return to the (ALMOST) happiest place on earth

THIS WAS our 4th trip back to Disneyland, in less than 6 months.  It wasn't that long ago when the Capt and I wondered what brought our nephew Jason (with Shar & Delaney) back here numerous times a year with the seemingly same excitement everytime.  I STILL DON'T KNOW that answer ... but I understand it, if that makes any sense at all!  It's the same for us.  WELL, on a slightly lesser scale perhaps, but the same yet.  Sometimes we are more looky-loos than riders.  Sometimes we are active participants in line standing.  Sometimes we are squealing with joy.  (well I am,  the Capt is a smiler)  We vowed to get our monies worth with season passes and by visit 2.5 we had done just that ... now we are ahead of the game and ALREADY looking at March or April dates for the next outing.... hopefully with at least the grandkids if not a few more family members!
For WHATEVER reason, we often affix an"excuse" for planning our trips here.  POSSIBLY because we need more reasons than just being here to get us past the thought of LA traffic!!  That being the case, we planned this one with my birthday in mind (even though in reality, it was attached to a Long Beach bound obligation).  Having the "Happy Birthday" princess DeDe pin as a routine part of my park wardrobe- allowed us a couple of extra perks (aka pounds), and we got LOTSA extra smiles and greetings throughout the day.

     WE HAVE DECIDED that Disneyland, although always a happy place for us, is frankly NOT our happiest place on earth.  It's probably a VERY close 3rd or even 4th to those places nearest & dearest to us "Those" being our own home, ANYWHERE family is, & our precious Hawaii.  But being 4th ... or even if it were 6th or 7th ... does not diminish the child-like joy it brings into us with each visit there.  It is not our home away from home, as it might be for the Buchanana's .... but it is growing fast in our choices of nearby (ish) destinations).

    I find that with each return ... I see things with a different eye or NEW eye.  And OFTEN,  I see things I never noticed before.  I love that part of it!  It makes me smile, it makes me cry.  It makes me feel a little bit younger.  AND, oddly, I have fallen in love over again with my Captain with almost every visit.  something he says or does ... I can't even elaborate, it just is something that blessedly happens.  (I love that too).  This man-o-mine has tricks up his sleeve HE hasn't even fully discovered yet.  SOME of our daily decisions and choices are new territory for us both, and he fully commits to making each and every possible moment count these days.  I would think it to be exhausting ... he takes the task on with ferver and delight (lucky me).  WHILE SO MUCH IN OUR LIFE is heavy of heart, being in Mickey-ville lightens the mental load for at least a few hours (and often days).  As for the expense of it all ... friend Kathy G would proclaim ... "the balloon vendor has to buy shoes for her little girl too!!"  The simple pleasure I achieve from snapping pictures of a critter or a floral patch is worth reliving through my stories, my scrapbook, or even my thoughts as I drift off to sleep at night.  It's the kind of things MY dreams are made of.
    MUCH like our trips to Hawaii- there are places within the park that we revisit ... even only weeks later, because of their element of wonder for us.  Some of this comes from conversations shared regarding trips with the grandkids. They are brought up numerous times throughout our wanderings.  The Captain, once a reluctant grandparent by his own confession- is now fully immersed, at times even more so than I.  He is totally in love with them and already saddened at times in expectation that s-o-m-e-d-a-y they won't want to hang out with us!  (I don't even want to think about that!!!!)  Lastly... for the moment at least- I want to praise ole Walt for his vision ... yea, sure, I wish I was a family member first and foremost- to have had an automatic outlet from my creativity, and free admission for my entire life.  BUT MOSTLY because I can only imagine how much joy & laughter his parks have brought into the lives of so many.  I, honestly, could have lived my whole life without going to one of them ...  if the Wonderful World of Disney was still being broadcast- but to have witnessed first hand their affect on children of EVERY age... I have to say that (finances not withstanding) having Micky, or Goofy or Princess Jasmine's arm through yours to snap a photo together ... really does transport one into a fairytale world.
   I hope we have several more excursions ahead of us... both on our own and thru the eyes of our grandchildren.  For now- I have enough sweet memories from this trip alone to last for quite a while. Thank you my Captain, for making a typical Wednesday ... NOT TYPICAL in any shape or form.  ILY