The whole extended family gathered outside the hotel to walk over to Disneyland. Faroke had already mapped out the best route between the high speed thrill rides.
"Faroke slow down," Meghan scolded, "we have three days."
"But i want to do it all mama," Faroke replied.
"You will," Nathan said, "but it's not about how many times you can do each of the big rides."
"I figured out fast passes and everything," Faroke said.
"We will but people want to see the characters and explore as well," Meghan said.
"Mama can we see Elsa," Allison asked.
"We will baby girl," Teddy promised.
"I want to see Woody," yelled Leo.
Teddy ran through the check list, "stroller, backpack, camera, phones, battery pack, water bottles, snacks."
"Mama lets go," Annie called, she would never admit it but she was excited, she loved Disney and had since she was a little kid.
"Do you have everything," Teddy asked.
"Josh does," Annie replied, "backpack, water bottles, hats, sunscreen snacks."
""I'm not wearing mouse ears," Josh said.
"What about a Mickey Mouse hat," Annie asked.
"Nope," Josh replied.
Annie looked up at him with a smile, "not even for me?"
"We'll see," Josh replied, he couldn't handle what he called the face when she looked up at him with a little smile, she could get him to do almost anything with that look.
"Are we sticking with mama, uncle Owen and the littles, or going with the adrenaline junkies," Annie asked.
"I want to do the rides," Josh said, "I've never done anything like this."
"I know," Annie replied, "we could move between groups."
"We're all staying together at first," Meghan said.
They walked along chatting about random things in small clusters.
"Mickey," Leo yelled as they walked through the front gates.
"Main street USA ," Owen boomed.
They walked down main street with massive smiles.
"It's Mary Poppins," Meghan pointed.
"And Bert," Annie said.
"Photo of our Mary Poppins with the real one," Teddy suggested.
"Mama you have a photo maximum ," Annie said.
"Just do it," Teddy said.
"I'll take it with your phone so we can post it to Instagram," Josh suggested.
They waited in line for the photo then continued up the street. They turned into adventure land
"Splash mountain or big thunder mountain first," Annie asked, she loved roller coasters.
"Either," Faroke yelled.
"What has the shortest line," Nathan asked.
Josh checked the App, "thunder mountain let's go."
"Allison is a bit short still," Teddy said.
"I'm not a roller coaster fan either," Meghan said, "let's take the little two to chip and Dale's tree house."
"Sounds good," Teddy said, "then we can all do the jungle cruise?"
"We have three days," Owen said, "we'll do it all."
"We can split up into groups," Teddy said.
"Mix them up through the day," Annie said, "I'm glad it's not busy season. We missed spring breaks and it's not summer yet."
They split into groups to explore the park Annie and Josh went with Faroke to find the bigger rides. Nathan wasn't a huge fan of rides and Owen wanted to stay with Teddy and the younger kids.
Annie and Josh were walking back to the hotel after a long day in the park.
"What did you think," Annie asked.
"I liked the rides but it's a bit over the top," Josh said.
"It's a lot," Annie replied, "I'm looking forward to a few minutes with my book in the air conditioning before dinner."
"Do you want to do our own thing," Josh asked, "you look like you've had enough."
"I need half an hour," Annie said, "tomorrow what do you want to do?"
"We're all going to breakfast with the characters. Your mama booked that," Josh said.
"We are," Annie replied, "but after breakfast?"
"More rides maybe the other park," Josh said.
"I'm in," Annie said, "it has bigger rides."
"We'll go with the flow," Josh said.
"Mama can we see more princesses," Allison asked.
"We will tomorrow," Teddy said, "and we'll see some at breakfast in the morning."
"Will Annie go on rides with us," Leo asked.
"Maybe," Owen said, "there's a couple she wants to do with you. We have two more days here."
"Can we go on the car ride again," Leo asked.
"We will," Teddy promised, "and the tea cups. We'll find some new rides two. Now we need dinner, a swim in the pool, showers and bed."
"What's for dinner," Leo asked.
"We're going to a restaurant," Teddy said, "daddy and I will help you order. You get to choose."
"Do they have chicken strips," Leo asked.
"Probably," Teddy replied.
"Is Faroke coming," Leo asked, the little boy had recently started to idolize the teenager.
"Every one is going for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow," Teddy replied.
"Where are Annie and Josh," Owen asked.
"They were doing some rides with Faroke and Meg," Teddy replied, "then they wanted to walk back a different way. I think she's had enough of other people."
"But she's with Josh," Owen said.
"That doesn't count," Teddy replied, "she's always going to be our introvert."
"She's gotten better at hiding it," Owen said.
"And our 5 day trip with family she doesn't have to," Teddy said, "that was the hardest part of the Haiti trip for her that she was on and social 24/7."
"These two are loving it," Owen said.
"Did you see Allison's eyes when she saw Elsa," Teddy asked, "she almost jumped out of the stroller."
"We're not bringing the stroller tomorrow," Owen said, "we can carry them if we have to it's too bulky."
"They're too old anyway," Teddy said, "it was helpful in the airport but it's time we got rid of it. Our babies aren't babies anymore."
"They aren't," Owen agreed.
Leo who's friends all had babies at home asked, "daddy can we have a baby?"
Teddy laughed, "Leo I told you mama is too old to have another baby. I have three children. Annie, Leo and Allison. We have all the kids we need."
"Annie isn't a kid," Leo said.
"She's not but she's still my daughter," Teddy said, "she's a lot older than you. But she's still your big sister."
"I asked daddy if we could have a baby," Leo said. There was no faulting the boy's logic; some days he was just too smart for his own good. But he was almost as introverted as his big sister with people he didn't know well.
"Leo," Owen said, "only mamas can have babies if mama said no it's no."
"Why," Leo asked.
"Because mama is too old," Teddy said, "mama is a lot older than most of your friends mommies."
"Why," Leo asked.
"Because mama spent a lot of time teaching new doctors and helping soldiers before daddy and I had Allison and adopted you," Teddy said.
"Where was Annie," Leo asked.
"In Canada," Teddy said, "remember Annie grew up with Chris and his mom and dad."
Teddy knew Annie now refused to call Leslie and Dan mom and dad. The months of no communication and years of constant let down had made Annie give up. She was tired of fighting it, she was going to focus on her family here. In July Annie and Josh would start their final year of residency.
They spent two more days exploring Disneyland trying all the rides and meeting most of the characters.
"No go home," Allison whined on their last day.
"Our time is up," Teddy said, "we can come back one day baby girl."
"Soon," Allison asked.
"One day," Owen said.
"Please daddy," Leo begged.
"One day," Owen repeated.
"Did you have a good trip," Teddy asked.
"Yes," Allison and Leo shouted together.
"One more dinner out and we fly home tomorrow," Teddy said.
"Chicken strips," Leo asked.
"No," Teddy replied, fighting to hide her smile, "you can't live on chicken strips."
"Please," Leo begged.
"No," Teddy repeated, "we'll look at the menu together and pick something."
"Chicken strips," Leo begged again.
"No," Owen echoed Teddy, "you had them for lunch."
"If you keep arguing I choose for you," Teddy said.
After tucking the kids into bed Teddy and Owen sat on the deck outside their hotel room.
"Our first family vacation," Teddy sighed.
"I enjoyed that," Owen agreed.
"The kids loved it," Teddy said, "all of them."
"Will we do another vacation," Owen asked.
"Let's get home from this one and be home for a while," Teddy said, "you and I have been gone three weeks in the last two months. I want to be home a while."
"Next year," Owen said.
"Next year for sure," Teddy agreed, "maybe book one a year."
"Where next," Owen asked.
"I'd like to take the kids to New York when they're older maybe go visit where I grew up," Teddy said, "I've taken Annie to where I grew up."
"A fun one," Owen asked.
"Maybe take a few days in the summer if we can make it work and go explore Vancouver Island," Teddy suggested.
"Why Vancouver island," Owen asked.
"It's close to home and I loved Annie's photos from last summer, the ocean, all those trees," Teddy said.
"We could go camping somewhere," Owen agreed.
"I haven't been camping in years," Teddy said, "let's go for at least a long weekend."
"The fourth," Owen asked.
"No the biggest trauma weekend of the year we need to be home," Teddy said.
From their balcony they watched the fireworks from the park.
"Should we wake them," Teddy asked.
"No let's just sit here," Owen said, "they saw it last night."
"They are gorgeous," Teddy sighed.
"They are," Owen agreed, "but not as beautiful as you."
"Owen stop it," Teddy giggled, "our babies are right there."
"One more night," Owen whispered.
"You are hopeless," Teddy laughed, "I'm a 49 year old mother of three."
"And the most beautiful woman on this planet," Owen said, pulling Teddy into his lap.
"Owen," Teddy sighed, "not now."
"Teddy, I'm more in love with you now than ever," Owen said.
"Owen," Teddy sighed, "you are the absolute love of my life. I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. You are my person and my soulmate. I love you."
"I love you too," Owen said, kissing Teddy passionately.
She returned the kiss before pulling away and whispering, "tomorrow, when we get home."
One thing Teddy didn't doubt was that he was still attracted to her, he showed her that every day in his kisses, his arms around her waist or pulling her against his side when they stood together, the way he draped his leg over hers when they fell asleep at night. Together they were better, they brought out the best in each other and made the other stronger.