A Disney Christmas Surprise

Our kids awoke to a BIG surprise on Christmas morning!

For months Brent and I had been secretly planning and hoping and praying that our big idea would all work out.

Then the day of the big reveal finally arrived...

Brent worked 7:30am-10:30pm on Christmas Eve.  We normally open most of our presents on Christmas Eve, but with Brent working they knew all of the presents from us (except their Christmas PJ's) would wait until Christmas morning.  I also told them I would not be putting them out until Christmas morning arrived.  They had a few other presents to open on Christmas Eve from their grandparents and aunts, so they were totally fine with this.

On Christmas Eve, Sam asked if he could wear his Goofy hat that I had purchased for him for the Very Merry Christmas Party that we never celebrated, because of Daniel's Disney World Crisis.  After Sam asked for this, all of the other kids wanted their Mickey Ears or Goofy Hat or Mickey Hat or whatever they had gotten for that night.  I was so happy as this "set the stage" perfectly.

As I was tucking the boys into bed on Christmas Eve, they were talking about who would get to "go first" opening on Christmas morning (as we always do them one at a time so everyone can see what each other received).  Drew thought we should do oldest to youngest this year...:)  So as they were discussing, I said let's just open them all at once this year.  "REALLY?!" was their response.  "Really" I said.  Because little did they know this too would make the big reveal just perfect.

On Christmas morning, the big kids could hardly wait for us to wake up Daniel so they could see what was in all of these packages.  On the count of three they each opened their box, and sat quietly wondering what the smaller package inside the larger package could be.  One by one they discovered it was the left behind Disney World Autograph books from 2011 (the girls have never let me forget that I forgot them!).  And it didn't take long for the boys to start cheering with the girls following close behind, as they realized we were returning to DISNEY WORLD!!!!!

So with Disney hats and Disney Pj's and Disney autograph books in hand, Brent and I heard many times Christmas morning that this was "The best Christmas present ever!".  I think to say that the kids are excited would be an understatement.  They did not see this coming at all!!  And they were thrilled to know it would be happening SOON!

And so we will be trying again...delighted and overjoyed at the opportunity.  We will be leaving next week and would so appreciate your prayers that we would have a fun, healthy, crisis free trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth".  Daniel will turn 3 while we are gone and will dine with Mickey and Friends to celebrate.

And I just realized today, that we will be staying in the Lion King Suite, and I cannot help but think that Daniel will be protected in that "Lion's Den"...or at least that is what I am hoping and praying for!

If you prayed that we would have an opportunity to have a 2nd chance, thank you.  We just did not want the last trip to be our only memory of Disney as a family of 7.

Thank you Jesus for the chance to go again!!