I’ll set the stage for you.

Spring Break 2018.

2 excited, self-sufficient, fun-loving young ladies.

1 entire week in Los Angeles.

Endless possibilities.

On the itinerary, of course, were the beach, the sun, and very good very overpriced ice cream…

...and last but not least, Disneyland! 2 days, 2 parks–too fun ;)

But the last time I went to Disneyland was with my parents. That’s right–good ol’ mom & dad. I wore my Mickey ears, eagerly traded pins, and let my folks take care of all the meals, fast passes, and navigating.

I thought the only thing that would transfer over to my 2018 trip would be the Mickey ears...if they’d still fit. And I’d now have to be in charge of everything else.

Big whoop, right?

I know kids go to Disneyland alone all the time; I’m behind the times.

But there were the new responsibilities: driving over an hour to and from the park 2 days in a row, paying for parking in the maze of the Mickey & Friends lot, buying meals with the steady income I don’t make, packing and carrying everything I’d need for the day (I hate wearing purses). And though I’d have the freedom to go wherever in the park I wanted, I also thought having to plan everything would kinda sorta...dampen…the magic.

And yeah, the reality of waiting in lines (some for literally 3 hours), for lack of a better word, sucks. Spending $20 on a meal that could easily be $7 anywhere else is inconvenient. And being unable to fully see the fireworks as a 5-foot young woman standing behind a 6-foot-1 father with a child atop his shoulders doesn’t quite work…

But ya know what?

OF COURSE my friend and I still had fun! Disneyland was still the happiest place on earth for us independent girlies.

I still got to trade pins with cast members. We got to choose how many Mickey ice creams, pineapple Dole whips, and churros we ate. & We got to laugh at all the cute but probably way-too-young-for-us boys.

But everywhere we ate, every ride we rode, every character we saw...I still thought about my parents. Thoughts raced in my mind like, “Ooh, my dad would’ve loved the avocado ice cream or barbacoa tacos from the California Adventure Food & Wine Festival!” or “Ohh, my mom would looooove the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride!” I even found myself thinking, “Hey, this was where my parents and I saw Woody & Jessie from Toy Story that one time!”

I didn't think I would even care that they were at home, and yet I found myself talking about them A LOT.

But hey, no crying at the club, right?

So, even though I loved having my own Disney adventure, I guess I did miss my parents. And I guess I’ve associated my love for Disneyland with them this whole time…

Maybe, just maybe, you can take the girl away from her parents, but you can’t stop her from thinking about them…

*(I know you’re reading this, Mom, and yes I love you :D)