He made such an impression in my life, and he stayed with us long enough to see me hit manhood, and embark on my own adventures. Alas, not without our own conflicts and adversities. Although I admired him greatly, we shared our times of trial. We shared some harsh words, and some severe results from them. Punishments, from a young age, included the belt, the hand, a paddle, and even a “switch”, of my selection, picked from a nearby bush. Ah, the guidelines that I so often tested were met with painful lessons. I do remember him telling me, more than once, “This is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you.” At the time, I couldn’t see how that could be possible.

Living with him proved hectic, at times. Yet, life was good when he was around. He had his hobbies, and not too much would keep him from them. He was the outdoorsman type, and included just about anything in the fresh air. Fishing, golf, and camping seemed to keep him going. When opportunity presented itself, he would mix all of his hobbies in one great weekend. But despite his love for those events, hunting was his passion. He would walk for hours, in a particular wood, scouting the land, breathing in the air, spying on the wildlife, swatting mosquitoes, and attempting to remove ants from his clothing. It was this hobby that I enjoyed partaking in the most, with him by my side. It is now, that I see him, hear his voice, and feel his essence when I am in the woods. I am communing and communicating with him in this hobby we both truly enjoyed doing together.

Generosity was a trait that this man established all throughout his life. If he witnessed a problem, or a way to help, he was “Johnny-on-the-spot.” His awareness to everything around him, though it were family or friends, acquaintances or strangers, his continued aid was an admirable part of who he was. I learned a great deal watching him work, in a way that brought him great joy, as well as those other lives he touched. By helping others, it seemed to be the ultimate gift to mankind. Whether it was an anonymous act of paying for a tank of gas for a stranger or paying for a meal for a police officer, every little act he did influenced a lot of how I see things now.

Family was of the utmost importance to him. Everything he accomplished in life was centered on family. His wife, a person he “loved more than life itself,” and his sons, whom he was extremely proud; family was a key aspect of his endeavors. Separately, his sons were their own men, but when you put them together, they mirrored him completely. I know this, because he said it in a parting video, recorded for his family when he learned he had cancer. He knew, somehow, that he wasn’t going to survive this fight. He learned that he had left a lasting impression with the people he associated for, by their generosity in doing things for him, toward the end of his battle. He was awestruck and honored when people came together for him and his family.

Tragedy struck on August 23, 2003. He lost his fight with cancer, and went to Heaven. I will see him again someday, but until then, I will continue to carry these memories. I will continue to commune with him in the woods, and think of him often.

He was hero, my friend, my mentor, my rock, and my counsel. I will never forget him, and I miss him. Of all these roles he filled, in my life, I treasure most that he was my DAD. I will continue to honor him, in death, as I did in life, by passing on the love, kindness, generosity, and structure he left with me.

I love you Dad.

Somewhere in there, someone suckered me into serving on the BOD as a secretary. It was an evil trick, as they learned I had an interest in computers and documentation. They capitalized on my interest, and I actually felt I had a purpose. Thank you, Cathy. Your notice of my strength kicked off my sincere want and need to be in the chapter, under the leadership of Scott Renfer, in 2005. As my first year, as secretary, ended, I was asked to step up into the presidential role. Ya right!! I knew I wasn’t ready for that. But the faith that people put in me, based on the job I had done that year, writing notes and carving out the newly developed by-laws that would serve the chapter for years to come was appreciated. On the side, I updated the chapter website, and won three awards.

Curtis Ingram saw that I wasn’t going to run for the presidential position, so he did. I chose a VP spot that would challenge me, yet it seemed so much fun. I chose the FUN VP position, better known as the Membership Development VP position. I made my way through that year, chairing project after project of fun events. We bowled, putt putted, canoed, played frisbee golf, and even took some strokes out on the golf course. This was the best year yet, and all I had to do was make sure the members were having fun, and enjoyed themselves.

As 2006 was starting to wind down, I decided that I was ready to step up into a position that would allow me some more rest. I could manage the VP positions, and watch them succeed in their positions, continually making the same impact I did in my MBVP year. I watched the 2006 President, and thought to myself, “Wow! This is the easy position.” I prepared a nomination speech to present to the chapter at the 3rd to last GMM of the year. I chose a slogan “Full Steam Ahead” and even bought trinkets to hand out to people.

The vote came in. I had won by a landslide. Well, obviously, as I was the only one running for it. Prior to the election, I approached a few individuals, and somehow talked them into filling roles on my BOD, for 2007. I picked them because what they did for a living, and what they were good at, fit perfectly in the roles I asked of them.

The year began great. Everyone was motivated. Everyone was excited. Everyone was ready to make an impact. By the time the first quarter ended, we remained vigilant. At the end of the second quarter, however, burnout was showing through. I quickly learned that those things that my BOD did during the day seemed to drag on through their roles in the Jaycees. Uh Oh! Burnout was evident, and I think the chapter took a turn for the worse at that point. We finished the year below growth, but not on probation. However, we were third in the state for the Parade of Chapters, and I was presented with a Presidential Medallion and the David Lishwala Award, which named me as one of the top 20 Presidents in the state.

Another uh oh: No one stepped up to be president. And yet another uh oh: We had an incomplete BOD.

Depression set in as I was reminded what the by-laws stated. If there is no president, the chairman of the BOD must assume the position and continue leading the chapter. I appointed myself as president, for a second term. This was not to be the norm, as leadership training is what we pride ourselves in, and there were no leaders to be found. The chapter suffered as I was too burned out to keep going, and too bitter for another reason I will not go into right now. The chapter suffered as membership went lower and lower. Only a few people joined, but, again, we lost a lot more than we gained. The year ended with the return of the haunted house. This project brought in more members than any other event, in the year.

2009:

We finally had a new President, and I could fulfill my term as a behind the scenes Chairman of the Board. Motivation was evident, and excitement was looming. Then came the Spring, and for reasons that were understood, the President stepped down. This left me in a position I had absolutely no will to pursue. I was the Chairman of the Board, but I learned to leave it at that, and not name myself as President. It worked great for most of the year.

Special Report: I have made a decision, based on some trials and wars I have had throughout this year. It was not made lightly, with haste, nor without consultation. It is with a heavy-laden heart that I must remove myself from a leadership role within the chapter. I will begin my transition into the backfield of membership, and through time, phase out completely. Per the By-Laws, and dues conferred, I will remain a member through March 31, 2010. At that point, I will not renew my membership.

This has been a long battle with my mind and heart, and I have decided that if a sacrifice be made, it would be the Jaycees versus family or career. I hope you all understand. I know there will be questions, and I encourage them. This is not a complete drop all at once, but more of a phasing out statement.

I have discussed some things with Scott Renfer about the by-laws and his duty to fulfill the role. Scott has refused this responsibility due to the lack of time he could invest. Therefore, the keys to the location of the GMM and BOD meetings, as well as the storage shed (Chamber) are in the possession of the Individual Development VP, David Shafor. I have personally discussed this with him, and he has acknowledged my intentions. I will turn over my PO Box key and Jaycees storage shed key to him as well.

I have a lot of respect for the life of a Jaycee. I have a special place in my heart for its members, as they remain friends of mine. I regard the Jaycees with honor, for the impact they continue to make in the community. I have had the time of my life, but now, I must begin a new chapter. I hope to see you around from time to time, and please call me or email me if you have any questions or comments.

Sorry this was long, but I wanted you to know where I was coming from, and why I have a deep respect for this chapter, despite my decision.

September 16, 2009

We finally got a morning where we could sleep in, and yet, our over excited seven year old wouldn’t let us sleep past 8 AM. He woke up ready to take on the world, Disney World, that is. We seemed to have a lot of time to get ready for a late breakfast reservation, at Chef Mickey’s.

We ended up running late without the normal scheduled mayhem we were used to. I grabbed my camera, and made it in the car, knowing we would arrive right at our scheduled time. As we pulled into the parking lot at the Contemporary resort, I realized I had forgotten the battery to the camera I brought. This was the breakfast that Davy would get to meet the characters, and interact with them up close. The forgotten battery bummed me out right away. The character interaction would be lost, without pictures.

I stowed my camera away in the glove compartment, and we checked in with the guard at the entrance to the parking lot. After parking the car, we made our way into the elegant opening of the Contemporary resort. There were stores, and escalators, as well as the typical elevators. Artwork and everything that made this resort something to behold. We started making our way up the escalators to the floor that housed Chef Mickey’s, when the first monorail sailed through the building. Davy was excited from the word “Mickey”, but having a train come through the building was more than he expected.

We made our way to the check-in counter for our dining experience. When we mentioned, to the lady behind the desk, of our reservation, she went to work locating it. Not only had we forgotten the battery to my camera, we also forgot to bring our reservation number for the ease in locating us. That was the icing on the cake, as it was explained to us that they couldn’t find us in the system anywhere.

There are a lot of people that pass through these kinds of situations, where they go in and see if there’s an opening without having obtained a reservation in the time frame recommended by Disney, and having this happen to us allowed them to speculate the same of us. The reservation number was sitting on a table, back in our room, but without it, we were just another guest looking for a freebie.

The lady penciled us in, then handed us a buzzer to alert us of an open table, should one come up. They directed us to a waiting area, and there we sat. After about ten minutes, we were starting to discuss other options, like catching breakfast in a food court someplace. We decided to hang out for a little while longer. Five minutes went by, when Davy, who was holding onto the buzzer, jumped a bit, and held out the flashing gizmo. We gathered our stuff, and approached the desk. A waitress asked us to follow her, into the dining area. We were seated at a table, for four, in the outermost part of the dining room, in the corner. We could not see too much into the dining room, but the view of the lake outside was awesome.

Chef Mickey’s is a buffet-style dining area, so we set our stuff down, and made our way to the buffet line. There were waffles, breakfast pizza, scrambled eggs, potatoes, eggs with cheese and ham mixed in, etc. We loaded our plates, and then retreated to our table, in the corner. As we ate, we could hear other kids, at other tables announce when characters were in the area. The walls and a beam restricted our view of their coming though.

The first to come around was Mickey. He visited the table in front of us, then passed right by ours, and went to the table behind us. Having forgotten the camera battery, and having Disney lose our reservation, then this, had me fuming. My morning was ruined. Mickey continued visiting tables, in the dining room. About half way around, he turned, and caught the eye of a seven year old, that was beaming at him. He came straight over. We explained that we had forgotten the camera, but all Davy wanted was a hug. Mickey obliged, and interacted very well with him.

Goofy was the next to come by. He made the same path as Mickey, passing by our table without blinking. At about the same time Mickey noticed he had missed us, Goofy noticed us too. I started to relax as I realized this must be their path, on how they visit every table in the room. Goofy came to our table, but before I could ask if Davy could give him a hug, he was off to the next table.

Davy went back to eating as we kept our ears alert for the coming of anymore characters. Davy was really excited when we started hearing that Donald Duck was in the area. Donald is Davy’s most favorite character. He stopped eating, and started staring into the dining room, intent on seeing his main duck. Donald made his way to our table, and it was just then I realized, Hey! I have a camera function on my phone.

Davy launched out of his seat, and went to hug Donald, and give him a hi-five. I had my phone, at the ready, and they posed for a picture together. Davy’s day had been made, and there was nothing, it seemed, to keep his smile from fading.

Pluto came by later, and I got a picture of them too. Then came the drama. It seems that the couple, at the table in front of us, had been recently engaged. They were celebrating their engagement at Disney World. While they ate their breakfast, Minnie came by. She was the last character to come by the table before our time there would have been complete. I watched as the couple got up and had their pictures taken with them. Then, Minnie noticed something. It sparkled, and it was coming from the hand of the young lady, for which she was holding.

Instantly Minnie started her attempts to get Mickey’s attention. Donald went to get Mickey to turn around, and when he did, Minnie made motions that he was needed back at that table, immediately. Mickey shook his head, in denial of moving from his position. Minnie made the “Come here NOW” gesture, then stomped her foot as she pointed at the ground. Mickey remained in his position until he could figure out what she was wanting. Minnie let go of the young lady’s hand, put one finger in the air to her (telling her she’d be right back), then stomped off to Mickey, who was now making his way out of the dining room to escape.

Moments later, Minnie re-appeared from around the corner, dragging Mickey behind her, by the hand. Pluto, by the way, was in the corner, hiding from the wrath of Minnie. Minnie dragged Mickey all the way back to the newly engaged couple’s table, pointed at her shiny ring, then pointed at her own, ring-less hand, demanding that she should have one there. Donald was covering his eyes for the outcome of the fight, and Pluto was still hiding. It was quite the humorous show, and it, in itself, made my morning. Camera and lost reservations be damned, this was getting good.

When the “fight” was over, and Mickey had retreated to a different dining room, Pluto came out of hiding. Davy gave him a hug. We set our napkins on the table, and made our way out of the restaurant to do some shopping. After wandering through the two stores at the Contemporary resort, we boarded the monorail and went to the Grand Floridian. Anna was really looking forward to going there, as she had a mission.

We looked around this high-end resort for a bit, and walked into (queue grand entrance “Ta-da”) The soap store, Basin White. Anna’s mission was to buy soap. As we walked around the store, we took in the scents of the various soaps and bath bombs they were selling, and then exited the store with three bath bombs and a bar of soap. We shopped around the resort store for a while, afterwards.

We went back to the monorail station, and waited for the next ride back to the Contemporary resort. From there, we went to our car and back to the hotel for a wee bit of a break.

Downtown Disney was our next stop. Anna knew right where to park, and new the parking spot would be open upon our arrival. The first store we hit was “Once Upon a Toy.” We wandered around in there for a while, then hit “Mickey’s Pantry,” “Disney’s Days of Christmas,” “Design Your Own Tee,” “The Art of Disney,” The alley where everything is $10 or less, “Pooh Corner,” “TrenD,” “Team Mickey Athletic Club,” and “Lego.”

We spent a lot of time in the Lego area, and Davy did his real shopping there. He found three Lego sets he really liked, but only had a little under a hundred dollars to spend. Once the choice was presented that he could only get one of them, he quickly narrowed it down to two. Now, Lego has this neat camera, and special boxes, where you put the box in front of the camera, and it projects a 3D picture of the completed toy sitting on the box.

While Davy decided which toy to pick, Anna and I kept throwing boxes in front of the camera to see the completed toy, in 3D. As you rotated the box, in front of the camera, the toy would rotate as well. It was really neat to see that kind of technology, but it was all ended when Davy finally made his decision. He was going to buy the green cargo plane. The size of the box was our first clue that we would have to ship this one home, rather than try to cram it in our luggage, at the end of the trip.

We signed up to have it delivered to our resort, then moved on to another store to allow Anna some buying time, at The World of Disney. When we were checking out with our purchases, we decided to go back to the Lego store to cancel the delivery and take it back with us. Davy went from mopey to happy when we made this decision. We made our way back to the store to learn that his plane had already been picked up. Davy was alright with it, knowing it was on its way, but seemed a bit distraught when we told him it wouldn’t be ready for pick up until Friday.

After the trip through the stores at Downtown Disney, we headed back to the car, and back to hotel for another break. Tonight’s dinner would be at BOMA, Disney’s restaurant of African cuisine. This restaurant is my favorite. It, like Chef Mickey’s, is a buffet style restaurant. All you can eat of the most uniquely seasoned food varieties. Our plates consisted of the typical Prime Rib, Chicken, and Ribs, but also included Lentil & hearts of Palm, couscous of Marrakesh, tomato n watermelon salad, black olive hummus, and falafel. Dessert has the usual favorite, Zebra Domes (with alcohol in them), apple crisp, watermelon, bread pudding, and chocolate mousse in a dark chocolate shell.

Anna got the opportunity to talk to the guy that was serving the prime rib, and learned that he, also, was from Michigan. While sitting at our table, Davy and Anna sat on a padded bench, while I sat on a chair, near the aisle. Davy whapped his head on the wooden back to his bench seat. He did this not once, but twice; and the second time drew a tear. After regaining his composure, he started munching on some watermelon. Our server brought out a small rectangular plate that had the word “Boma” written on it, in cinnamon and chocolate, followed by “Happy Birthday”, in the African language. On it was four samplings of the desserts, but with it being after we had eaten, we were all stuffed. This was the only thing that was allowed to be taken home, being a buffet.

When we arrived back at the hotel, after dinner, Anna started doing some laundry while Davy and I went for a swim in the Computer Pool. Davy sure did love being in the pool, and without warning, even jumped in. I was under the water when he took the plunge, and before I realized he had jumped, I was looking at him eye-to-eye, underwater. He surfaced just before me, complaining that water had gone up his nose. I explained how to fix that, and later, he told me he was glad he went under. He had learned how to survive. It was cute.

Anna noticed the cops were at the hotel, between the laundry room and the pool, but the reason was unclear. They were gone by the time Davy and I came waddling up the path to go back inside. Once in the room, we got rid of the chlorine, settled down and started our relaxing. The time was 9:45 PM.

September 15, 2009

Today, of all days, was our chance at stardom!! Our chance to shine. Our opportunity to be famous!! Ah, who am I foolin’? We were on the hunt for stars though. We awoke at 7 AM, and arrived at the front gate of Disney’s Hollywood Studios by 8:15 AM.

While waiting to be allowed to enter, Anna introduced herself to other members of her forum site, Tour Guide Mike. The children that accompanied the members presented Davy with his first trading pin, and, in turn, Davy presented each of them with a bottle of bubbles to keep them occupied until the security team allowed us passage.

One of the security guards was eying Davy pretty heavily. We were concerned that he may come across as suspicious. The security guard approached him to question the large round pin he was wearing. He asked, “Are you a first timer?” Davy nodded, and shyly said yes. The officer reached into his pocket and gave Davy an honorary Junior Security Officer sticker. Davy accepted the sticker and immediate applied it to his shirt.

A few minutes later, the gates were turned on and the turn-styles were cranking in the visitors. I sped through the streets, with hopes to get a prime position, at the rope, for a steady trip to Toy Story Mania. As we waited at the rope, we watched the making of a movie that would ultimately lead to the final entrance to the park.

Once that permission was granted, I made my way through the crowd, following the cast members closely, so as to have a chance to get the fast passes quickly, then get to ride through the standby line with minimal wait. Success found us with a set of fast passes and a five minute wait to get on the ride.

As we left the area, comparing scores (Dave had the highest, followed by Anna, and then Davy), we moved through the crowd to Star Tours. Knowing that the ride tends to make me a wee bit motion sick, we chose the front row so I could focus on other objects if the sickness seemed to take effect. The trick worked, as I began feeling ill toward the end of the ride, however Anna made a comment that she thought the front row was wimpy. L

Looking for a cool and relaxing place to rest, we took Davy over to see Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D. Davy got a kick out of the show, trying to grab the characters as they came out to see him. Immediately after the show, we noticed that Lightning McQueen and Mater were out meeting the crowd. We left the mainstream of the people exiting the theater to make sure Davy met the stars of the Disney-Pixar movie “Cars.”

Once photographic proof was achieved of the meeting, we started toward our lunch destination: The Sci-Fi Dine-In. On the way, we stopped by a corner merchant, “Youse Guys Moychendise” to shop around a bit.

When we finally arrived at the diner, we were seated in a baby-blue ’57 Chevrolet. I was in the middle seat, and Davy and Anna sat in the front. Davy was presented a driver’s license by the wait staff. To our immediate right was a set of speakers, once found in a drive-in theater. Right in front of us was a large theater screen, airing ads of concession, and some of the worst movie ads you would have ever seen. Movies like “Missile to the Moon,” Catwomen of the Moon,” “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,” and “The Amazing Colossal Man.” In between the movie ads were mini-cartoons to keep the kids interested. Overall, it was a good experience, in essence, but the food was more like a fast food restaurant, like hamburgers and hotdogs, fries, and chips, etc. Had our meal not been on the dining plan, it would have cost us $56.38.

During lunch, Anna met Jill, the moderator for the September Vacation Club of the Tour Guide Mike site that Anna frequents. After a hug and a picture, Anna rejoined us in our car.

After lunch, we headed back to Toy Story Mania, to use our set of fast passes. Afterward, we were heading out for a break, at the hotel. We started wandering through the stores, when we encountered a fancy-dressed woman being promoted by a loud, oddly-dressed, and large man. The man noticed I was video taping them, when he called out to the lady in the street, Paparazzi!! She immediately struck a pose, then started talking about how she was a great actress, and we should be honored to have caught them. The man approached me directly, and asked if I was still filming. When I didn’t answer right away, he stuck his face in the camera, and asked again. He put his card up, in front of the lens of the camera, and introduced himself.

His name was LeRoy Small, Small in Name, Big in Talent. Then he put a foot up in the air, as he said the word “Hi-Ya!!” He introduced the lady, and together they performed a great act. Anna informed me, later, that they were known as the Streetmospheres. I kept the camera on them the whole time. At the end, he had learned we were from Michigan, and called to us, by that name, as we left the area.

We made it back to the hotel and took a longer than usual break, that involved a kid that needed to take a nap. Tonight was going to be a long night, as the MNSSHP was happening. The park would close at 7 PM, to guests not going to the MNSSHP, and the party would start at 7 PM and end at midnight. We wanted to get there earlier because some of the rides shutdown during the party.

After our naps, we dressed in matching shirts, and made our trip to the gates of the Magic Kingdom. We arrived at 4:25 PM. We went to the Jungle Cruise to get a fast pass, but quickly learned that it was a walk on ride. We quickly walked through the queue, and boarded the boat. The speakers on the boat sucked, making it difficult to hear the skipper. The jokes we did hear sucked about as bad, so the poor speakers were a blessing in disguise.

We couldn’t get off the boat fast enough, but when we finally did, he steered ourselves to the Enchanted Tiki Room. Davy was hypnotized by the songs of the birds. It was a show he wouldn’t forget. After the bird show, we went to the Magic Carpet Ride, where Anna let me control the vertical lift. A mistake on her part, because, if you time it out just right, the camel will spit on you. In the first rotation, the camel spit, and Anna screamed obscenities at me…G-rated obscenities, but still.

We made our way to Cosmic Ray’s for dinner. We went to Bay 1, which was the “Chicken” Bay. I ordered a half chicken and ribs. Davy and Anna had chicken nuggets. It was a LOT of food for a counter service. I recommend this place for a quick lunch spot. Once again, I must add that if we had not been on the dining plan, we would have paid $40.08.

After dinner, we went to The Hall of Presidents to see the new presentation with our new President included. It’s a great presentation of our American history, with several artifacts to view and record. It’s also a cool, dark room for some of our more tired folks. When we exited the show, the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party had begun.

We headed out for the Haunted Mansion. We were one of the first in line, and the queue was quick. We entered our car, and Davy was scared. As we made our way through the ride, we successfully coached Davy about it, and by the end, well, he was still scared, but not as bad anymore. We’re pretty sure he didn’t want to go again, but he was laughing about the ghost that sat in his lap at the end.

We followed up the Haunted Mansion with a boat ride through a land where all these little kids were singing, “It’s A Small World After All.” Davy was singing right with them, as the boat ride continued through other countries and all sorts of colors. He was all smiles throughout the entire ride.

After the long “Small World” ride, we went to the Peter Pan ride; one of Davy’s favorites, in that park. We flew into Never-Never Land, and watched Peter Pan defeat Captain Hook. When that ride ended, we started trick or treating. There were pre-setup paths to follow to get candy.

After getting some candy in our bags, we passed by a place with loud hip-hop music playing. When we found the source, Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald Duck, and Daisy arrived, in their Halloween costumes. I tried to get Davy to go out on the dance floor to dance with the characters, but he was having no part of that. He would run in, touch a tail or a shoulder, of the character, then run back to me.

I started filming the characters when The Thriller music started, and toward the end, Mickey was doing the dance. It was quite a fun experience to watch, so I posted it online, to share with everyone else.

We left the dance party and went to the Pooh Ride, another favorite of Davy’s. It’s a short ride, so afterwards, we went to Mickey’s Philharmagic 3D, a cartoon with Goofy, Donald, and Mickey Mouse in it. Davy liked the show. We left the show and rode the Tea Cups on the Mad Tea Party ride. I had the cup that Davy and I were in spinning so fast, we were both dizzy when we exited.

After the tea party, we made it into Toon Town, and boarded the planes on Goofy’s Barnstormer. After one trip around, Davy wanted to go again. I sat this round out, but Anna and Davy went again.

We did some more trick or treating through the Alice and Mad Hatter Trail. Noticing the time, we quickly exited the trail to find a place to sit for the “Hallow-Wishes” firework show. Anna has a special trail where she likes to get our party to for an excellent view of the villain’s firework display. As soon as the fireworks had ended, we found it difficult to make our way to our normal sitting area for the parade. The “Boo to You” parade only happens during the MNSSHP, and is special to that fact. We did make it, to a nearby location, and the view of the parade was amazing. Davy got to shake hands with Captain Barbosa, and got pointed out and waved to by Mickey Mouse.

After the parade, we went out on a mission to fill our bags with candy, by trick or treating down the special paths. Exhausted from the evening, we stopped by a small stand, and picked up a couple of Dole Whips. A Dole Whip is something to feast on, and cannot be explained by any other letter, than that of the letter “m.” Mmmmmmm

After our Dole Whip delight, we wandered thru stores as we strolled to the gates. Once we made it to the gates, we found our car, and were back at the hotel by 12:30 AM. A tired little boy crashed in bed, shortly after he laid down; as did his parents.

September 14, 2009

With Epcot as Anna’s favorite park, and today being her birthday, it was planned that this would be the park of choice today. Anna immediately located the “Will Call” window to redeem her birthday voucher for a $79 gift card. While she was waiting for the lady, on the other side of the glass, to get her the gift card, the scanner began acting up. The card could not be made. Anna was instructed to move to the next window, as next in line, to have the gentleman there help her. As a consolation prize for her extended patience in getting the card made, Anna was also given a complimentary Fast Pass good for any ride in the park that accepted them.

We entered the park, and made our way to Test Track. We picked up a set of fast passes, then got in the stand-by line. It was a “less than” three minute wait, and we were testing cars again. The ride stopped twice: Once before the barrier test, and the second time, on the track, outside, which meant we were banked, leaning to the right.

After a slow ride on the track, we headed out to Mission Space, to be the first to land on the little red planet, complete with buildings and a runway, and flashing lights. Go figure. Anyway, we flew there safely, with the ice breaking away at the end. Davy still loves the ride.

Today was the day we also decided we would introduce Davy (and ourselves) to a Kim Possible secret agent mission. On our way, into the countries, we stopped by and signed up for the adventure. The faux fast pass they gave us told us to report to the Kim Possible kiosk at the International Gateway, to pick up our Kimmunicator, at 11:45 AM. Unfortunately, we had a mission of our own, in Canada, at Le Cellier for lunch, at 11:40 AM. We discussed this with the Kim Possible agents that were available, and they authorized our late arrival, based on the circumstances. They, then, recommended that we try the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup. With a thumbs-up, we proceeded into Canada.

There was a frightening experience just before we arrived to our reservations. Anna, out of the blue, jumped, screamed, and ran in a circle, shaking her arms and hands; in what seemed to be some sort of ritualistic Native American dance. In sequence, everyone around her jumped at her scream then watched in confusion as she moved about the path. She stopped as sudden as she started, and explained that when she looked down at a tingle on her left hand, she found a rather large grasshopper staring at her, holding on for dear life. I looked back at the thing flying thru the air, and spotted where it landed. In an effort to protect her, I, her husband, immediately ran back and took a close-up picture of it, so as to be able to identify it, should it decide to come near my wife again. I gave it a warning, and left it alone.

We entered Le Cellier, and were soon sitting at a table with some pretzel-stick bread in the carefully-placed bread holder. I had the Mushroom Filet Mignon and Anna had the Sweet Potato Gnocchi. I must display my rave for the filet mignon, cooked to a medium rare perfection. The dish was cleaned, and dessert immediately followed. Dessert, for me, was a Chocolate “Moose” with Canadian maple leaves as antlers. Anna’s was a birthday dish, decorated in that theme. Davy’s was ice cream to be self-topped. The experience (again) was incredible. The meal, had we not been on the dining plan, would have cost us $77.90.

Since our first mission was complete, we headed over to the International Gateway to take on the next one. We were issued a standard field-issue Kimmunicator, and was instructed to make sure we were alone when we activated it. Once we were clear of the kiosk, and anyone who seemed suspicious, we opened the device to get our orders. We followed each set of instructions, gathering clues all along the way, until we finally defeated the bad guys, and deemed our mission successful. Anna and I got into it right away, but Davy, well, he was into the sights and sounds around him more than playing the game. So, when we were asked whether or not we wanted to proceed to the next mission, we respectfully declined, and turned in our Kimmunicator. We’ll have to do it again, at a later time and place.

Once the Kimmunicator was securely dropped off, we started wandering in and out of the shops throughout the UK. As we meandered through the stores, we also passed into the different countries, stopping in Norway for some pastries and water.

As the day moved on, we noticed the humidity was definitely not as much of a factor for the heat anymore, but rather the blazing sun. The heat was intense, and our need to get back on some rides before the park closed, was apparent. We skipped through Mexico, without stopping, to get to Test Track.

We had a set of fast pass tickets to use, so we went straight from beginning to car in less than two minutes. After we tested another car, without the stoppages experienced in the previous test, we went across the park to Soarin. We used Anna’s complimentary fast passes for that ride.

Spaceship Earth was our final ride of the evening, creating a new video of our future, and finally leaving the park. Once we arrived back at the hotel, we went to the concierge desk to pick up our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) tickets. As we waited for the tickets, a familiar song came across the speakers, and a line of cast members were clapping to it behind us. Anna leaned over and said, “I wonder if they’re gonna do The Hustle.” Sure enough,…

After getting our tickets for the MNSSHP, we went into the Pop Century store, and shopped around a little. We picked up a miniature stuffed Wall-E for Davy, and headed over to the food court for dinner. Our food court dinner would have cost $34.07 without the dining plan.

Back at the room, Davy and I changed into our swimming suits, and Anna went out for some late evening shopping at Downtown Disney. Our swim was great. Davy loves the water!! We came into the room just a few minutes before Anna returned. And, to my surprise, she came back empty handed.

September 13, 2009

Today, we headed out to Animal Kingdom. After watching Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto check off everything they needed for their safari, I followed the rope to the fast pass entrance of Expedition Everest. I grabbed a set of fast passes for the ride, and met up with Anna and Davy at the opening of the standby line. Davy was nervous at first, but as the ride ended, he wanted to go again.

We headed over to the Dinosaur area, where Anna rode on Primeval Whirl, and Davy and I rode the Triceratops Spin. The height restriction kept us from riding the same ride. After the separate rides, we made our way to the Dinosaur ride, where we were to be transported back in time to retrieve a dinosaur, on a secret mission. After almost being blown up by a meteorite, we successfully arrived back in our own time, with an extra being in the car. By the way, the bumpiness of the ride, and all the scary dinosaurs, we met on the way, guaranteed the fact that Davy hated the ride.

We went to get a fast pass for the Safari ride, through Africa, but upon our arrival, learned that the little tickets weren’t necessary. It was a walk on ride, so we took it. Davy loved seeing the variety of wildlife, but especially the elephants, giraffes, zebras, and lions. I started to feel a bit ill from the heat and humidity, combined with the fact that I was getting hungry, so we decided that, after the ride, we would go get some lunch.

We decided on Pizzaafari for lunch. If we had not been on the dining plan, our ordered food would have cost $35.14.

After lunch, we went to my most favorite show in all of Walt Disney World. It’s a story of a daddy being overprotective of his son, his only son. But when the son gets lost, trying to prove something to his dad, an all out search is on, leading the dad, with his new friend, across the ocean. Marlin and Dory make it all the way from the reef to Sydney Australia to find his son. Yes, the Nemo Show. It’s a live, stage performance; and the performers are excellent!!

We exited the show to a thunderstorm. So, we decided to wander through the stores to find a fanny pack for Davy. We thought it would be best for him to keep track of his own stuff, and be fun at the same time. We were right! After finding a rack full of them, we let him pick one out, then found a way to get it to stay on him, since his waist is so small. He loves it.

We returned to the hotel room, for a break before dinner. The plan was to have a dinner for two at a new restaurant, at Kidani Village, and have Davy spend some time with kids, his age, at Simba’s Cubhouse, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

We arrived at the lodge, and it took some time to locate the cubhouse. Once we asked, we found it right away. Funny how that happens,… We signed Davy in, and went on the hunt to find Kidani Village. We went straight to the concierge desk! They instructed us to walk outside, down onset of stairs, up another, and follow the road, on foot, for eight minutes, following the signs. Ugh, that was a hike. After walking in, we found the restaurant, Sanaa. We located a bathroom to clean up from, what turned out to be a sweaty walk over, then met at the desk to check in. We met a man from Botswana, named Mompati (long ‘o’, and a short ‘o’ sound for the ‘a’). I asked him how to pronounce it, so I would be able to address him properly. He, in turn, asked Anna how to pronounce her name, in full: Annamarie.

Within a few minutes, we were seated at our table, and Giovanni, from Italy, arrived to welcome us, give us a menu, and explain it to us. He showed us the African cuisine, Indian cuisine, and some of the mixtures with a “Western” taste. Since we were into it for the unique flavors, we stayed away from the steak n potato entrées.

If you are ever dining at Sanaa, I recommend Giovanni as a waiter!! Anna and I were offered complimentary glasses of champagne to celebrate her birthday, and Anna ordered a glass of wine, Riesling with honeydew notes, to go with her dinner. After an excellent dinner and a great dessert, the wait staff serenaded Anna with a “Happy Birthday” song, in their native language, complete with drum beats. She was thoroughly embarrassed. We wanted to order some tea, to go, but were torn between two of the 20 scents they had available. The server, Giovanne, brought out two pots, each with the different teas in it, as well as two “to go” cups and two tea cups. He instructed us to pour some in the tea cups to sample, then pour the remaining amounts into the to-go cups, and take them home. He also gave us a slip of paper that told us what wine he served Anna, and the website where they order their teas from.

When the bill arrived, we were delighted that the extra charge for the extra tea was not on there. Had we not been on the dining plan, our small dinner, for two, would have run us $98.17!! Remember to ask for Giovanni, if you ever go.

After dinner, we returned to Simba’s Cubhouse to pick Davy up. He said he had a good time. We settled the bill there, and went back to the resort. We arrived at 9:30 PM. Davy and I decided to suit up and go down to the pool, leaving Anna to lounge around, in solitude, to read her book.

September 12, 2009

Epcot Day!! Anna’s favorite and my favorite park. Knowing this park, we knew Davy was going to have a fun-filled day. We awoke at 6:50 AM, and were the first in line at the gate. Anna met a friend from her “Tour Guide Mike” forum, then we all waited for the opening of the park.

The deal was that Davy and Anna would catch up with me at the roped off area, as I would dash for the rope, to be in the front of the crowd. This is an old trick, as most people make their way to Soarin or Test Track, the two most popular rides in the park. Our destination was Soarin, a Hang Gliding trip over California, our favorite ride. With a flight over a river and over a forest, the pine scent is calming; but the flight over the orange groves is alerting with the fruit’s scent.

As we entered The Land pavilion, I proceeded straight to the fast pass stations, then went out to meet Anna and Davy at the start of the stand-by queue line. We went in, waited about five minutes, then found ourselves flying high over Disney Land. Davy loved the ride, and once again, voiced his want in riding it again. Good thing we had a fast pass.

After the ride in the sky, we went to the Under the Sea pavilion and rode the Nemo ride, while waiting for the first Turtle Talk with Crush show. After Marlin found his son, we hopped out of our clam, and rushed, just in time, for the show with Crush. Now, I must say, “DUDE!! That was totally AWESOME!!” Sorry, had to express some of my “totally Sweet” turtle lingo I picked up. Seriously, that show rocked. And if you parental units have little ones, encourage them to sit on the floor in front of the screen, and ask him some questions. The interaction is great.

After talking with the turtles, we headed out to meet everyone’s favorite purple dragon, FIGMENT, in Journey Into Imagination. We learned that besides the sights, sounds and smells of the real world, the true journey was in our imaginations, or so I took it. One little spark of inspiration,…

We left the imagination station and went straight out for some automotive testing at Test Track. That ride was EMPTY. After retrieving a set of fast passes, we walked in and got right on, with very little wait. We even skipped the movie pre-show right before they open the doors to the test cars. It had started to rain a little while we were going in, so we knew we would get some rain splatters in the high-speed, hair-pin turn tests, where they push speeds of 65 mph on the outside track. Ya, well, that’s what happened. Not too bad, really, although some of the rain stung a little at that speed. Davy loved it, and I’ll let you guess at what he said as to whether or not he would want to ride it again.

It was now time for a rocketing mission to Mars, as we entered the queue for Mission Space. Davy was handed one of those little red cards that he was instructed to hand to the person at the other end of the line. This allows the cast members to gauge how long it takes the guests to get from start to finish, and report it on the board outside. I think Davy got to hold it for all of 30 seconds before giving it back.

In no time, we were being prepped for a trip to the red planet, getting assigned our responsibilities, then placed in the pilot area of the space shuttle. The whole trip went well, by the way, with a little rough landing on the surface. We managed though, and the mission was a success, as was Davy’s enjoyment of the ride.

After we returned from Mars, we stopped by Coral Reef, a table service restaurant, for our lunch reservation. We requested a table near the giant aquarium. When our table was ready, they guided us in to the best seat in the house. Swimming in the tank were sharks, sea turtles, sting rays and a lot of varieties of fish life. Davy was mesmerized by the sea life in the nearby tank. I’m not sure his eyes left the movement within during his whole meal. Partway into the meal, a giant southern sting ray came to see what we were dining on, and did not leave until well after we did. We were informed that the glass was eight inches thick, and held back 5.6 million gallons of water. The waiter, Matt, did an exceptional job in seeing we were thoroughly satisfied.

With our tummies full, we left Coral Reef for some more flying time. We grabbed another set of fast passes for Soarin, and went in the fast pass line with our first set.

After the fight, we went to Club Cool to sample sodas from around the world. Knowing what most of these taste like, we wanted to make sure Davy had the same experience. Right off the bat, we gave him a small cup of Beverly, a soda from Italy. It’s really a bitter soda, and instantly, Davy knew he would never drink it again. We continued sampling the drinks until we were ready to continue into Epcot.

We went across the way, to Mouse Gears, a large Disney outlet that Anna is somehow drawn to, like a forked stick to water. We walked around in the store for a while, and decided to head to Mexico, for a ride on the Grand Fiesta Ride, with Donald Duck. Davy liked the theme, plus the fact that it was on a river that passed right by a steaming volcano. After exiting the boat, we walked through the street markets, then back out to the main roadway.

We walked into Norway to catch the Maelstrom ride, another boat ride. Davy was ok on it, except for the trolls that popped up out of no where, and made the boat go backwards. All moods shifted to “better” when the boat went straight again, and plummeted over a hill that sprayed him with water. But just after we hit the water on the bottom, the ride stopped. There had been an unexpected problem, and we were to wait patiently. We waited about two minutes, then the ride moved again. It stopped when were were the next boat to be unloaded. There, we waited an additional four minutes. We watched several maintenance engineers running around the ride.

Escaping the trolls was a long battle, but we made it out, and off to Germany to watch the electric trains travel their tracks over a set built in several small towns and tunnels. Unfortunately, the trains were not running at the time, so Davy had a good time seeing the lizards over-running the towns.

On the way out of Germany, we stopped by a kiosk and picked up a funnel cake with a ton of powdered sugar on it. We finally made it around the world and back at The Land pavilion to use our fast passes for a third trip on Soarin. As we walked into the queuing area, a guest offered us their last three fast passes for the ride, as they were leaving for the day. We accepted them and thanked them, then walked over and picked up another set of fast passes with our own tickets. This meant we had three sets, in hand, for the rest of the day.

We used the set we had originally gotten, earlier in the day, and made our third flight over California, then retreated in the food court for a break before dinner, at Tutto Italia, in Italy. Eventually we checked in for dinner, and let me say, that meal was ex-cel-lent. Another great dining experience to make our vacation the best yet.

After leaving the restaurant stuffed to the gills, we made a plan on how to spend the rest of the evening. One trip on Test Track, three consecutive flights over California, and a trip up the golf ball, on Spaceship Earth. This was the ride Davy was waiting for, and we made a keepsake video of our future to pass on.

After a whole day, in the park, without a break, we were more than ready to get back to the room. We arrived at the hotel at 9:32 PM, making our time spent, within the park, more than twelve hours. We told Davy he could play with a toy on the bed. After about 3 minutes with his Bumblebee transformer, he was sleeping soundly. No fuss. We soon followed his lead, minus the transformer, of course.

September 11, 2009

After the late arrival, yesterday, getting up this morning was rough. We dragged ourselves out of bed, a little late, packed our backpacks, then set off for the Magic Kingdom. Once we parked at the Transportation and Ticket Center, we hopped on a ferry and found that we were running later than planned. We missed the opening ceremonies, at the gate, and also the rope drop rush to the favorite rides.

We went straight to the Dumbo Ride, and walked on. The crowds were a whole lot better than the last time we came here. Got several great pictures of Davy and Anna flying on their Dumbo, as well as a video. Unfortunately, the joystick that controls their flight up and down was malfunctioning, and they had to stay at one level, at the mercy of the guy controlling the ride. Despite the problem, Davy’s smile was instant, and lasting.

We exited the ride, with Davy’s excitement growing. We boarded the Winnie the Pooh ride, then Peter Pan, then Snow White. Every ride was a walk-on ride. The low volume of crowds was amazing. After Snow White, we rode the Carousel, with Anna on Cinderella’s steed.

Once we left the carousel, we walked to Mickey’s Toon Town Fair. The first roller coaster was imminent for Davy: Goofy’s Barn Stormer. Davy practically ran up the queue line. Once seated in the plane, the lap bar came down, and off we went. As we pulled into the hangar again, there was hardly anyone in line. The tower reported that any riders that wanted to go again were to remain in their seats. Davy’s lap bar didn’t quite reach his legs, so he moved into the seat, next to Mommy. After he was securely seated, the plane took off again. Davy loved it!!

After leaving the hangar, we took a tour through Mickey’s house and a stroll through his garden, while we waited for the train. Once the train arrived, right outside of Mickey’s front door, we boarded, and rode to Frontier Land. We headed straight for Big Thunder Railroad. We walked through the queue, with one or two people in front of us. The total wait time was about one minute.

Davy got into the car he was instructed to, then Mommy climbed in right next to him. I rode in the seat right behind them. Half way around the track, Davy started yelling “Woo!! One-Hundred!!” That seems to be his favorite number, and when he really likes something, that’s what he says. As we pulled into the mining area, Davy asked if we could ride it again. We grabbed a set of fast passes, then headed off to Splash Mountain.

Davy had been looking forward to a boat ride all day. This was what he needed. The ride hadn’t even moved yet, and he had an ear to ear grin. Davy watched the story as we traveled down the stream. The final hill had him addicted. He wanted to go again right away. Too bad we were running late for everything else. The good thing was that he loved this ride too, making his trip the best so far.

We were all hungry for lunch, and settled on Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn. The experience was interesting, as you self-ordered, on a touch-screen monitor, then walked to the counter to get your food. They have a condiments bar, loaded with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and anything else you could think to put on a burger or in a taco salad. A very recommended place to eat for any visitor. (Oh! And it’s air-conditioned!!)

After lunch, we headed over to Pirates of the Caribbean. Despite Davy’s want to go on boat rides, the creepy queue line, and loud noises, led to his not liking the ride.

We went to the Magic Carpet Ride, next, where Anna was trying to pay me back for a previous trip, where the camel spit on her. Davy rode with me this time, and once again fronted the biggest grin I had seen yet. Anna failed to pay me back, by the way.

Davy and I decided to go through the Swiss Robinson Family Tree House, and saw a lot of neat things. It ended up being quite the workout.

We finally made it to Tomorrow Land, where we queued up to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride. We spun around as we traveled through the ride, shooting Zurg and his evil comrades. The scores tallied, and Davy almost beat Mommy with a whopping 14,400 points. Mommy won out though, with a 16, 400. However, her score could not touch daddy’s, with 28,900 points.

After the evil Emperor Zurg had been destroyed, we walked to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) for a casual ride around the park. Having been there late, and constantly moving about the park, on our first day, we were thoroughly whooped. We headed back to the front of the park, boarded the Monorail, and traveled back to the Transportation and Ticket Center. We located our vehicle, and headed back to the hotel, looking for a small break.

After the break, we would come back for the continuation of our Magic Kingdom adventure. We arrived at the hotel, lugging our tired bodies into the room, plopped down on the bed, and we ALL passed out. (Note: No alarm clocks were set) Needless we to say, by the time we woke up, it was about 5 PM, and getting back to park (which closed at 7 PM) didn’t seem like a good idea anymore. We got some much needed rest, but at the expense of the planned afternoon.

We made our ways around to heading to a local grocery store and getting some snacks, drinks and other needed amenities to make the vacation more comfortable. When we returned to the hotel, we stopped in at the food court and got some dinner. After dinner, we went back to the room, got cleaned up, and hit the sack.

The day, overall, was not a waste. We got to play and rest, as we prepared for the next eight days of fun, fun, and more fun. Davy was great today, with his attitude meter (ranging 1 – 10, with one meaning severely grumpy, and ten meaning an angel amongst the finest) as an 8.5. He was eager to start the next day.

Prelude:

Interesting that a trip report usually starts the day you fly out to the vacation destination. I think they would be best described by how the planner (aka. My Wife) stresses over each detail, from dining plans, to the car rental options; from what parks to visit on each day to what rides to get fast passes for. Planning consumes the most part of a year for us; but in the interest of hard drive space, and my failing memory, we’ll keep to the standard, and write about the day of the fight and the week we are at Walt Disney World.

September 10, 2009

We took the entire day off of work to get the in-town running around done prior to our flight, at 7:10 PM. Our son, age 7, had already begun school two days earlier. I awoke early that morning to get him to the bus stop, then went home to wait for banks and stores to open.

At about 10:30 AM, my wife and I left the house to start the running. It included taking the dog to my mom’s, going to a bank to cash in change, going to the credit union to get travelers checks, and stopping at a local store to pick up a couple of last minute items, then get Davy out of school for the trip to the airport. Sounds smooth enough, as we left with a plan,…

We grabbed the change bucket and walked out the door. We entered the bank, with the CoinStar ® machine, emptied the bucket, and walked away $20 richer!! As we left, we remembered where we could possibly get more change. We drove home, grabbed the dog, his cage, some dog food, and other items to take to mom’s house. Dropping the dog off went smooth, and a request for donation was asked, with intentions to get her something from Walt Disney World. Mom grabbed her change, from each of her hiding places; three in all.

After the dog was taken care of, we drove to Steve’s house (my brother), to print out our boarding passes. A similar request was presented to his wife, about a donation. Change was scraped from every nook and cranny in the house, until a one gallon Ziplock® bag was full. As she was scouring the house of change, we learned that the network connection from the three computers, in the house, to their printer wasn’t working.

Frustrated, yet appreciative that they were willing to part with their change, we headed back to the bank with the CoinStar® machine. We put another load of change in the machine, and walked out with another $182. We immediately drove to the credit union to get the traveler checks and get some money out for our son, to go with his Disney Dollars®.

We were scheduled to pick Davy up from school at 12:00 PM. We had just arrived at the credit union at 11:35 AM. Having a dual signature traveler check was guarantee enough that we would be there atleast 20 minutes; but when the teller realized that none of their traveler check inventory had been put into the system, the outcome had us guessing that Davy would be picked up late. With some quick thought and a valiant team effort on behalf of the credit union staff, we walked out at 11:55 AM. We drove straight to Davy’s school, and retrieved our eager child, excited for what was coming next.

We drove back to my mom’s house, where we had been just a little over an hour earlier to try and print our boarding passes, to make our airport experience a little less stressful. I called my mom while we were in the process of driving there. I asked if she still had a printer (yes), does it have paper (yes), is it still hooked up to a printer (yes), does the printer still work (yes). Bingo, we were going to be able to print them this time. We arrived, walked in, and quickly learned that she no longer had internet access. Sigh.

We left with our stress levels exceeded. My wife and I snapped at each other for a bit, as I had a 1 PM meeting for an organization I lead. We were hungry, as well, so we were going to stop for lunch. With the limited amount of time left before my meeting, I stopped at Wendy’s®, ordered lunch for Anna and Davy, then drove them home, dropped them off and drove out to my meeting.

Before they got out, it dawned on us that I have a remote access program to get into my workstation computer at work. I followed them into the house and logged in. I told Anna to use that connection to print off the boarding passes. Away I went, out the door and to my meeting. While driving, I called up the accountant at work and let her know that Anna was printing out some paperwork for our flight that afternoon. I asked if she could hang onto them for me, and I would pick them up within the hour.

The meeting went smooth (in and out in 10 minutes). I drove straight to work, retrieved the paperwork, then out to get me some lunch. I arrived back home at 1:40 PM, scarfed down my “Number 3” from Burger King®, then checked everything to make sure nothing was forgotten. Our sister-in-law arrived at 3:15 PM to take us to the airport.

Davy was excited to see the big jets, but was quickly bored by the amount of time we had to sit around and wait. I took him for walks back and forth on the people mover conveyor belts, in the airport to pass the time. Then, with a half hour before we had to board the plane, we got some lunch at Taco Bell®, in the terminal. That took the rest of the time, and our eager flier was ready to see the clouds, from above.

Davy was really good on the plane, taking in the sights until it was too dark to see anymore, then preoccupying himself with video games and looking around. When the plane started descending, excitement grew, as our ears popped. We were in FLORIDA!!

We immediately went to baggage claim, grabbed our luggage, then went to get our rental car. We drove to the hotel, and approached the counter designated for those that checked in online. We were the second in line, when the lady at the counter decided it was the end of her shift, and walked away. The staff at the regular check-in counter noticed that we were left standing there, and promptly helped us out. While checking in, we changed rooms, then went to Bell Services to get a stroller and a purple tote, from Owners Locker®. The stroller was wheeled out to us, but the staff, at Bell Services, seemed to know nothing of the tote. After about five minutes of waiting, while they looked into it, they came back out and said that it had been delivered to our room already. Having had just changed our room to a different building, on a different floor, our locker was sitting in a room we wouldn’t be occupying. Bell Services put in the extra effort to retrieve and redeliver it to our room.

We arrived into the room at around 11:15 PM. We were all tired, but we decided to unpack, so we didn’t have to deal with it in the morning, where we planned to be at the Magic Kingdom® just prior to rope drop. Bell Services arrived with our tote before we could unpack anything! Davy climbed into bed, while we were banging around, and chatting back and forth, and he passed out. He was a trooper the whole day!! By the time Anna and I had finished unpacking, it was 1:30 AM. We went to bed, eager for the vacation to begin, in only five short hours.

I have long been a fan of a poem, written in 1915, by Robert Frost. I was taught this poem, in high school, and have often reflected on it when such thoughts have come to mind. I look at what I have now, and wonder what exaactly would have changed had I made other choices at key points in my lifeline.

Although the curiosity is there, I have no want to go back and change anything, if given the opportunity. I have forged my way through life, creating my exact location in time. This path has always been known to One, but having had to live it, and suffer through some rough times, I had no idea.

I currently have a son, from a previous marriage. I would never take an offer that might reverse having him in my life, right here, right now. I also have a wonderful young lady as my wife, my friend, and my support. I would do nothing to endanger losing her if given the opportunity to change a decision in my past. I have friends that I am sure would not be there had I not made decisions. Yes, these are all good things, but what about the bad?

Each decision, we make, yields a good or a bad feeling, something we regret or we enjoy. I must admit, I made a lot of bad decisions, and I suffered tremendously for them. But those choices, as well as the hurt that followed, are all part of my current composition; they all create the consistency known as David Bostedor III. The bad, as well as the good, help me form opinions and continue making decisions that will ultimately lead to an older form of myself, in the future.

Despite all of my decisions, I am completely content, and happy where I am today.  As I look back, I remember, and use those memories to empower my next move, along my timeline. And so, as to follow through with the hint at the poem I noted above, I would like to share this poem (my favorite) with you:

The Road Not Taken (Written by Robert Frost, in 1915)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Thank you,

Dave