Some Things Are Worth Waiting For

[Adalaide]

For those who insisted that there be pics, they will follow I promise! I'm waiting for a call from the photo place. Stupid hour.

So, last night I somehow managed to actually fall asleep. Sometime around 2 I think! I was beginning to be afraid I would be too tired to live through today. My alarm went off at 7 this morning and I bounced out of bed. I bounced to the bathroom and back to the bedroom. By then my husband was semi-vertical. I waited a moment then grabbed him and squealed "IT'S GIRAFFE DAY!!!" He seemed a little less than enthusiastic. I was so bubbly I was actually making myself nauseous. I don't do mornings.

I skipped breakfast because it is usually an hour or two until my stomach agrees with me enough to want to be fed. I more or less bounced around the house, having gotten everything ready to go last night. I had a checklist and simply had to verify it and put my refrigerated foods into the backpack. Finally we were off and only got lost once on the way there. Thankfully I planned "get lost" time into the schedule and we had 20 minutes to browse around the gift shop before heading down to animals.

I was thrilled the weather was cooperating. It is sunny today and only got down to about 0 or maybe -5 last night. (That is Fahrenheit, not Celsius so freaking cold, especially for Utah but it could be worse.) It is supposed to get up to 26 today but was only about 15 or so by the time we left the zoo. Whatever. He was complaining the whole time about how he was cold. I was warm from the inside out. Anywho... we waited in the gift shop because it has heat. It was still only about 5 when we got there.

Finally, it was time. We headed down to the giraffe building. We got there and walked in and there they were... three beautiful tall blondes and a brand new baby girl. One is shy and doesn't come up for strangers to feed, but I fed the other two ladies lettuce. I talked to their person about the giraffes. Then we did some of what they do for training, how they move the giraffes around. To reward them, they give them bread. Normally in any other circumstance I would have balked. Bread? Giraffes? Bring it on! I just won't kiss the giraffes or lick myself. Then finally.... I... I touched them and petted them.

When I was 3 my mother took me to the zoo for the first time. I fell in love that day. I'm 35 today. That moment I touched her was so incredibly magical I can't describe it. It sounds stupid probably, but it was just amazing. I even cried a little because of how insanely happy it made me. I waited 30 years for this, and it was so much more amazing than I dreamed.

I'll stop blathering now. The photo people called and I can go get my pics! YAY!!! (I was gonna get a few of the elephants, but it is so cold they won't come out. Sorry. )

[mushroom]

I'm glad it was magical, Addy. Bring on the pics!

[IrishHeart]

I just filled up with tears for you--at the sheer joy in your words!!

Yaaay!!

Does not sound stupid to me at all. I expect to bawl like a baby when I swim with dolphins in March.

[rosetapper23]

What a wonderfully planned day for you! Happy Birthday! And I'm so happy that it turned out the way that you had hoped!

[Adalaide]

Swimming with dolphins sounds like fun. (For other people, I have this really bizarre thing about water on my face.) Dolphins are cool!

So, we couldn't really use the flash in because they were a little skittish and it was more important that it was fun than to get awesome pictures. But they aren't awful.

So. Feeding the giraffe:

Petting the giraffe:

With the wireframe leftover from ZooLights for the holidays: (so I take dorky pictures and wear pink sneakers and a giraffe hat... so?)

My souvenir:

[kareng]

Love it!

[IrishHeart]

FANTASTIC pics!....great hat !!!! and you're gorgeous. Glad you had such a stellar day!!! .

[sora]

Wow! So amazing for you. What did the giraffe feel like? Soft or wiry ?

Great pics!

[bartfull]

WONDERFUL!! I'm so glad you had this opportunity! I wish I had had someone take pics of me and my baby elephant, but I know just how you feel. I's SO happy for you!

[GottaSki]

Yay! So glad you had a great day playing with the giraffes

[love2travel]

Does not sound stupid to me at all. I expect to bawl like a baby when I swim with dolphins in March.

Really and truly? That would be AWESOME!!!

[love2travel]

It is so great that you had such a fabulous day. You deserve it! And you are one cute girl. I understand your passion for giraffes. I am that way with a few things but the most recent is at a klapa concert in Croatia where I got to meet the (a capella) singers after (unplanned - this group is BIG and they were not announced to perform). The group came out and I shot out of my seat, tears trickling down my cheeks and shaking like a leaf. My husband was beaming at my happiness. My smile must have literally reached to both ears, down to my (flat) chest and up to my nose I was so thrilled and surprised.

Thanks for sharing your day with your celiac family!

[mushroom]

Whose dolphins are you going to swim with, IH? The Hawaiians? The Kiwis? Obviously there must be some warm water involved somewhere?

[IrishHeart]

It's on my "Things I have put off or had to stop doing because I was very sick and now I am not and I ain't gettin' any younger so I'm doing it!"

Bucket list.

Long title for those THINGERS, eh?

Once a month, I am doing something NEW or RENEWING something I lost. I started last March 2012 with our trip to Florida and I intend to continue doing these things on that list for the rest of my life.

The first dolphins I will play with--are in Key Largo. but never, ever count me out for your part of the world, Shroom. I have to renew my passport (on the list)

[love2travel]

It's on my "Things I have put off or had to stop doing because I was very sick and now I am not and I ain't gettin' any younger so I'm doing it!"

Bucket list.

Long title for those THINGERS, eh?

Once a month, I am doing something NEW or RENEWING something I lost. I started last March 2012 with our trip to Florida and I intend to continue doing these things on that list for the rest of my life.

How lovely, Irish. Man, I may have to take on that project myself. My husband and I have a very exciting life but to do something new/renewing something lost monthly is fantastic. There are so many thingers on my bucket list, too. And many are...ready for this?...food related! Shocking, I know.

Swimming with dolphins would be up my alley (I love the water and animals). When in March are you going? That is my birthday month so if you are there during my birthday you must give each of the dolphins either a big sloppy kiss OR a gigantic squish from me.

[IrishHeart]

That is my birthday month so if you are there during my birthday you must give each of the dolphins either a big sloppy kiss OR a gigantic squish from me.

I'll remind you when it gets closer and I'll take pics and email them (or gasp!) maybe post them on the chat. Not sure the gang is ready for IH in a swimsuit May have to wear my sunglasses and scarf.

[IrishHeart]

So Addy, there was much discussion about what B day cake you would make...what did you decide??

[love2travel]

I'll remind you when it gets closer and I'll take pics and email them (or gasp!) maybe post them on the chat. Not sure the gang is ready for IH in a swimsuit May have to wear my sunglasses and scarf.

As if. Photo required. You are adorable, inside and out!

Maybe I should buy myself an all-body swimming dress in black so it is slimming.

[GFinDC]

Neat picture Addy! It's so great you got to pet the giraffes and feed them bread! They are certainly amazing animals. Very cool critters. There was video going around of a giraffe fight earlier this week. This isn't it, but there are others on Ye Ol' tube. They said their necks weight 500 LBs.

Have fun swimming with the dolphins IH. But bring your own fish!

[Adalaide]

Wow! So amazing for you. What did the giraffe feel like? Soft or wiry ?

Great pics!

They feel exactly like I imagined. Their fur is soft but they're leathery underneath. Kind of like the kind of girls that could spend their lives on the African plains and kick lions in the teeth protecting themselves and their babies. Tough girls. My kind of girls.

WONDERFUL!! I'm so glad you had this opportunity! I wish I had had someone take pics of me and my baby elephant, but I know just how you feel. I's SO happy for you!

I wanted to take pictures of the elephants for you! Poor things just will not come out in the cold weather. I don't blame them a bit. The zoo isn't set up to have people inside their building so I didn't get to see them. Next time though. I wish you had pics of your baby to share! I'll bet the two of you were perfectly adorable together.

It is so great that you had such a fabulous day. You deserve it! And you are one cute girl. I understand your passion for giraffes. I am that way with a few things but the most recent is at a klapa concert in Croatia where I got to meet the (a capella) singers after (unplanned - this group is BIG and they were not announced to perform). The group came out and I shot out of my seat, tears trickling down my cheeks and shaking like a leaf. My husband was beaming at my happiness. My smile must have literally reached to both ears, down to my (flat) chest and up to my nose I was so thrilled and surprised.

Thanks for sharing your day with your celiac family!

Music is definitely something to get worked up about. Sometimes unplanned surprises are the best.

I'll remind you when it gets closer and I'll take pics and email them (or gasp!) maybe post them on the chat. Not sure the gang is ready for IH in a swimsuit May have to wear my sunglasses and scarf.

You really are not getting off the hook that easy. You just need to teach your husband to be a crack photographer and to put a dolphin between him and you!

So Addy, there was much discussion about what B day cake you would make...what did you decide??

I decided that I am far, far too lazy to cook or bake. I went to Sweet Cakes bakery in the city and got a half dozen red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Dairy be damned. Just watch me come back complaining in a week about my rash.

Neat picture Addy! It's so great you got to pet the giraffes and feed them bread! They are certainly amazing animals. Very cool critters. There was video going around of a giraffe fight earlier this week. This isn't it, but there are others on Ye Ol' tube. They said their necks weight 500 LBs.

I saw that story and the video of the giraffes! They said it was the most violent giraffe fight ever caught on video. Brutal! Only men. The male giraffe at the zoo is on loan to another zoo currently because the zoo is under construction. They are building a whole new African Safari thing, to open in the summer of next year. Still, they only keep one guy around because I suppose having two would lead to traumatizing small children.

[JNBunnie1]

That 'special thing' for me is butterflies- there's a fantastic butterfly conservatory an hour

and a half from me, and when I get really bad from all the stress in my life I go spend a day

there. It's also really nice in the winter because it's 85 and humid in there for the butter

flies, so it's a nice break from the winter weather!

[mushroom]

What a neat retreat, Bunnie!!!

[IrishHeart]

As if. Photo required. You are adorable, inside and out!

Maybe I should buy myself an all-body swimming dress in black so it is slimming.

Methinks you're just biased cuz you love me.

You really are not getting off the hook that easy. You just need to teach your husband to be a crack photographer and to put a dolphin between him and you!

I decided that I am far, far too lazy to cook or bake. I went to Sweet Cakes bakery in the city and got a half dozen red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Dairy be damned. Just watch me come back complaining in a week about my rash.

Funny you mention it: The hubs and I both are pretty good photographers, and I am very skilled in "hiding flaws" . Cupcake looks de-lish, kiddo.

That 'special thing' for me is butterflies- there's a fantastic butterfly conservatory an hour

and a half from me, and when I get really bad from all the stress in my life I go spend a day

there. It's also really nice in the winter because it's 85 and humid in there for the butter

flies, so it's a nice break from the winter weather!

That sounds like a wonderful place, Bunz! I went to one last year and I could have stayed there indefinitely.So cool when they land on you, isn't it? They make for the best subjects in our photographs.

My "special thing" is bunnies as you know, but Shroom calls them vermin, and others speak of shooting them, so I do not bring it up anyone.

I have petted many bunnies and squealed like a kid with joy, but the dolphin thing is something I have always wanted to do. No time like the present.

[GottaSki]

Swimming with dolphins again is on my list too .... they do it at sea world here, but I prefer them in the ocean -- on a very lucky day they come to play with you in our waves.

One helped me find the surface when I was trapped in "the washing machine" of big surf while body surfing as a young teen and once a small family played around me while kayaking --- me heat weirdness has kept me off the beach for the last ten or so summers - but I'll be back at some point.

[IrishHeart]

me heat weirdness has kept me off the beach for the last ten or so summers - but I'll be back at some point.

Oh yeah, you will!!!!! You got back skiing, you'll get this back too!

I could not "do the sun" for 5 years...the burning skin sensations and nerve pain just made me sizzle internally

.me? the sun worshipper. But I'm good to go now!

we never say die, babes.

I think Addy's big day made us all think how great it is to enjoy simple pleasures.Some people take

these things for granted, but not those of us who lost them for whatever reason.

Onward and upward!!