Poop happens - even at Disneyworld!

So, I'm just DYING that I don't have a picture of what I'm going to talk about...POOP! Yep, POOP at Disneyworld! Can you imagine? On our last day in Florida, we arranged a late checkout and planned on spending the morning in the hotel pool. Matt, Stewart and Casper were already down swimming and Whitney and I came down later. I left the room without my room key and walked to the elevators. In the same instant that I pushed the button, I said to Whitney, "What is that smell!?!?" I looked down, and sure enough, my foot was in the middle of... POOP! Several other logs remained, untouched, and I stood there in shock. Marriott is known for allowing pets, which I appreciate. But seriously, people? Without my room key, I could not get my camera, nor could I take care of the poop on my shoes, so I had to head down to the lobby to ask them to wash off my shoes and report the disgusting incident. Needless to say, they were as shocked as I was. The manager quickly took my shoes to the laundry room and washed them for me and then I headed out to the pool to tell Matt. However, he was dealing with his own poop problem. Even after all the swimming we've done in our pool without incident, Stewart had decided that this was the day to poop in the pool. No, it did not stay contained in the diaper, either. GROSS!! Once all the poop was cleaned up and reported, we did have a good laugh and the lobby smelled wonderful and clean, better even than when we arrived, which leads me to the point of the title.

POOP HAPPENS. Even when you plan the dream vacation to Disneyworld. However, sometimes a little poop--or A LOT--makes the end result smell sweeter than before.

Originally, the trip was planned around Matt's annual training in Orlando in August and we were to meet him there when his work was over. Even better, the military is offering a great deal for a 4 day hopper pass and Southwest has some killer deals on fares, if you're watching. So Matt scored both and we were packed to leave, Matt taking our suitcase of clothes early. That night, Matt went to print our boarding passes and there was no email of confirmation, no tickets, no record of any purchase. To make a long story short, POOP HAPPENED and we didn't get to meet him on that trip. The military passes had to be used by September 30, so he found some plane tickets that were almost as good and we planned to go in September. It was difficult to find the perfect time to go around school, work, scouting and all the other stuff. Even despite our efforts, the kids still missed school pictures and our school doesn't include the retakes in the class pictures. We just did it, anyway.

When we started planning what we would each day based on a tour book, we realized that moving our trip just one month later guaranteed that about 25,000-30,000 fewer people would be in the parks and the temperatures would be actually tolerable. When we got off the plane in Orlando and went to get the rental car, we were able to score a free upgrade and the hotel allowed us a two-room suite instead of a 1 bedroom for no additional charge--all because we'd waited to travel in the off-season. Things were really smelling sweet!

Because Matt and I had never been to Disneyworld, we were blown away by the sheer size of the place. A 4-day pass would barely touch all that we could see just inside Disney and we headed off like gangbusters, tackling Epcot on our first full day. We were able to enter the park, heading straight for Mission:Space, the most popular ride, and discovered that Stewart was not tall enough to ride most of the rides in that park. However, he didn't seem to mind, especially since we took a detour immediately to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald. Later in the day, we met Stewart's favorite characters: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Watching the kids' faces, particularly Stewart's, as they met them was the highlight of the trip for me.



We picked up right away how to split up, Casper with one parent, Whitney and Stewart with another, and we covered the park pretty easily. It was estimated that we walked 13 miles in that first day in close to 100% humidity. I think that we had the most fun at the educational games as a family. I also loved the talk with Crush, the sea turtle from Nemo and the Nemo ride. Casper had the most fun on the Test Track and Mission:Space.

The next day we tackled Hollywood Disney, which, in hindsight, is for kids Casper's age and older. Whitney was overcome by the noise of the shows and we slowed down, repeating things that she enjoyed. First aid gave us several pair of foamies which blocked the noise somewhat. The fireworks each night were particularly rough until we rigged the perfect getup: foamies and folded goofy ears, with mom or dad's hands over the top.



The highlight of the day for Casper and Whitney both was fighting Darth Vader after attending Jedi Training.





The third day was our rest day which we spent in the pool and then decided to head over to the beach at the last minute. Being used to west coast beaches, the warm, rougher water was really something to see. The kids probably would've enjoyed an entire day, running in the water and digging in the sand.





We were really looking forward to the next day at Magic Kingdom, beginning with breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. We awoke early to the sound of Casper vomiting. He had not been feeling well the night before and we had been unable to get his blood sugars down all day or night, even after changing his sites and insulin 3 times. I just thought that he was getting sick and that with time, he'd be fine. We took him to the breakfast because we had reservations that could not be cancelled. He was so brave, smiling for a few pictures, trying to have fun.



While Whitney and Stewart laughed and had fun with the princesses, POOP HAPPENED. Casper continued to vomit through the breakfast and we took him to first aid to rest immediately. I took Whitney and Stewart on a few of the rides while we hoped that Casper would feel better with rest and hydration. But at 11 when we met to trade, Casper was no better. Even after having diabetes myself for almost 30 years, I didn't recognize his illness for what it was: diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA. After wise encouragement from the nurses, they called an ambulance for us and we took a ride to Arnold Palmer's Hospital for Children where we spent the next 2 days and 1 night.



As soon as he was given the IV, he stopped vomiting but didn't begin to 'perk up' until the following day when his electrolytes were balanced enough to bring his blood sugar down so that he could start eating. He had incredible nurses and a staff of doctors who apparently see this ALL THE TIME: kids in DKA while at Disneyworld. I was SO disappointed and angry at myself for not recognizing the symptoms brought about by the stress of the last 3 days, the heat, dehydration and high blood sugars. POOP happened.

As I layed in the bed with Casper, I was overcome with so many emotions: gratitude that we were in a good place that could get him on his feet again, a husband that was able to help Whitney and Stewart still have fun, health insurance, medication to keep my son and me alive and a family that gave us so much support. Wednesday night we were discharged and when Matt came to meet us, he told me that not only had Disney given us our two days back, but he was able to change the plane tickets to Saturday with only a 5 dollar difference in cost. We were able to still take Casper to Magic Kingdom, using a wheelchair this time so he wouldn't get too tired. Overall, it was an amazing, exhausting, overstimulating, expensive, magical, sweaty, tearful, beautiful, unforgettable, full of family-bonding vacation.

Poop happens. Even when you plan the dream vacation to Disneyworld. Sometimes a little poop--or A LOT--makes the end result smell sweeter than before. I never would have enjoyed Magic Kingdom as much as I did those last two days, grateful that my son was alive and that we could all spend the time together as a family.

I will never forget

I looked out my parents' living room window today and saw all the flags. I was puzzled for a moment, Labor Day was Monday. Then I remembered that today marks that anniversary of one of the most terrible days in my nation's history since I've been alive: September 11, 2001. It is fitting, too that I'm here in Utah, again, visiting my parents as I was back then.

"Matt and I had just been married that January and he was deployed at the end of August to Saudi Arabia. It was a difficult separation for me, so I was in Salt Lake City visiting family and working on a project for a professor that had overseen my thesis at the University of Utah. I was sitting in the car, waiting for my mom to take me up to the U. and listening to the radio. I heard the announcer break in and say that a second plane had crashed into the twin towers in New York City. I first thought it was an advertisement. Then I ran into the house to tell my mom and turn on the TV. I watched in disbelief and cried. I went up to the University but didn't do any work, just watched TV with all of the students and teachers in the cafeteria. Matt didn't call from Saudi Arabia very often due to the difference in time and his schedule, but he made sure to call me and his parents as soon as he could to let us know the base there was safe but in total lockdown. For the rest of his time there, 3 months, he carried a gas mask wherever he went and never left the base. A year later, Matt and I were able to visit Ground '0' on the 4th of July. We talked about several men he had known in his career that died that day in the airplanes. I cried then and felt so angry that anyone could hate a nation or people enough to destroy so much, especially so many lives. I'm grateful to live in a nation where terror is not usually the norm, that I can be angry about it when it does happen and that so many good people have come together to heal and help each other."

My next post will give the details of what it's like since that fateful day to go through an airport and fly on an airplane with a 30 lb. compressor, a nebulizer, two insulin pumps and all the medicine that goes with them.

D is for Dad--and dinosaurs

I'm sad to realize that my last child is old enough to go to preschool. I'm thrilled, though, that I get to be part of his preschool years with a great group of ladies and their sweet kids. This week was my first turn and we focused on the letter D. I couldn't resist my own 'dinosaur dig' and a Mercer Meyer favorite, 'The Lost Dinosaur Bone.' Anything with paint is always a hit, even over playdoh! We covered ourselves in paint and stamped out a few dinosaurs in all colors.

How can you study the letter D and not talk about dad? The kids really had warmed up on their second day at my house, so I got to hear their sweet comments about how they loved their dads to sing and read to them and that, "My daddy wears a watch!" They each showed pictures and then we painted the word, DAD. We had a blast singing, "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home!" and it reminded me of my own mom practicing that song with us to surprise our dad when he came home from work. I'm really thankful for dads today and was just so happy that each one of my new little friends has a special dad, too and that I know them and respect them all. One is an amazing organist, one is the Cubmaster that I now work with in Cub Scouts; one dropped their daughter off today so that his wife could 'get stuff done;' they all make it a priority to spend time with their kids and be silly with them. Dads are so important and I'm so glad that my kids have one that will spend all evening practicing math, reading school books and even practicing the piano. I'm grateful for my own dad, too, who still always makes time for me.

It's great to be 8!

I didn't think they'd let me in. You know, the admin of this swell blogger forum. Miraculously, I remembered the password and all. I accept my friend, Wendy's challenge in honor of National Blog Posting Month: http://www.nablopomo.com. After not posting since February 25, I start again and will blog everyday for a month. To begin, I reference my post from last year:

"The transition from summer to fall, that significant weekend of Labor Day, always symbolizes change and new things to come. It's the start of a new school year, the start of autumn and all its festivities. I love it! I think the most memorable of school years was starting junior high at Bonneville in 1986 (and how terrified I was) and BYU with Jennifer in August of 1991 (and how terrified I was). For our family, Labor Day also marks the start of the holiday season, beginning with my parents' anniversary on September 5. (They celebrated their 40th this year!)

"The end of August has since become significant for me for a lot of other reasons, more important than any school year or holiday celebration. I was set apart as a missionary and entered the MTC on August 30 in 1995. The fall always reminds me of those two months in Provo where my testimony of Jesus Christ grew more than any other time in my life.

Five years later, Matt and I were officially 'engaged' on Labor Day in 2000. He drove 12 hours from California to bring me the beautiful ring he had picked out. We had a memorable barbecue in my parents' backyard that Labor Day weekend with my parents and my brother, Ben, and and his new wife, Launi (just married on August 9, 2000).

Just two short years later, our first son, Casper, entered the world at 8:15 a.m. on August 31, 2002. Matt's and my life were changed forever. We became parents."





This Labor Day weekend, we celebrated Casper's 8th birthday and new beginning on the path to our Savior, Jesus Christ, as he entered the waters of baptism and became an official member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was so humble and brave and eager all at the same time. Although you could see his nerves all over his face in the font, he came into the room afterwards, smiling, and told everyone there that he felt 'great' for doing what he did. I especially enjoyed my dad's talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost that we receive with the confirmation after baptism. Dad compared it to our internal GPS. When I drive with our GPS, I am OFTEN prompted to make a U-turn, which is exactly what the Holy Ghost does: prompts us to turn around, away from sin and bad decisions and quietly directs us towards better paths. I am so grateful for this guidance and extra help, especially when I'm actively seeking a specific answer.

Another thing that helps is when I'm surrounded by other people who are also trying to listen to that quiet voice, trying to make the best decisions they can and do not hesitate to admit a wrong turn and quickly correct it. This weekend we felt the love and support of our good friends and family as they rallied around Casper to celebrate his big day. The day was perfect: great food, great friends, great weather, all celebrating a great decision. It truly is GREAT to be EIGHT!