Lowe Family Circus: Day 1 at Disney-Animal Kingdom

Oh what is it with me??!! We got to the Animal Kingdom Parking Lot and took the tram and got our bags checked and got our maps and started walking...and the sheer joy of being there overtook me and again tears came to my eyes!!! We saw the Tree of Life ahead of us and knew full well we were on our way to the greatest of days. I feel like the luckiest of all people on earth to be the mama of a family that is beautiful and wonderful and meant just for me. And I am forever grateful for the greatest of lives I have already lived.

First stop, Africa. Again I cried, as my heart song is to go to Africa. Disney does a great job of making a believer out of you (me). I walked through African streets, I pounded my feet into the pavement, punched my fists in the air and shook my booty to Lily's cheers as the African dancers beat their drums, looked fiercely into my eyes, and showed me the moves. I drank African coffee while my family enjoyed cinnamon rolls. All of us beat drums with the palms of our hands, and found our rhythm together. We took a safari where we watched REAL elephants, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, and lions with no visible cage separating us.
We went to Asia for lunch. Chinese fast-food at its finest :) Saw gorilla's and tigers, learned how to look for tracks of rhinos and more.
We saw the Festival of the Lion King Show. It was as amazing as the previously seen Broadway Show. Little Charlotte fresh from her nap in the stroller LOVED it! Danced and clapped and waved and smiled the whole time. I got to hold her on my lap and sing "Circle of Life" in her ear. This was especially meaningful to me, as "Circle of Life" was her baby blessings theme. Lily kept her eye on the Simba Lion the whole time (as the mechanical lion blinked his eyes and turned his head), finally asking "Mom is he real?" and I said "I don't know Lily, what do you think?" to which she responded "Oh yes, Mom. I have been watching him, and I KNOW he his!" To this I smiled and said "You are right!" and she responded with much pride (no pun intended)
We ate ice cream, rode roller coasters, watched a parade where Minnie waved right at us and blew us a kiss. It was a day in the book of days that goes down as my favorite.
We then came home (you know, the pretend condo home where someone tidies up after you...puts your dishes in the dishwasher, empties the garbage, and refreshes your towels)...to watch the SuperBowl. Lily didn't watch the SuperBowl and instead spent her time jumping on the bed practicing her monkey moves from the Lion King Show (or so she reported). When we went to bed to say our "Amens" (as we call them) Lily's went like this...
"Dear God. I love to live. Thank you for my life." And I thought to myself...job well done Mommy and Daddy. For this exact statement is all you could wish for as a parent of a newly turned 5 year old.
The end.

We were rooting for Seubert. Nevermind he wasn't playing. We ALWAYS root for him!