DREAMS REALIZED

From the time she could walk and talk LG danced and dreamed of taking dance lessons. She practiced with Angelina Ballerina. She pirouetted and leaped, wearing a tutu as often as possible.

This year in Orlando her dreams have come true. Each Tuesday after school she attends dance lessons. Look at those long legs and arms. She's born to be a ballerina.

THE GIRLS OF SUMMER: Orlando 2011

They just couldn't be any more beautiful!

little sisters watching LG's class

WHAT DO LITTLE GIRLS DREAM OF?

Our kids are settling into a fine life in Orlando. LG has started first grade and is making new friends. She had her first after-school play date already. Both of the older girls are taking dancing--ballet, tap, tumbling, and one other. KF loves her ballet class and teacher. She's been so brave and is making friends. MK and NJ get a chance to socialize with parents and younger siblings for the 30 minutes KF is in class on Tuesday mornings. 

Since arriving in Florida, their lives have been hectic, but also somewhat magical--they love their apartment complex with its convenient swimming pool and places to ride their bikes. There are kids to play with and a playground; and since it's a gated community there's some sense of security. Papa and I had promised LG a new two-wheeler for her birthday in May, so last week they each got to choose a bike at Walmart. KF's is purplish-pink and LG's is aqua-blue. With helmets to match!

The shops and restaurants are within walking distance, as is the post office and DMV. They have a choice of conveniently located churches, and LG's school is just a few minutes away. They seem to be getting used to the heat and humidity, and are looking forward to the mild winter.

They've already been to Disney World for a few hours--the cat's out of the bag on that one. Until that visit, the little girls knew nothing about the theme parks. They already love Disney, but Disney World... It was a bit overwhelming for mommy and the girls, but they live close enough and have free passes so there'll be plenty of opportunities to visit again.

So, what do little girls dream of? Dancing, new bikes, Disney princesses, and a whole lot more. Orlando must seem like Nirvana to these little ones. You can see how happy the entire family is in their new life:

God is great, and good. He blesses us with more than we could ask of think.

FINISHING UP

Today is all about their new home. They've got a t.v. and Apple router; the apt is beginning to feel like a home. Baby NJ slept in her big girl bed without climbing out, and her sisters finally have the bunk beds they've coveted for so long. LG's on top and that's just fine with KF.

MK makes us pancakes this morning and we take our time, enjoying a bit of relaxation. Eventually it's 11:00am and NJ is ready for a nap. I'm happy to read and rest while she sleeps and the others find LG's new school, meet some teachers, and do endless errands. KF even gets a nap along the way.

We've planned for an early Macaroni Grill dinner as DM and I have to return the mini van. Round three at Orlando airport. The fourth and final segment will be my flight tomorrow morning. Early.

Yesterday the two older girls and I met some nice neighbors--finding out that the Campus Crusade families from past years are appreciated and missed, and the new families are eagerly awaited. Bodes well for DM's family's future. And, we checked out the pool, which our girls delight in.

It's a good day and we have a lovely dinner together. I'm definitely ready to go home, and infinitely happy we put forth this effort. We love, love, love our family and live to love and support them.

BUSY, BUSY

Yesterday was packed with the car repair (spark plugs!), the Apple store, apartment viewing, a big IKEA trip, jet lag, and lots of driving around the greater Orlando area. About half the time we were co-ordinating thee vehicles between 4 adults with 2 cellphones and an iPad. God bless the iPad. It isn't an extravagance! We'd never have done all we needed today without Google and the mapping app. Really. None of us know anything about Orlando and the day's journeys took us on two toll roads, an expressway or two, and quite a few secondary roads.

The kids apartment is about as conveniently located as you could dream--restaurants, shops, movie theater, and services like the DMV and post office are right here, too. Their apt. is a nice-sized three bedroom/two bath with STORAGE. After moving their 9 suitcases in and unpacking all CA and I hauled from Chicago we all enjoyed a California Pizza Kitchen lunch before decamping to the resort for naps, which turned into a 4:00pm bedtime for our international travelers. CA and I subsist on peanut butter sandwiches since no one shows up for dinner. We actually hit the sheets about 9:00pm, exhausted.

Thank you, God, for the help with the car worries. We drove the Subaru 1400 miles, thinking it was in good shape and then it started hiccuping and generally paralyzingly us with fear. We worried that the kids would have to buy a different car along with all the magnitude of resettling tasks and decisions. For now, it looks like the 2003 Forester will continue to ride the range.

Today we decide to stay put. We're all exhausted. The girls are up at 3:00am, but happy with American cartoons and kids programming. We enjoy a fun-filled time at the pool with swim rings and lots of attentive adult supervision. The resort has a great pool (one of three) just next to our building, and the little girls are thrilled.

This resort is basically a place to stay with almost no amenities, other than the pools. People come to Orlando (Kissimmee) for Disney, other theme parks and attractions so, I guess the resort doesn't feel the need to dazzle. I'm guessing this was quite the destination for families willing to stay off-property (Disney) in the early 1990s, but no updating since then so while everything is meticulously maintained, the decor is off-putting.

Wouldn't buy here or anywhere around here. The masses! 9:00pm Friday night at the local McDonald's was an eye opener. People just out of the parks flooding the restaurant. I bet it's like that every night. We stopped only because the international travelers were just off the 12 hours of flight time from Vienna via Frankfurt, and CA and I'd had little to eat all day. McD's was the closest-quickest option. But, it turned out to be slow and discouraging. So many fat families. For us, itvwas fuel because we were on empty.

LG and KF laze about with CA and I, when DM, MK, and NJ snuggle down for naps. We're definitely having dinner tonight, so later we venture out to Super Target for more supplies. Our gourmet choice for dinner pleases all--Kraft Mac and cheese with a big hearty home-prepared garden salad.

So, so happy for a day to rest, recuperate, and enjoy each other.

FIRST FAMILY; PAST PERFECT

Traveling by car is usually tempered with our Sirius satellite radio subscription. While CA and I don't always agree on what constitutes entertainment, we do agree that the driver is in charge of the radio dial. However, this trip to Orlando we're driving the Subaru Forrester not the BMW, so pre-planning was necessary. We made a quick stop Tuesday night at the library and checked out two books on CD for this two+ day, 1400 mile drive--David Baldacci's First Family and Susan Isaac's Past Perfect. First Family is 11 hours/10 CDs long so it lasts throughout Wednesday and way into Thursday making the drive time dwindle into quick stops for gas, food, and facilities until we settle down at a glamorous Microtel for our first overnight. O.K. not glamorous but it's a cheap ($55), clean, and convenient place to catch a good night's sleep. We even score a decent non-fast food dinner at an O'Charley's steak house. A good first day near Memphis and nearly halfway.

Come morning, we luck out as there's a Starbucks just next to the expressway entrance. Thursday passes nearly the same as Wednesday, and we move on to Past Perfect late in the day. We arrive in Ocala, Florida at another Microtel ($50) in time to walk across to a local chicken chain restaurant where we're satisfied with fried chicken salads. Not fancy, but neither is it McDonald's, Culver's, Wendy's, Steak and Shake, or any other tired fast food repeat.

Orlando is an easy drive from Ocala, so we coordinate with CCCI in Orlando arranging to get access to DM and MK's apartment to offload the car load of possessions we've accumulated and transported for them.

It turns out that our resort reservations are about 45 minutes away from the apartment-- kind of a bummer because this trip we're not even close to thinking about Disney World or vacation. We just want a nice comfortable, clean and roomy place for DM's family to relax and re-orient after their months of planning, organizing, and quite completely re-arranging every facet of their lives.

We quickly settle in our rooms and head out immediately for groceries. It's after 3:00pm and their flight arrives about 6:20pm.

Cue imminent disaster music...

The Subaru has developed a cough, which by the time we've reached the Publix grocery store, is terrifying and paralyzing both of us. We persevere, hoping against hope and yet knowing "we're screwed." We have to be at the airport with a functioning auto. They have no cellphones. We have to be there to collect adults, three little girls, and ten pieces of luggage.

Two Enterprise agencies are out of cars until tomorrow, at least. And, we're told all the local rental agencies close in 20 minutes at 5:00pm. I'd thought here in vacationland this type of business would be 24/7, but that's only at the airport, I guess.

Thankfully there's a Hertz just across from where we pull over, convinced we can't continue with the Forrester. The 20 minute deadline threatens, but we're given a very favorable rate for 4days on a Nissan Versa. We drove one of these in the South of France last winter. It's almost too small for our needs, but it's the only option and we are feeling blessed, provided for, and especially thankful. Although, our individual stress levels have skyrocketed.

We're actually waiting at the airport for at least 1-1/2 hours before our family comes running through the corridor. We get exuberant hugs and kisses from our little girls and delight in the sweet and tender moments we share just waiting for the luggage to arrive.

The girls had plenty of videos to enjoy on their flights, a bit of sleep, fun food and drinks (LG immediately reported that she had ordered Sprite at ever possible opportunity--independently orchestrating a six-year old's fantasy!) The adults slept little, especially MK who got squeezed out of even her seat by sprawling sleepyheads. Everyone arrivess happy and well behaved, even though according to their local time it's 3:00am. Amazing.

DM and CA are off to secure the second rental car, where DM decides to spring for an over-priced Chrysler mini-van for 5 days so everything will fit in one trip and we have a chance of all traveling together for at least part of the next few days. We'll all just deal with the financial ramifications later. What can you do?

We're joy filled and tired as we drive toward Kissimmee. These toll roads require an assortment of quarters ($.50 $.75 $1.00) every few miles, but the van includes a toll pass so we struggle to stay together as we navigate these still unfamiliar roads. Thank God (really) for our iPad mapping app.

Soon we're settled into two units and asleep before our brains catch up to our bodies.

Good night. Just breathe... Good times ahead.