We’ve been trying to get away for an extra long weekend FOREVER now. With what’s been going on in our lives for the past year, we actually would need something along the lines of a 12-employee-manned yacht that cruises the world over to sufficiently escape the mental trauma. But that’s not gonna happen. So we’re going to do something else entirely that may be deemed by some to be the furthest thing from an escape or a vacation….

WE’RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!

Initially, we were just going to take Henry to the Nickelodeon Suites Resort and let him frolic around their crazy property for a few days. I mean, have you SEEN that place?!? It’s got 2 different water parks/pools for kids, plus one that’s only for adults (it’s not like some weird Disney-themed pool orgy, but no kids allowed…don’t know why I felt the need to clear that up, like you’d be confused as to what an adults-only pool meant). Anyway, beyond just water-based fun and adventure, they have two different theaters, one of which is called a “4D experience” complete with wind, bubbles, slime, etc. There’s a 3,000 square foot arcade, mini golf, and so many other things it borders on it’s own theme park entirely.

But when I started to think about the trip, I realized it would probably be the last time we’d go to Orlando as a threesome, as this version of our family. It would be the last time I’d book a room with only one child listed, the last time we’d be able to focus all of our attention on just Henry’s happiness and desires, the last time for a lot of things. See, we’ve been fortunate enough to travel to so many wonderful places with our boy. We’ve been all over the country and back, through too many airports to count, been on amazing adventures with our little family of three. And the theme parks of Orlando are no exception. We’ve seen and conquered them, our little threesome of love, many a time….

that’s when I knew we had to include one final trip to Disney World with just our Henry.

So next weekend, we’re spending four nights in the Nick Hotel and going to as many theme parks as we can fit in. While Henry’s been to all the parks, some he hasn’t had the joy of seeing with “big kid” eyes, so those are the ones we’ll go back to. He was just in Disney, but he hasn’t been to Universal Islands of Adventure since he was two so we’ll try that park again. You know what? As I’m typing this, I’m finding it really difficult to come up with an itinerary. And I’m thinking it’s because maybe, just maybe, we should let the little man decide where he wants to go and when. Let him have this weekend to be the center of attention, somewhere magical and fun and just for him, one last time. Not that he won’t get our undivided attention ever again, but there definitely won’t be an instance like this again; where it will just be him, doing whatever he wants, in the best place on the planet for kids. It’ll be Henry’s choice this vacation. He wants to go to the character breakfast as many times as we can at the hotel? You’ve got it, bubba. He wants to go to Disney every single day instead of switching it up and going somewhere else? Perfection. He wants to go to the new water park at Sea World for 2 days straight? Let’s go.

This is going to be our last hurrah as just us three. And I want my baby, my little man, my sweet bubba, to know that we’ve savored every moment of having just his little being to love and care for. That no matter what, he’ll always be the first, our introduction to parenthood, our initiation into the fraternity of those whose hearts are forever attached to something outside of them. Not that showing our love and adoration for Henry has to involve some expensive, elaborate vacation; we’re definitely not that kind of people. We don’t use gifts to show our affection. But we have the means right now, so why not a special treat? We are so blessed to be able to do this for our son. I know that this isn’t a possibility for a lot of people. I thank the Lord that He’s given us this amazing chance to do something that I never got to experience. God is so good, and sometimes when you’re in the middle of the dark, in a raging storm, you forget that there’s an eye in the middle. A moment of respite, an inkling of peace. This trip is that eye of the storm for us. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for giving this to us….

But thank you especially for giving it to our baby boy, our firstborn, our Henry Russell….

And thank you for this incredible gift of a fourth member to our little love nest.