated & the child adopted (and then basically disappear). They will allow a family to take legal guardianship. The only difference from what the worker was telling me is she won't take our last name and we have to send a yearly letter to the courts to update them on her life.

We should know in the very near future if this is what will be happening. Addy will be thrilled to have her here and I think this is God's way of filling a hole after so much loss this year.

This is Mia as a newborn (she had thrush...that is why her mouth is purple)

This is her with Addy almost 3 yrs ago.

We've seen pics of her since December & I call tell you, she looks a lot like Addy. She's also a princess fan!! She should fit in quite nicely!!! I'll keep you updated.

 

[DisneyStitch626]

That first photo of her looks so much like Addy. You can sure tell they are related. It's too bad you can't make it completely official, but at least she will be in way better care with you guys. If you can't officially adopt her, can the mother come and take her if she gets better?

Congrats to your family!! I hope Disney will let you add one more to all your reservations.

 

[DizNee Luver]

That first photo of her looks so much like Addy. You can sure tell they are related. It's too bad you can't make it completely official, but at least she will be in way better care with you guys. If you can't officially adopt her, can the mother come and take her if she gets better?

Congrats to your family!! I hope Disney will let you add one more to all your reservations.

They do look a lot alike but you can see the Mexican in Addy and the Native Indian in Mia.....that's the only difference.

Once she's placed with us, we become the legal guardian & make decisions on everything for her, just like parents do for their kids. We could move to a different state, take her on trips, pick her dr, school, etc. She just wouldn't share our name and we have to stay in touch with the courts until she turns 18. It's how the tribe keeps track of "their" kids. If we were allowed to adopt, they would lose track of them. The tribes are very protective of their own. They don't like parents losing their parental rights, but are ok with the child being removed from a parent and becoming a part of a new family. It's a bit complicated but sounds like it really won't affect us much.

 

[DisneyStitch626]

Well that's great. I hope that everything works out and she comes home to you all. And I am sure Addy will be so thankful for it.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Laurie, how wonderful! Hoping it all works out! She is such a cutie!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Well that's great. I hope that everything works out and she comes home to you all. And I am sure Addy will be so thankful for it.

Laurie, how wonderful! Hoping it all works out! She is such a cutie!

Thank you both!!

 

[DsnyMama]

How incredibly wonderful for your family!

 

[kaoden39]

Oh wow Laurie!! That's huge!!

 

[lovethattink]

Congratulations!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

How incredibly wonderful for your family!

Thank You!!

Oh wow Laurie!! That's huge!!

It is huge, and we kinda wondered if this was gonna happen.....so we had "pre" talked about it. Our concern was the tie into the tribes and what that would mean for us. But I think it's gonna be ok & work out. Just waiting to find out the next move.

Congratulations!!

Thank You!!