TandT
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2007
- Messages
- 776
CAST MEMBERS:
ME
(soon to be 35) A total Disney Princess. When hubby asked where I wanted to go on vacation this year, I said DISNEY WORLD AND A DISNEY CRUISE
Hubby
(47) An accountant with a penny pinching mentality BUT will do ANYTHING for his Princess
DATE: October 2-6
Location: The DISNEY DREAM
Background:
Hmmm.....Let's see where do I begin????
Well.... let me start off my telling you this is our SECOND Disney Cruise. The last one we took was in Dec 2008, on the Wonder. So that would make us Silver Castaway Cay Members...right?? OHH BOY!!!
We had a FABULOUS time on the Wonder and since we know that Disney REALLY does it up right, we decided to try the DREAM. I do have to admit that in Feb 2010, we did the Celebrity Solstice....yeah I know...TRADERS. BUT hear me out.....we wanted to compare DCL with another Cruise Line. Soooooo.... we ended up on the Celebrity and actually LOVED it. But being DVC members how can we NOT stay loyal to the Disney brand.
SO here we are BACK on the DISNEY train!!!!
This trip is different than all the other trips we have taken as a married couple. The past 2 years have been the worse 2 years of our lives. SO this trip is like THE bright light at the end of the tunnel. AND our tunnel has been sooooooo dark. April of last year, my step-daughter, DH's 14 year old DD, after 7 years in remission was re-diagnosed with radiation induced Cancer of the mastoid sinus. After many sleepless nights, doctor's visits, surgeries....our dear Delaney passed away a year later on April 6, 2011. The trauma that our family went through was the worst pain we have ever experienced in our lives. I still don't believe she is gone. I can still hear her voice in my head calling me mommy and singing one of her beautiful songs.
The other terrible thing that happened this year is that I was hospitalized so much for heart failure and kidney failure..was on a ventilator and almost died. Doctors told me that I need a heart/kidney transplant. I'm pretty high risk considering I already have had a heart transplant 11 years ago. I finally got out of the hospital and I am doing fine and STABLE at least. But my poor husband.....he was being stretched so thin, between me and his daughter being so sick. The poor man couldn't get a break
.
We prayed and prayed that the suffering would end. I know things could be MUCH worse, so I am very grateful for what I DO HAVE. But I think both of us have a deep scar from the loss of our daughter and also worried about the "unkown" future of my health. No vacation is going to help that but we have to find happiness again in SOMETHING. I would be wasting precious time if I didn't take advantage of the good health that I am feeling at this moment.
AND I know Delaney would want us to embrace life like she always did!!!! My husband always says......Get busy living or get busy dying!!!
NEXT UP: Whats are our plans?? DETAILS,DETAILS,DETAILS!!!!!
ME AND HUBBY
LCW_0010 by TandT2007, on Flickr
OUR ANGEL IN HEAVEN
Disney2009 668 by TandT2007, on Flickr
ME
(soon to be 35) A total Disney Princess. When hubby asked where I wanted to go on vacation this year, I said DISNEY WORLD AND A DISNEY CRUISEHubby
(47) An accountant with a penny pinching mentality BUT will do ANYTHING for his Princess DATE: October 2-6
Location: The DISNEY DREAM
Background:
Hmmm.....Let's see where do I begin????
Well.... let me start off my telling you this is our SECOND Disney Cruise. The last one we took was in Dec 2008, on the Wonder. So that would make us Silver Castaway Cay Members...right?? OHH BOY!!!
We had a FABULOUS time on the Wonder and since we know that Disney REALLY does it up right, we decided to try the DREAM. I do have to admit that in Feb 2010, we did the Celebrity Solstice....yeah I know...TRADERS. BUT hear me out.....we wanted to compare DCL with another Cruise Line. Soooooo.... we ended up on the Celebrity and actually LOVED it. But being DVC members how can we NOT stay loyal to the Disney brand.
SO here we are BACK on the DISNEY train!!!! This trip is different than all the other trips we have taken as a married couple. The past 2 years have been the worse 2 years of our lives. SO this trip is like THE bright light at the end of the tunnel. AND our tunnel has been sooooooo dark. April of last year, my step-daughter, DH's 14 year old DD, after 7 years in remission was re-diagnosed with radiation induced Cancer of the mastoid sinus. After many sleepless nights, doctor's visits, surgeries....our dear Delaney passed away a year later on April 6, 2011. The trauma that our family went through was the worst pain we have ever experienced in our lives. I still don't believe she is gone. I can still hear her voice in my head calling me mommy and singing one of her beautiful songs.
The other terrible thing that happened this year is that I was hospitalized so much for heart failure and kidney failure..was on a ventilator and almost died. Doctors told me that I need a heart/kidney transplant. I'm pretty high risk considering I already have had a heart transplant 11 years ago. I finally got out of the hospital and I am doing fine and STABLE at least. But my poor husband.....he was being stretched so thin, between me and his daughter being so sick. The poor man couldn't get a break
. We prayed and prayed that the suffering would end. I know things could be MUCH worse, so I am very grateful for what I DO HAVE. But I think both of us have a deep scar from the loss of our daughter and also worried about the "unkown" future of my health. No vacation is going to help that but we have to find happiness again in SOMETHING. I would be wasting precious time if I didn't take advantage of the good health that I am feeling at this moment.
AND I know Delaney would want us to embrace life like she always did!!!! My husband always says......Get busy living or get busy dying!!! NEXT UP: Whats are our plans?? DETAILS,DETAILS,DETAILS!!!!!
ME AND HUBBY
LCW_0010 by TandT2007, on Flickr
OUR ANGEL IN HEAVEN
Disney2009 668 by TandT2007, on Flickr
We had no desire to even THINK about it....let alone make the BIG decision to cancel it. SOO....days, weeks, and months went by. Before we knew it..we had literally 5 days before our deadline to cancel and not get penalized for it and lose our DVC points. 
She loved Disney and the November before she passed, she ended up doing a Make-A-Wish Trip to Disney World. Before her re-diagnosis, we told her that we would plan a 
Disney has always been the happiest place on earth for me. I have always felt like child inside even though I know I am getting older. I am the type of person who eats candy with my kids, dresses up at Halloween and hands out candy EVERY year, and still expects an Easter Basket for Easter, and a Stocking filled with goodies on Christmas morning. Always a kid at heart. 
So out I went to find some clothes. I LOVE TJMAXX and other discount stores for clothing. I just cant justify spending $60 on ONE shirt at the mall. The only thing I DO invest money in is my HAIR!!!! Its thick, unruly and in the florida humidity.....its AWFUL. My hairdresser suggested I get a Keratin Treatment.....heck...its expensive BUT to cut the drying time in half is worth every penny. It seems like I spend half my vacation messing with my hair!!! NOT THIS TIME!!! 
(this is what I'm talking about still being a KID!!)
SO we decided to book the Blue Lagoon Island Beach Day!! We take a 30 min ride on a catamaran to the private Island. Then we take a short walk to the beach. Included are lounge chairs, hammocks, and lunch. We can opt to take the tour or see the dolphins and sea lions. We have never done this excursion before so if any of you have some input...Please Share!!! 
I think we were like the last 2 people off the island...LOL..... The sun was going down and the sea creatures were coming out. We had a pretty big stingray come right up to the shoreline where we were laying...he was stalking us down!!! 
It was soooo beautiful though ....just to lie there and hear the sounds of the ocean and feel the ocean breeze was AMAZING!!! We also booked the Castaway Cay Getaway Package....it includes a 3 in one rental package with snorkel equipment, inflatable float or inner tube and a bike rental to tour a bit of the island. A perfect combo for us!!! 
Dont get me wrong....we are foodies and love to try new things but the price just isnt worth it to us this time. Especially when there is PALOS. The only problem is when we try to book online...it was full. But I heard if you go straight to concierge upon boarding, we may have a chance. Especially since we prefer to dine so late. 
IN NEXT POST!!!!!!!
