Family of Five: Vacation!

We just returned from a week long family vacation. Unfortunately, Ryan couldn't join us on this trip. There isn't a whole lot he can do in Disneyland these days and he can't enjoy the beach either. The last time we attempted to take the entire family to Disneyland, it didn't turn out very well. We tried to get Ryan onto the one or two rides we felt he could go on. One of them being Pirates of the Carribean. And even that ride caused him pain and discomfort. For those that have never been on that ride. It's basically a boat ride with one or two small drops. But, we soon realized that just sitting up in the boat was painful for Ryan. It's sad that the progression of this disease takes away so much of what he is able to participate in. At this point, the only way Ryan is comfortable is when he is sitting in his power chair (specifically designed for him) or laying in his bed. Most positions make it even impossible for him to swallow anymore.

We began our trip with a stop to the Redwoods. The kids enjoyed seeing Paul Bunyan, walking through the Trees of Mystery (where I went as a kid) and a beautiful tram ride up to the tops of the trees! Beautiful! We also enjoyed some play time at the beach there. After we arrived in southern CA..... we spent two full days at the beach. So different from the Oregon coast! Warm enough, even in October, for swimming in the ocean. Steve and Jorie enjoyed swimming in the ocean while Josh and I just waded in the shallow parts! We also spent two full days in Disneyland. It was a lot of fun and we made a lot of memories. There is always a little bit of sadness that Ryan can't always join us for our family trips. But, I also know that Jorie and Josh need to experience family vacations too. I will attach some of my favorite pictures from our trip!