On rollercoasters and boxes of chocolates...and mixing metaphors

I have to say it....I really love how our brains work...I mean as humans.  I love it that you can be laying in bed, not asleep and not yet awake, in that in-between part (oh....I love that in-between part...but that's another post) and your mind can be transported back to some memory, remembering every feeling, and every teeny tiny detail ... Delicious!  I was transported this morning to Orlando....
 A couple of years ago, we took everyone to Florida for a post Christmas Vacation.  One of the days we spent at Universal Studios.....I must admit, going to theme parks with all adult children is....fantastic!  My son-in-laws were especially crazy....they were on a roller-coaster buzz and energy was super high.  That was for everyone but Mattie.  Mattie hates roller-coasters.  I mean HATES-Loathes-abhors-would like to kill..... roller-coasters.  So of course we had to force her onto the hardest one there...

Needless to say,  we didn't do anymore forcing after that.  I'm thinking a public apology is in order...."Sorry Mattie.....we are dorks".  But that is really not what this post is about.  Let's press the forward button....so we ran from coaster to coaster all the crazy day. We were nearing that "happy-go-puky" theme-park-high.  There was no end in sight for the guys.  They had gone on the hulk, and the dueling dragons a hundred times and even they were starting to reach their fill.  As we walked through the crowds, there were families everywhere with blurry eyed kids crying for mercy..."please, please....release me from all this fun...."  Some had just had it and were sleeping, their iron grip intact, with corn-dogs in one had and cotton candy in the other.  Their parents were headed for the front gate in defeat....(huuumph...wimps) " No! Not us!  We are the family with grown up kids...we shall press on!"
"Jeff said....we have to go on the Dueling Dragons one more time before the park closes!"  Everyone (except Mattie) let out a long nice "baaaa" (like sheep) and we all headed over to the line.  We even waited in the "longer" line so we could sit in the very front where it was supposed to be more exciting. Anticipation was building...we finally got up to the gate to get on....the gate opened.  We rushed on...the straps secured us.  All of a sudden, there was a little thunder....and What the?!  It started to rain. I mean like--buckets! This is where my most favorite quote of all time was uttered....from a carny....

"THIS ROLLER COASTER HAS NOW JUST BECOME....A WATER FEATURE."

Off we went...into the dark rain filled night.  Just in case you ever  need to know in the future....rain really hurts when you are on a roller coaster.  We were like little children on a swing set, with an angry sea monster squirting us with a fire hose!  The raindrops were like needles!....and they were shooting up under our eyelids!  Round and round and upside down...Please! PLEASE....Angry Sea Monster....make it stop!
When it did stop....we learned that they had closed down all the rides in the park.(too dangerous) We were the very last ride....(go us.)  We were completely soaked....like we had gone swimming in our clothes.  We got off the stinking dragon and just tried to make sense of it all.  Then....we started to laugh.  Granted, it was one of those laughs that borders on crying....but, it really was hysterical.  We walked out of the ride....to Mattie who had been waiting patiently. (completely dry)  And silently walked to the exit gate.

I decided today, that life is just like that.  A great big roller coaster.  It twists and turns, and "just like a box of chocolates....you really never know what you're going to get"!   It seems like some people are on a wimpy-kiddy ride....others are facing a giant sea monster with a fire hose.  Either way, after all is said and done....I think the best thing, is to stand back and laugh a bit.  Even when it feels not so funny.

Oh ya.....after that we learned that there is nothing funny about being stuck in an overcrowded van full of "adult" children soaking wet for an hour long drive.....just sayin.