Say Cheese... Now Smile!

Thinking about Florida reminded me of when we went to Orlando for a family vacation when I was about 7 years old. It was just the 4 of us, galavanting around the state, visiting as many amusement parks possible. Actually, I think it was even the first trip where my mom and dad asked Carlene and I were we wanted to go for vacation because I can't hardly fathom why my dad would have wanted to go to Florida without having an actual purpose (i.e. family, friends, some gala of the sort). But in the end, the whole vacation was a happy one. :) We did all your normal touristy stuff, went to Disneyworld, Epcot, and Bush Gardens... my mom had said that we didn't have to go to Universal Studios because we already had one here in California and was kinda eh about going to Disneyworld itself since we lived right next to the OG Disney.

I remember this vacation as the one where I thought the Florida toothfairy was WAY better than the California toothfairy.

But in actuality, my mom just messed up big time... in a good way of course.

Before when I lost a tooth and put it underneath my pillow, the toothfairy would leave me a dollar. Well, while vacationing in Florida, I bit into an apple and my tooth just poped out. So I did the usual pretoothfairy ritual and slept with it under my pillow. In the morning, though, there was no dollar. There was no dollar anywhere. I really wasn't a greedy child, I just wanted my share. A tooth came out of my mouth, I did what I needed to do, and I didn't get paid. Whats up with that!?! Well, my mom played dumb and insisted that everyone search the bed for my "handsome reward" but alas, it was nowhere on the bed. Few minutes later, I found it. Folded into the collar of my pound puppy was a crisp, shiny TWENTY dollar bill. Yes, I said TWENTY. I screamed and jumped for joy while my mom looked absolutely SHOCKED. I guess while in the dark, fumbling for the usual dollar, she misfumbled and took out the twenty instead . A simple and OH SO WICKED mistake. It made me want move to Florida right then and there... not to mention made me want to start knocking my teeth out on an everyday basis. I don't remember what I bought with it, but I do remember my mom fondly telling me that I was a lucky girl and that my tooth was a special tooth with a very high value. I remember my dad's around me and him joking with me about wanting to stay in Florida forever. I remember being so happy on that vacation... we were like your regular Bradys. It was only the 4 of us and everything seemed absolutely perfect.

OH... since I'm on the topic of family, can you please pray for my Lola in the Phillippines? Things aren't looking too good and we're all pretty worried. Thanks so much... it really means a lot to me.