Christmas Miracles

Picture it.
Tacoma.
2011.

Zoolights.

Thousands of cars stretched out several miles to the entrance of the park.

Two families.  Two minivans.  Finding parking looked bleak indeed.  Might this mission be aborted?

The above photo is a reenactment.

And then....

A Christmas miracle occured.

The Whalens and The Flynns not only found parking spots amongst the thousands of other parking lot seekers, but they found them right next to one another!

It was most certainly divine intervention.

We made our way to the entrance and, while waiting for tickets, the boys waited patiently and happily.

Finally we found our way into the zoo and the beautiful light displays spread out before us.

We adults were the picture of calm and peace and the children showed excellent restraint and self-control....

okay.  sure.  we'll go with that.

no one was lost.  that's the important accomplishment when parents are racing around after an 8 year old, a 7 year old and a 3 year old.  And the 2 year old did NOT fall out of the stroller in which he STOOD. 

I'm pretty sure the highlight of the evening was the carousel.  The site of the second Christmas miracle....with a line that wrapped around the perimeter of the carousel, the boys (and moms) waited in line through 3 rides and had plenty of time to have their hearts set on very specific animals...Tristan wanted the outside black horse with the dead rabbit on the back, AJ wanted the leaping frog right next to that and for Tiernan there was nothing but the tiger that would do.  We moms prepared them to be happy with whatever they could find, but then, AJ spoke a prophesy....

"I bet we are going to be FIRST in line for the next ride!"

And so it was.

Do you see the dead rabbit?  Successful carousel hunting trip.



Triumphant Tiger Tamer!



I believe there were actually 3 miracles that night.  The third was that young Tiernan left his hat on the entire time.  (the same cannot be said for the mittens).  And when the hat was finally removed from the weary head?

Spectacular hat hair to show for it.