War effecting plans? UPDATE!

[Familyof6]

My dh is an Air Force officer. He told me last night that he just won't be able to go to WDW this Apr/May if the war is still going. He said he just couldn't go and have fun when others are dying overseas. I can understand his feelings. I just wonder if anyone else is toying with the idea of cancelling their trip due to the war? (Luckily, we haven't told the kids yet...we were waiting for a good time to surprise them)

Lisa

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

While I understand your DH's opinion, I would not cancel. DH and I are both AF officers (one AD, one ANG), and we are still planning to take our DDs (4 and <2) to WDW in Aug. Even if DH deploys, I will take DDs by myself. They still need a sense of normalcy and some magic in their lives. I figure it is part of my job to give that to them.

Good luck and I hope you do go on your vacation.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I must admit, this weekend when I was in EPCOT I did think along those lines. I was standing there watching the people flow around me and thinking, my G-d, I'm here having a good time and people are fighting for their lives in Iraq. It can intrude on your visit.

On the other hand, I keep asking myself what am I doing to help the Iraq situation? Does any action of mine matter with regard to the conflict? The answer is pretty much no, so I try to get on with it and live my life without dwelling on matters over which I have no control.

 

[pintrader]

Lisa,
check out these threads.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=343987
OR
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=342062

 

[Familyof6]

Thanks so much for your support. I will work on DH and use the viewpoints here and see if I make any headway. If we are going to cancel, it would have to be done by this Saturday to avoid paying for one night...2 rooms, lots of $$ down the drain. I hope I can convince him that life must go on and our kids need to have something to brighten their lives in these depressing times....(and uncertain times, as dh could be deployed at anytime)

Thanks again for your words of wisdom!
Lisa

 

[Familyof6]

Just wanted to add, I should perhaps stop planning WDW vacations because I seem to be jinxed. Our first trip had to be rescheduled since it was planned for Oct 2001 and DH was denied leave at the last minute due to the 9/11 situation. We aren't even sure if he'll be granted leave this time, but we'll hope for the best! Thanks again for your support!

Lisa

 

[chatty]

I have paid in full for 8 airplane tickets, 3 WDW deluxe hotel rooms, Park Passes and Transportation from our home to airport and back. I did this many months ago. I have been feeling the same way in thoughts. On top of everything going around me, my 52 year old Sister died suddenly in December. ( I miss her so) So my mind has been down on her passing. But I too realize like the Husband says, we must go on and not let the terrorist stop everything. DH said" If everyone felt as I, that WDW could not survive. Eventhough our Children are grown that were taking, They were so looking forward to this trip, They as I so miss their Aunt. WE've decided that we are going,and we will have a good time. But I know our minds and hearts will be in Prayer for our Men and Women in uniform and their Families and for our President and for the USA..
Chatty

 

[DW Goofy]

My heart is with you and your husband. I was in the AF also and served in VN and if I've learned nothing else I've learned that time is presious. Spend it with your family making good memories because in the end that's all we're left with. Besides if he ever had to go he could carry those memories with him. His heart and mind are in the right place but don't feel guilty. He would do his duty no questions asked if he had to so don't carry that quilt. But I understand, I carried a quilt of "just returning alive" when others didn't, for ten years. Not good. God decides and let him do his job. Enjoy your family, its what we fight for! I hope this helps. Tell your husband thanks from me.

 

[off2disney]

I hope you can convince your DH to go to Disney and enjoy the trip (he doesn't have to forget the war and whats going on) but it is very important that you live your life and enjoy it while you can. As one poster stated, unexpected things happen every day. Make some good memories and spend precious time with your loved ones. I'm sure not one of our troops in Iraq would blame him or wish you to feel guilty for living your life as normally as possible. That's why they are in the military to begin with -- to protect our freedom and our way of live.
Let God's light shine on you and your husband and God bless our troops!

 

[arizonacolbys]

My husband is in the National Guard & we leave in 2 days for our mini-trip. I, too, had considered not going with the war being so new. 2 of our family members have now been deployed.

This trip is our way to spend some great quality time together before he leaves for his 16 week training. There is still the possibility that my hubby will be deployed when he returns - so, this could be our only chance for a trip together this year.

My hope is that our trip leaves us both with some great memories for him to remember while he is away from home. I definitely wouldn't cancel if I were you. Go & have fun!

 

[pintrader]

Darn work pulled me away. I wanted to say that I hope your husband agrees to go and enjoy his time with his family. It may a memory his wife and children have to cling to for months while he is away.

It DOES seem wrong to some of us to enjoy ourselves while others are suffering. I feel that way too. But my therapist explained to me that there are people suffering EVERYwhere EVERY day. If I put my life on hold because someone else was having a difficult time, I would NEVER get on with my own life.

Hopefully your husband can change his perspective and realize that it is not "wrong" to enjoy the freedom for which he and others have fought. It is our obligation and duty to excercise these freedoms and rights as often as possible amd enjoy life.

Have fun with his while he is with you whatever your decision.

 

[Familyof6]

First, I would like to address Chatty.
Chatty, my heart goes out to you. I lost my dear sister (49) unexpectedly in Jan '01. That was the reason for our original trip to WDW that ultimately got postponed due to 9/11. Talk about being depressed! The planning for that trip was the only thing that kept me sane enough to tend to my children, and then it was taken away. (for a short time) We got to go in May '02.

I'm so sorry that you have also lost your sister at such a young age. I hope you can find peace in your heart. You will never stop missing her, as I daily think of my sister and miss her terribly, but I will say that it does get easier. Never easy, but easier.

You're posts have given me some wonderful words to use, in my discussion about this issue, when talking to my dh. Thanks!

Lisa

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Lisa-

Let us know how the discussion goes. We are rooting for your family to go to WDW.

Jessica

 

[Belle5]

I hope your DH will want to make the trip. Besides our verbal support and prayers the one thing we can give back to our service people when they return is a decent economy. If everyone stops going and spending --they will come back to a very sad economy, indeed!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Do go!!
Let me put it in a different light. When I was in Vietnam (way back in 1968/1969!!) I was sort of aware that I was somewhat miserable, while many others were still at home, having fun. It really didn't bother me and I would have been more upset to learn my family and friends were sitting around "mourning" or feeling sorry for me, denying themselves some pleasures in life just because I happened to be somewhere else. My view--I was "there" and they were "there". The fact that they were thinking about me was quite enough to sustain me.
My guess is that most of our men and women in Iraq would feel the same way--.

 

[markey]

I am going with my daughter the first week in May because her husband does not want to go. She is active duty USMC, has been for almost 11 years. If her leave is not canceled, she is not with a unit that is deployable now, we are going. She will get the time to spend with her 3 children, and if she gets pulled to another unit and is sent after we return she will have the momories of her kids faces, youngest has never been there, to help her through which has to be the hardest time for our military in recent years. Grab life while you can, no one knows what the future holds.

 

[Familyof6]

Thank you all, so much for your words of wisdom. I shared many of them with my dh and though it didn't make him feel much better about going, he agreed to go. (but he didn't agree to have fun )
The time has passed for us to be able to cancel without losing our deposit so, short of him being deployed, we are on our way to WDW!
I even turned down a 7-day DCL cruise in a suite...he agreed to do that instead of going to WDW...but it would have to be next yr or later! (after the war had ended) Hmmmm, maybe I should have taken him up on his offer. NAHHHHHH!

Thanks again...I just wanted to update you all since you were such great support and help to me!

Lisa

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Yea Lisa!!!

Very happy for you. Hopefully DH will get sprinkled by pixie dust once he is there. That way he will have fun, but be a little less guilty about it.

Enjoy your trip and report back on how it goes!

Jessica

 

[LAWalz23]

Lisa, I am glad that your husband has decided to go and I am sorry about the sudden loss of your sister. I, too lost a sister suddenly in Jan of 2000, only 43, then we had two trips cancelled to WDW, one in Sep 2000 and also Feb 2001 because my other sister's son was sick. We finally got to in May 2001 and it was truly a trip that dreams were made of.

Chatty, my prayers are with you, I still miss my sister very much and it has been over three years.

 

[eeyore0062]

Good for you!!! Promise your husband that he can take "CNN breaks" whenever he feels the need. That helped my husband make it through last week.

My brother flies Special Ops for the army, and is goodness knows where... since we have no contact with him for security reasons. I know that he wouldn't want us sitting at home just because he is over there doing his job.

I think your husband will end up having a great time in spite of himself!