GooniesAndy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
When we last left our intrepid crew, the Brown family had returned from their first ever cruise on the Disney Wonder. The trip was amazing, and everyone was sad to return to the real world.
Fast forward two years and a lot of rough times, and we were suddenly given the gift of a vacation. Two months after we returned from our cruise we lost my mother-in-law - we were all incredibly close and it was a devastating blow to our family, which was already dealing with a lot. My father-in-law recently finally felt mentally able to take care of her life insurance, and decided to give the boys and me "something special that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do." After talking to the kids, it was clear that a Disney Cruise was at the top of the list. We thought about doing Alaska this summer, but ultimately we decided that we would wait a year and spend the same amount of money to do the westbound Panama Canal crossing.
I know that Kate would be so happy to know we are taking this trip. She loved these kids more than anything!
I am a crazy planner, and I had so much fun compiling and writing my last trip report, that I decided to do it again. Hopefully our experiences will be helpful for other people!
About us:
Me:
Erin. Mom. I'm a lifelong Disney fan. I am quite shy, which will make this an interesting trip. This will be the first time I do anything more than a few days at Disneyland alone with the kids - no other adults to drag to trivia or eat with at Palo! On the other hand, I am really looking forward to some down time while the kids are in the clubs! Being essentially a single mom is very tiring, and I could use a little break! It is possible that I am a bit of an oversharer. I spent a lot of time trying to hide the truth of what was happening with our family and realized that it was taking a toll on me, so I vowed to just live life free and unfiltered. I am very matter-of-fact about what we deal with, and I am not ashamed!
A bit of backstory, only because it makes some of my commentary make sense: My husband is a serious alcoholic. He hid it from me for years, and I learned the truth three-and-a-half years ago. Since then there have been stints in rehab, loss of his job, lots of drama and difficulty (including the death of his mother). I almost didn't let him go on our first cruise, but relented at the last minute. We have been living separately since right after we got home, and he will not be accompanying us this time.
The kids:
Elliott. 8 (will be 9 when we cruise). Smart and outgoing and just wonderful. Losing his grandmother was extremely difficult for him, in the midst of a lot of family upheaval and uncertainty. He is wise beyond his years and deserves this dream vacation!
Oliver. 5 (will be 6). My silly little crazy boy. This child is almost too friendly, but that will serve him well onboard! Everyone is his best friend. I expect that someday I will see him onstage. He is just that kind of kid.
This trip is all about fun and happiness - we will follow the same rule we follow at Disneyland: leave the real world behind! When we walk into Disneyland, we always pause to read the sign as we head in: "Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy." We truly leave behind "today" and give ourselves over to the fantasy - I can't wait to do it again on board the Wonder!
Fast forward two years and a lot of rough times, and we were suddenly given the gift of a vacation. Two months after we returned from our cruise we lost my mother-in-law - we were all incredibly close and it was a devastating blow to our family, which was already dealing with a lot. My father-in-law recently finally felt mentally able to take care of her life insurance, and decided to give the boys and me "something special that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do." After talking to the kids, it was clear that a Disney Cruise was at the top of the list. We thought about doing Alaska this summer, but ultimately we decided that we would wait a year and spend the same amount of money to do the westbound Panama Canal crossing.
I know that Kate would be so happy to know we are taking this trip. She loved these kids more than anything!
I am a crazy planner, and I had so much fun compiling and writing my last trip report, that I decided to do it again. Hopefully our experiences will be helpful for other people!
About us:
Me:
Erin. Mom. I'm a lifelong Disney fan. I am quite shy, which will make this an interesting trip. This will be the first time I do anything more than a few days at Disneyland alone with the kids - no other adults to drag to trivia or eat with at Palo! On the other hand, I am really looking forward to some down time while the kids are in the clubs! Being essentially a single mom is very tiring, and I could use a little break! It is possible that I am a bit of an oversharer. I spent a lot of time trying to hide the truth of what was happening with our family and realized that it was taking a toll on me, so I vowed to just live life free and unfiltered. I am very matter-of-fact about what we deal with, and I am not ashamed!
A bit of backstory, only because it makes some of my commentary make sense: My husband is a serious alcoholic. He hid it from me for years, and I learned the truth three-and-a-half years ago. Since then there have been stints in rehab, loss of his job, lots of drama and difficulty (including the death of his mother). I almost didn't let him go on our first cruise, but relented at the last minute. We have been living separately since right after we got home, and he will not be accompanying us this time.
The kids:
Elliott. 8 (will be 9 when we cruise). Smart and outgoing and just wonderful. Losing his grandmother was extremely difficult for him, in the midst of a lot of family upheaval and uncertainty. He is wise beyond his years and deserves this dream vacation!
Oliver. 5 (will be 6). My silly little crazy boy. This child is almost too friendly, but that will serve him well onboard! Everyone is his best friend. I expect that someday I will see him onstage. He is just that kind of kid.
This trip is all about fun and happiness - we will follow the same rule we follow at Disneyland: leave the real world behind! When we walk into Disneyland, we always pause to read the sign as we head in: "Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy." We truly leave behind "today" and give ourselves over to the fantasy - I can't wait to do it again on board the Wonder!
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