The Animal Kingdom is where we started the day, and Hollywood Studios is where we headed afterward.

The owl. These special birds hold a place in my heart and identity. Back when I was a small boy of about six years old, I’d seen an advertisement for Tootsie Roll Pops featuring Mr. Oliver Owl, who was portrayed as a scholarly Wise Old Owl. Well, Wise is my last name and I learned then that my last name means smart and full of wisdom, and so I would aspire to be that. This was my first encounter with wanting to be a lifelong nerd.

Again, here we are with the t-shirts, and this time, it is Caroline wearing a shirt of the Kodama from the movie Princess Mononoke that just came out about a month ago. It, like Disney, our relationship, and so many other things are part of the romance in our lives that are great reminders of how beautiful life can be.

More parades and great characters, but the truly special, super special part of the day was to be had after dark when we witnessed the most spectacular fireworks and laser show we’ve ever seen. This Year 2000 celebration show brought both of us to tears; it was so amazing and profoundly romantic.