Magical - after the vacation

I ran across this quote this week and liked the reminder to see beauty all around me.

"The really magical things are the things that happen right in front of you. A lot of the time you keep looking for beauty, but it is already there. And if you look with a bit more intention, you see it."

- Vik Muniz

I love looking at family photos and reliving the memories....moment by moment on ordinary "let's get the laundry and homework done and get some dinner on the table" days. As I put together a photo book,

I will remember:

The Davises having some "forced family fun" as my friend calls it!

 

 

L facing her fear of heights by taking the Summit Plummet challenge of dropping straight down 12 stories on a high water slide. We watched the people going before us in line and figured out that we could repeat our favorite Bible verse on facing fear (Psalm 56:3) and then the vertical drop 60 mph would be over. "When I am afraid I will trust in YOU!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

B happy to see exotic animals on safari, car chases and stuntman explosions at Hollywood Studios, and fire dancing at the luau.

MJ wanting to rock out and scream her head off at any rollercoaster as many times as the lines would allow.

N and W taking it all in as first timers. We went to It's a Small World first.

 

Scarfing handfuls of Halloween candy from trick-or-treating in the Magic Kingdom. Most likely the ONLY time we will all be dressed up for a costume party.

My man and I happily watching Fringe episodes in the comfy clean sheets and freezing AC after a long sweaty day in the parks with the refillable cocoa mugs from the resort...watching the fireworks from the balcony.

Hearing our kids remember to say "thank you".

Remembering when my parents brought me here when I was a kid.

 

Besides being able to give the gift of those memories to our children, I also love trying to take some of the magic with me and trying to learn from the creativity of others.

I have been inspired by a week of beautiful stage presentations. I am enamored with kite-like puppets and am trying to figure out how they could be incorporated into our Christmas productions. Nemo, Belle, Ariel, Simba, Fantasmic.... How might they be re-envisioned at the manger scene? I'm guessing spraying a wall of water in the sanctuary for light projections and aerial ballet are a no go this year? If not, what kind of magic could we make?