I want to share a FUN experience with you… because who doesn’t like FUN?

As most of you know, I’ve had a rough time with my Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis this year. The good news is that since August, I’ve been feeling increasingly better, both physically and mentally.

In August, my wonderful daughter Sarah visited me.  Sarah is 24 and lives in Amsterdam with her sweet Dutch boyfriend. Sarah recently graduated with a master’s degree in Film from the University of Amsterdam.  She’s also a wonderful, sweet human being, and I am super proud of her!  My fun sister Wanda also flew in to join us from Houston, Texas.

At the same time, my friends Kimberley and Ernest were in Los Angeles because they were taking their son, Kyle, to Disneyland. What a great reason and place for us to meet up!

I used to be on the same bowling team as Kimberley in Calgary, Canada in 2006/2007. The last time I saw Kimberley and Ernest was in July 2011 when they visited London, UK where I was living at the time. Sarah and I met their cute baby Kyle. Over the next 6 years, I adored watching a sweet and joyful Kyle grow… all via Facebook.  I was excited about meeting him again in person.

Disneyland has 2 theme parks: Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park. I went to Disneyland Park a couple of times before, and I had been wanting to check out the California Adventure Park.

Wanda, Sarah, and I met up with Kimberley, Ernest, and Kyle at the park as soon as it opened. I walked in the gate and suddenly felt little arms wrapped around my legs. I looked down and saw little Kyle saying he was glad to meet me and welcoming me to the park. The cuteness was only just beginning, as we started  chatting with Kyle while standing in lines (sorry, “line-ups”!) and riding rides. I also really enjoyed catching up with my sweet Canadian friends after all these years.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Carmela. She is a friend of Wanda’s from the annual Xenite Retreat. (I’m joining them on the retreat next April! Woo hoo!)  Carmela is a caring and interesting person, plus she is a Disney guru!

Carmela helped us get on all the best rides efficiently. My overall favorite rides were the Radiators Springs Racers (the cars) and the Grizzly River Run (the raft), but every ride was great. Here’s a little video of us on the Grizzly River Run ride. (Thanks to Carmela!)

I was concerned that I would have issues with the high temperatures that day, so I was only planning on staying for about 3 hours. However, my friends and family helped me stay cool, and we ended up staying at the park almost all day.

For the perfec air conditioned break, Carmela recommended one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen: “Frozen.” It is a much higher quality production than I would ever expect at a theme park. I caught a little snippet so you have an idea of how “cool” it is.

Our last ride of the day was Soarin’. My jaw dropped open in awe as I felt like I was flying around the whole world. Overall, this day was amazing. I caught up with old friends, met new friends, spent time with family, and experienced  an adorable child’s personality… all while enjoying the heck out of Disneyland!

I can’t remember a recent day where I smiled and laughed so much!  I felt exhilarated, and that feeling has stayed with me for all these weeks since. This day promoted a shift in my mood and perspective. It’s nice to share something so FUN and positive with you.