We booked our tickets to Disneyland this morning! That marks the very last thing that could possibly be paid for or taken care of before we hit the States. There are just 23 days to go. I am beyond excited! It will be here before I know it and I just can't believe it. I can't believe it is actually happening. As excited as I am, it all still seems a bit surreal. This kind of trip has been a dream of mine for a long time, some parts of it for longer than others, but I never expected to actually be doing it, epseically not this soon.

 

Dreams are called dreams for a reason. They're those amazing, fantasy what-ifs that feel like some distant mecca. Almost a mirage on the horizon. A motivator for working hard, putting your mind to things, trying. But more often than not, they have this air of unachieveability about them. Whether they're considered 'big' or not, a dream is always big to you. That's why it's a dream, and it's a big deal.

 

Growing up, my family never had a lot of money. We weren't destitute, but there was little spare money for luxuries and even the food we ate was based around its affordability. Clothes were more often than not hand-me-down's with the occasional cheap newbie here and there. My parents worked hard to provide a life for my sister and I, my Dad often working away and my Mum taking on 2 jobs and a TAFE course after their divorce, just to keep afloat as a single mother.

 

While we never really felt like we 'wanted' for anything, I always knew that I could never keep up with all the cool new stuff that the other kids always had. Mostly I was ok with that. It wasn't so bad. But I do remember sitting down on a Sunday evening to tune into the Wonderful World of Disney. It ran for a long time, so I'm sure we all have our own family memories of this. But we loved it and we used to watch it without fail, right after our baths, all scrubbed clean and wrapped up warm and cosy.

 

It really was a wonderful world. Everything children's dreams are made of. I remember marvelling at this place, thinking it just couldn't be real, even if it was where Mickey and Minnie lived and where all these cartoons and movies I loved were made. It was just too good to be true. But it's not. It is true, it's the happiest place on earth. And I remember when 2 of my classmates went there. I couldn't believe it. It was SO far away. And such a big place. And I thought they had won the childhood lottery that their parents would take them there. I knew it cost a lot of money.

 

But that's ok, I thought. I will get there one day. Some day. In a long time. I thought that I would probably have children of my own before I would make it there. But that was ok, I would still get there eventually and then they would be the lucky ones. It was a dream that just seemed too big to ever come true, at least not for a long time. But everything seems so big when you're little I guess. I still can't quite believe that I'll be going there in just a few weeks, but I'm very excited. And even a little proud too I guess.

 

I know my family are all so happy for me and it makes me feel so good to see them that way. It really means a lot, to see them so excited for me. Encouraging me. Feeding my excitement. Celebrating this opportunity with me. And not just for Disneyland, but for everything. This entire trip, is made up of bigger and smaller dreams from all ages and stages of my life. And here they are, about to come true.