Magic Moments

Many of you have been waiting to hear how the rest of our vacation to Florida went, so I will hit the highlights.

From the Magic Kingdom to the magic of Christmas, this week has been out of the ordinary. A day on the beach, two Disney parks with our boys, Thanksgiving with family and an easy drive home—where Christmas decorations were waiting and a blanket of snow confirmed the transition from harvest season to holiday.

Juxtaposed with my previous post, meals were very memorable moments throughout the week (all without incident)! We ate in Polynesia, Paris, a safari guide’s canteen, Mexico and a traditional Thanksgiving meal with my parents, my three sisters and their spouses and some of their children.

Perhaps the most amazing act was the disappearance of frustration and fear toward cancer. When every day is filled with activity, family and pushing limits, we tend to forget the ruts of the day to day. Not avoiding our realities, but living life to the fullest despite our realities.

And live life to the fullest, Erica did. She journeyed around the world of Epcot with her grown boys, rode many of the nostalgic rides in the Magic Kingdom that brought back the memories of her dozens of Disney trips over 50 years. And with myself and two grown boys, we quickly and confidently learned to navigate her wheel chair through the crowds and transition to the most complicated seats. With he exception of some of the most extreme rides, like Space Mountain, we rode most of the popular Disney park attractions. She insisted on closing the parks as we always had. No rest, no pause. Soaking in every minute.

But her pinnacle moment of pride came in the last hour of Thanksgiving day at the Magic Kingdom. We had past the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a fast and twisty roller coaster, several times during the day. With lines over ninety minutes we decided to try later. As the fireworks ended and the park cleared, the boys ran ahead to jump in line, a mere thirty minute wait. Erica and I waited with them. As we neared the gates, Erica started to doubt. Christian and Bram would hear nothing of it. Within seconds, Erica was locked in the seat, laughing and screaming the whole ride through. Ask her about it, she is still beaming with pride and satisfaction.

Unfortunately, the magic comes to a pause as we enter into a week of treatment and scans. Friday is the big one, the brain MRI. Monday is a full body scan. We are believing in miracles for complete healing, but doubt is a beast that won’t let go. Please pray for healing and peace.