Grace is 20 months old today. How can it be she has been with us for 3 months? She is learning many new tricks. Climbing is her new 'thing'. She loves to climb into her high chair. Yesterday she climbed out of her crib. She has earned a new nickname based on her skills: Monkey. Perhaps it should be Princess Monkey as she is more and more girly every day. She squeals when it is tea party play time. We also spend time doing each other's hair (that's with Mommy, not Daddy...unless Grace tried to tame his eyebrows or something). She LOVES anything with shoes, hair stuff, dolls, etc. She is also more and more in love with 'brud-der'. The feeling is mutual for Carson.
Here we are...on the eve of our trip. It is very bittersweet. We are thrilled to be going on this trip. We're even more thrilled we are a family of four going on this trip. Seven years ago, Carson was recovering from his first heart surgery. He was a mess. Exactly seven years ago we were watching his bilirubin climb to unheard of levels, we were praying for his chest tube to dry up, I was in the midst of live donor testing, it was all a whirlwind. Getting ready for this trip brings a lot of it back.
We know this will not be just a typical trip to Orlando. We've heard from so many Wish families that Disney with Make-A-Wish (or any other wish organization) is like no other trip you could ever plan or afford. Carson has so many surprises in store (we know there are some for us too).
Still, we wish in so many ways that Carson didn't qualify for a Wish trip. (Which brings up...we've been asked repeatedly about if Carson is sick again...still a myth out there that kids have to be terminal to get a wish...you 'just' need to have a life threatening medical condition). Of course, we'd never change Carson. Never. We do realize more and more that we don't know what normal kid stuff us. Meds, labs, vigilance with germs and allergies...it is a part of life. We've learned so much. Carson has taught us so much. More than we have taught him, I'm sure.
So, it is bittersweet to qualify for such an amazing and special trip. We know we'll meet and see many kids that are not doing as well health-wise as Carson. That will be hard. Very hard. It will bring back a lot of memories from the hospital and Ronald McDonald House as Carson lost roommates and we saw families pack up from the House...much sooner than they planned...their world heavy from what was happening...they were leaving without their child. The worst pain.
So, emotions will be flooding back, but we'll be in a happy and magical place making amazing memories.
Here's our trip at a glance:
- Friday - drive to Minneapolis
- Saturday - fly to Orlando, check in at Give Kids the World (resort for wish kids/families)
- Sunday - Epcot
- Monday - Kennedy Space Center, beach time
- Tuesday - Animal Kingdom
- Wednesday - Sea World, Give Kids the World
- Thursday - Magic Kingdom
- Friday - Give Kids the World, fly to Minneapolis
We will not be coming home until the 19th - we are doing dr. appts. in the Cities for both kiddos. Great to get them out of the way!
We're also very thankful our neighbors are looking in on the cats and watching after the place. No parties, girls! ;-) Or at least clean up after yourselves!
Need to pull together some final stuff. We will try to blog here and there over the next few weeks!
1 comment:
Oh Rhonda . . . your blogs make me cry. ;-) I hope that you guys have a FABULOUS trip and I can't wait to hear all the stories when you get back! I am anxiously looking forward to seeing you a week from Monday!!! HAVE FUN!
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