Everyone around me is falling apart ...

I'm feelin' it. I'm really feelin' it. I have several friends in very bad situations this Christmas - the end of marriages, custody issues, traumas and financial stress. It seems as though life has been swimming along and now - 20 years or so later - the accumulation of their life choices (or life's chances) have caught up. Unhappiness abounds around me right now and I am feelin' it.

It is interesting - as I talk with Eric nearly every day about one situation or another - how our role as friends change. This isn't like talking your girlfriend out of feeling sad she got dumped while you listen to Chicago's greatest love songs or telling taking your buddy out on a bender to get over a girl by morning. This is big time. Big stuff. This is trying to help your friends navigate through life's truly rough waters and it is hard to figure out just what my/our job is.

Do I play devil's advocate? Do I point out my opinion? Do I just listen? Do I stand up for her when she's not standing on her own two feet? What do I do? I told Eric, I'm trying to learn how to be a good friend in these new circumstances but I don't think I'm quick enough on the uptake for this crash course. Before any of you begin to feel as though I'm speaking right to you -- and we all know you're there -- this is not just about one relationship or one situation. Life for several of our close friends has gotten very hard and I want to "do good."

I want to come to the other side with these friendships in tact--stronger? I want to learn how to be a friend in these trying times and I suppose what I can rely on is simply looking back. Ending a marriage is certainly bigger than having your two-month-old high school romance cool -- but maybe chocolate, friendship and a few sad songs is still the way to go. Another idea - maybe I'll just ask.

Top 10 Things I Learned at Disney World

Let me preface this by saying we had a wonderful time. It was as wonderful and as stressful as I imagined it to be. Here is what I learned.

10. Disney World is not the happiest place on earth. If you actually look around you will hear crying, whining, tired, cranky kids and parents who are stressed and paying a LOT for it. Disney imagineers are experts at the bait-and-switch ... have you seen their commercials?

9. You have to make reservations at Disney World to eat anywhere that is not ... McDonald's.

8. Being upgraded during "The Year of a Million Dreams" was a beautiful, amazing and blessed thing.

7. Disney World is magical - my boys (Aiden especially) believed that Minnie loves to sew and that she is an excellent artist ("Did you see all the ribbons Minnie won, momma?!")

6. There is not much more stressful--or magically unbelievable--than the Magic Kingdom at night. The parade, the fireworks, the castle bathed in colored light, Tinkerbell's flight across the sky ... the people, the chaos the manic atmosphere.

5. My boys love roller coasters and the big two are old enough to stand in line for their favorites all by themselves.

4. Our economy is not that bad. There are plenty of people willing to throw good money at a mouse. Us included.

3. My husband is not used to being around his kids (let alone a million others) all day, every day, for a week.

2. My boys are helpful, funny, engaging, creative, tolerant, pliable and flexible little guys. When they're not having their moments. :-)

1. I'd go back in a heart beat to watch Aiden's face at the opening of the Magic Kingdom park, "Momma, this is my best vacation I ever had!". I'd go back to see Jackson get blindsided by a kiss from Cinderella. I'd go back to watch Cooper love roller coasters he was afraid of two years ago. I'd go back to watch Eric holding Aiden on his shoulders as Tinkerbell flew across the night sky. I'd go back to see my boys (all three of 'em) squeal with delight as Chip & Dale (Chip being my alter ego on skates) came past us in the parade yelling "Momma, that's you!". I'd go back in a heart beat to get all that time snuggling, holding hands, and truly being with those magical little boys.