We are coming home from Taiwan.....

We leave tomorrow morning to head back home and get ready for school to start and the summer to end. But we must say, this has truly been an amazing experience and a fabulous way to spend the summer. The places that we have seen and the opportunity to be surrounded in a different culture really was enlightening to our family. The best part was that we actually got Daddy here also....and that was the icing on the cake for each of us....
Christopher really proved once again that he loves his role and worked so well with the cast. He enjoyed working with this cast because he was surrounded by people from all over the world and really learned from each of them. This tour may be ending now but Christopher has experienced moments that he will treasure for the res of his life. We are proud as a family that we could support him and share this experience. We truly are blessed!!!
Now, we head back home and who knows what the future holds for Christopher. But we know one thing, these are the moments we will never forget.
Heading back to NY.......missing you all. Thanks again for your encouragement!

xoxoxo

Taiwan Week 5

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Week 4 Taiwan

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Taiwan pics......072808

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Welcome to Taiwan

When we look back and think about the experiences that we have had this year, it is so amazing to us as a family. We never imagined being apart for seven months and surviving but we must say that our hearts have been touched by watching Christopher grow in his role with Lion King and develop into an actor that is so in love with the daily challenges he faces.

He truly loves being a part of Lion King.....and so just when we thought it was over and moving on to new phases we were quite taken back when Disney asked Christopher to be a part of the Lion King production in Taiwan.

We arrived here a week ago, and it has been really busy since. Christopher is in rehearsals daily, costume fittings, etc and getting ready for the performances which start Aug 2. The city of Taipei has been quite gracious with the actors and families that are here for the production. The tawainese people are so excited about the show. The venue is amazing and seats 6000 people per show. The cast has been assembled of all the various tours (a blended combination) there are people from the South Africa tour, the London tour, the US tours, the Austrailian tour....and now they are here together as the Asia cast.

Yesterday Chris was off and we went up into the Snow Mountain area of Wulai to visit the Aborigine villages. It was beautiful to experience their culture - we were surrounded by the highest mountains, beautiful waterfalls, and gorgeous landscapes. We participated in the traditional folk dancing of their culture. It was a truly memorable experience.

We will be here until Aug 25th and then..........................well we will sit back and see what happens. We will share pictures with you as we continue to experience this country. Thank you for your love and support.

Chris, Melissa & Alexi (yeah, she got to join us this time!!!!!)

Tampa.....to home

Spending the final two weeks in Tampa was amazing. We were so fortunate to be able to share it with soooooo many loved ones. The family surrounding us and sharing the final shows just made it all so much more worthwhile to Chris. Grandma Baby (Christopher's Great-grandma) was so proud that she was witness to seeing her baby up on stage. Vicky and 23 other family members came to the show.....and we had a great time. I am personally so blessed that my friends and family surround us with sooooo much love. Titi Ena and Uncle O came....Alissa and family....and the girls (Cynthia, Nadia, Jessica and Alissa again). So great!!!!

Thank you all.

Saying goodbye to the cast and preparing to come home was not easy for Chris. As much as he cant wait to get home to dad and Alexi and everyone else........this was an amazing experience and the end of the tour was bittersweet. He was thrilled to find out that he would be returning at the end of August for two weeks to cover for his replacement. We will be visiting Columbus, Ohio from 08/26 to 09/07.

You can see from the pictures many tears were shed....many friendships were developed and many relationships were strengthened in this experience.

Please know that words cannot express what your support meant to us.....xoxoxoxox

We will keep you posted on all the new opportunities that come up for Christopher.

YEAH HOTLANTA!!!!!!

OMG we have five weeks left and we are coming home. Things here in Atlanta have really been good. We are so happy to be in warm weather, around friends and family, and trying to enjoy every moment since we are heading home soon. We cant wait to get home just in time to enjoy the summer - like we LOVE to do summer.

We have gotten to spend a lot of time with Ivy and Luis and the adorable Isiah. And if nothing else that has made this city amazing. Grandma Pumpkin is here and got to see the show a few times so far. She was so excited and proud of Chris. We had a lot of fun Opening Night - well of course since Joe and Lexi were here. So far we have visited Six Flags & Coca Cola World. Lots to do here and we are trying to do A LOT.

Honestly, we just want to thank everyone for all of your support and love during this amazing journey we have been on. Our family could not have survived if not for that support. Those that were able to make your way out to share the experience we can't thank you enough. It meant so much more than anyone truly understands.

Miss you and cant wait to see you all..........5 weeks and counting.

Christopher and Melissa

Toledo, Ohio

Well we arrived to Toledo February 18th and we are going to be here until March 31st. Toledo is not as bad as we expected but wow....another cold city. We are staying in a nice little city called Maumee and it has not been bad. We have relaxed a lot here since there is not too much too do but thats okay because we know we will have a lot of fun in the next stop which is Atlanta. YEAH! Chris did the "Opening Night" show here and it was a great success. Joe and Alexi got to be here for that show and attended the Press Opening Party with us. Chris was working the crowd and did a great job mingling and taking pictures with everyone. Including VIP guests and the ABC local news cast. He has really grown up during this process.......

While Joe was here he met Andrew Z in the morning from Kiss FM (the number one morning radio show in Ohio) he arranged for a radio interview. After we got everything approved through Disney...they sent a publicist from Disney to escort Chris and his castmates (the kids) to the studio. They did a live interview and sang on air. It was really fun.....I even got a little speaking part myself which was a little nerve racking. The kids were sooooo excited when the ride to station showed up and it was a limo......its the little things that still make them feel amazing.

OK so talk about snow....we have had a total of 19 inches of snow while we have been here. WHEN IS SPRING coming???? We cant wait to head down South to Atlanta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night, Chris was involved with the Make a Wish foundation in granting a wish. A local girl here in Toledo with a terminal illness that unfortunately will be taking her life very soon was granted her last wish.....which was to meet the cast of the LION KING. Chris spent time talking to her, hugging, and showing her around. She was so grateful and he felt so honored to be a part of such a special event.

Well I think we filled everyone in.....but just in case, we have decided to come home when the contract ends in May. We are looking forward to being back home and Chris is anxious to see his friends, go back to school, and see what other opportunities are out there for him. This has truly been an amazing opportunity but also quite a challenge for us to be away for so long. So we should be home around May 19th and ready to jump into Summer mode :)

In case your wondering why we took a picture with the cut out guy...thats Flat Stanley. Alexi made him for a project in school. We received him via mail and had to spend one week taking him around. After a week, we sent him back with a letter of all the places he went and we sent some pictures of Flat Stanley with the cast, in the SNOW, and with us. Alexi was so excited to share this with her classmates!!!!

Missing everyone....and soooooooooooo looking forward to seeing our friends and family in Atlanta.

Melissa & Chris

Pittsburgh Jan 10 - Feb 17

Pittsburgh has been a very exciting and busy city for Christopher. We have truly enjoyed it here. Its a city filled with lots of things to do, terrific views, and close enough to home that we have been so lucky to have company every weekend. Opening night was a lot of fun.....Alissa was in town with us and joined us for the opening party. She was so taken by the experience of seeing Chris in the show....she cried reading the playbill before the show started which I thought was priceless. The following weekend we had Grandma Maureen, Barbara, Danielle & Joe, and Ashley and Carl. We made it to visit the Science Center which was really nice. Christopher loved having Ashley and Carl here to hang out with. While they were here we went to the Church Brewery. It is a 100 year church converted into a brewery. A little weird for me.....the bathroom is the confessional. The alter is where they brew the beer. It was an experience.

This weekend we had Aunt Kelly, Uncle Dan and some of our closest friends here. That was a BLAST!!!!! I was soooooooooo happy - when we picked up everyone at the airport I didnt even know who to run to first. Chris and I were ecstatic to have everyone here. So many laughs, too many laughs....!!! We had a party for Chris at the Hard Rock cafe and some members of the cast came to party with us. It turned out really great. Chris and his friends were up on stage singing with the band...they had the crowd going. We cannot tell you enough how much it meant to have everyone here....We miss them all already and are ready to see them again soon!

Christopher is still loving his time here, but he truly misses everyone. His friends, his family, his dog, Akari.......and his bed. LOL Oh, wait best news yet....Alexi stayed here in Pittsburgh and will be with us until Feb 23rd. She has brightened our days......

The last two weeks here in Pittsburgh will be fun and more company is expected. Christopher's fourth grade teacher is visiting (Ms. Weiss) and John/Janet Mantz.

The next stop is Toledo, Ohio and we are sure none of you are racing to visit us there.....so we will keep you posted, send pictures and see you in Atlanta.

Missing everyone A LOT,

Christopher & Melissa