January 22nd- Wanna trade?

This is the pin that started it all!

Alright, I'll admit it, I'm obsessed with pins.  It all started on July 3, 2005, which was also really the start of my second "Disney Golden Age".  I had just moved to Jacksonville Florida and my boyfriend at the time (now known as my husband) was making good on a promise to take me to Disney after we had finalized the move.  I was over the moon to be back "home" and was practically skipping down Main Street when we were approached by a Cast Member.  I love talking with Cast Members so I made some idle chit-chat while walking very rapidly toward Space Mountain.  The Cast Member began to ask us some questions about parades, and I admitted that I didn't usually watch the afternoon parade, but used that time to ride headliners.  The Cast Member then mentioned that I might be more interested in watching the parade from a different perspective, as the Grand Marshall.  I nearly fell over. 

It was all like a dream, and while we were back stage waiting to join the parade, I noticed that the Cast Member that was helping us had a Connecticut pin on their lanyard.  I asked them if that meant they were from Connecticut, and told them that it was my home state.  The Cast Member then told me about pin trading and asked if I participated.  I told them "no", but the CM took the pin off their lanyard, handed it to me, and said "I think you should start".  Well 500+ pins later, I would say that I took their advice to heart.

Anyway my daily Disney devotion for January 22nd is a bit of pin trading serendipity.  I was checking out at Babies R Us, when I noticed that the employee had Disney Pins on their lanyard!  I complimented her on the pins (Minnie and Tinkerbelle to be specific) and she told me that her family goes to Disney every year at Thanksgiving.  Its always wonderful to have a chance run-in with another Disney fan!