4 Trips + 1 Premier AP = Priceless Memories ~ WDW Plans posted!

[lovesdumbo]

I know I have not been posting much lately on the dis but wanted to say that I am thinking of you today. I saw a very heartwarming photo of Megan giving Cherylann a hug at the airport in one of the BLB photo albums.

they are going to name the area in Jim's memory " Jimmy's Play Place" my guy was always ready to play and was a big kid at heart!

How wonderful!!!

 

[mommy2mrb]

thank you Christi and Tink

I know I have not been posting much lately on the dis but wanted to say that I am thinking of you today. I saw a very heartwarming photo of Megan giving Cherylann a hug at the airport in one of the BLB photo albums.

How wonderful!!!

thank you....the minute they saw us the hugs began! the Gengels are so sweet!



today was okay...since we are think raw from our emotions of the trip it made today a bit harder...had a little cry tonight, and shared memories too

thank you again for everyone's support and prayers, they help us so much!

 

[mommy2mrb]

going to be cheering on our Seahawks today then meet Megan's BFF Karlee and her mom at an open house at ArchBishop high school...they are thinking of having Karlee go there too!

I will be posting our final day in Haiti tomorrow...

have a wonderful day!

 

[blessedmom4]

It has been three years full of raw emotion and I am sorry. I can't understand, but I am here for you. I know the rest of the story. I will be looking for the pics and the update and bolstering you i sprit as you write the next part of the journey! I you!

 

[blessedmom4]

Thinking of you! Wish I could do this in person!!!


Praying Megan is much better today!
​

 

[morgansmom2000]

I wasn't around all weekend, but wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you all day Saturday.

 

[mommy2mrb]

thank you Judy and Jennifer! knowing we had so many people keeping us in their prayers helped so much!

Megan has gone back to school today and feeling so much better

 

[KatMark]

before I post an update...have a story to share....

Friday night during the tour of BLB with Cherylann, she stated that the 2 courtyard areas (currently covered with gravel) they would eventually switch them to be covered with astro turf.....a warm rush of feelings washed over me and I though to myself "That's it, this is the specific project we were looking for to add something to BLB" so after thinking it over a bit, I pulled Len and Cherylann aside and told them my plans.....we had raised almost $2,000 from Jim's bday fundraiser in October, including a very nice donation from Jim's bosses and company...I pledged to make the astro turf project a reality, which they were so thankful for!

so when we got home I put a call into Mike's office and talked to his wife yesterday....the most amazing thing! Mike said that they will take care of doing all the work and shoulder the costs of the project....they are such wonderful people to do give such a gift to us and BLB! I then called Cherylann and she can't wait to share the news with Len! we are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives!

so in a small way the project Jim was there to do in Haiti will become a reality!

I forgot to add....they are going to name the area in Jim's memory " Jimmy's Play Place" my guy was always ready to play and was a big kid at heart!

I'm behind and I know I have more to catch up on, but I saw this and I just had to say it warmed my heart.

 

[mommy2mrb]

Our final day in Haiti....I slept so good and woke up about 5am thanks to the local alarm clock - rooster up the hill from BLB. so decided to get up and ready to free the bathroom up for Megan, Kristen and Christy when the 6am wake up call from Len came.

headed up to the roof to watch the sunrise, it was so calm, cool and crisp and felt wonderful after two days of being hot and sticky. as I watched the sun rise I heard the animals from the village, roosters, goats and donkeys, then some voices and a few cars on the road below. as I stood there taking it all in I thought of my Jim and had a good little cry...as soon as I started crying a little breeze washed over me and knew it was my Jim

started hearing others moving around in the building and went down to get a cup of coffee...when Len did his famous wake up call "Good Morning Grand Goave" - take off from the movie "good morning vietman" so I headed back to our room to get megan up...she wasn't too happy, but we had a strict schedule to keep that morning....finished our packing and headed down to breakfast of coffee, juice, bagels, eggs and bacon, mangos and bananas...

we helped get chairs moved over to the chapel area for mass with Father's Bob and John...these men are so wonderful and fun loving...just had to get a photo of them before mass started...ever seen a priest like this????

was a touching service and I asked Father Bob to bless Jim's stone, he also blessed Megan and I.

we hit the bathrooms, filled up our water bottles and said good-byes to those who would not be coming to the Hotel Montana....so hard to do this, but know we will be going back and be in contact through FB helped a little bit.

some photos before we left and going down the hill from the panel truck

this is Angela and Nathan - Gama is her husband and is in charge of the building

we transfered back to the bus and vans to head to the Montana....Sundays are usually pretty quiet for traffic, but once we got back into Port-Au-Prince we hit some grid-lock on one small side street...took up about 20 min to go one block...after getting through that area we drove by the Palace, which has been taken down due to the damage - sorry didn't get good photos since we were on the other side of the bus

this is the area around the palace....in this two blocks there were 30,000 people living in tents...this is wear most of the TV stations were situated also with their cameras

more in next post...........

 

[mommy2mrb]

The Hotel Montana....


as we headed up the mountain, Megan started to cry...she couldn't go to the hotel, I knew in my heart she wasn't ready and thankful she stayed behind on the bus....

a few photos of the hillside

I had a talk with her that I needed to go, and asked Richie Gengel who was also staying on the bus...gave Megan a hug and told I loved her and would be back as quick as I could....knew she would be safe...we had 3 of our security people outside and also the embassy sent two guards since the roads are so narrow, they were directly traffic for us.

I was able to get into the first van and as soon as sat down, I started shaking and crying...the ladies sitting next to me grabbed my hands and held them tight.... all I kept thinking was my Jim drove up this driveway and it hit me so hard. as we pulled up to the parking area we got out and I just stood there...trying to catch my breath and take it in...was too much beauty, it hurt....I headed over through the pool area to see the view I knew Jim saw

as I walked back through the pool area I realized there were people staying at the hotel...having lunch, swimming and laying in the sun...it was so surreal...here we were all walking around in tears and hugging each other and they were there enjoying the stay and looking at us....the main building was destroyed and taken down, but they had some small buildings they are still able to rent out as they rebuild ....

we all headed over to where the main building was and Len told us a bit about it (he had been able to get into Haiti 11 days after the earthquake with the other Lynn University parents) we couldn't see anything due to large walls. I never was able to find out what room Jim was in, or where he was found in the building...all we do know is he had checked in, we received his room key card back with his belongings.

I then walked down to the Peace Garden...it is very small and in a quiet spot off the parking area...it has a beautiful view and I felt peaceful in it...spent a few minutes and said a prayer for Jim and the other men who died Joe and David and for John who survived and the remaining who also died there and placed his memory stone, a photo of us at Jones Beach and the words of the song we had on his memorial CD "one more day"

as I turned to leave...the sun came through the tree branches and I knew again that was my Jim....

last thoughts in nex post

 

[mommy2mrb]

after more hugs, we loaded back into the van....I needed to get back to my girl and in such need of a hug from her....she had been able to stay calm while I was gone and gave me a big hug....I shared what I saw and did, but she wasn't ready to look at the photos yet.

we headed back down the hill, everyone was quiet and could tell deep in thought for what they had seen and felt.

as we got closer to the airport, Len told us what we needed to do as we got off the bus and into the airport....the craziness hit us hard after the quiet of the Montana....we stood in a line to get our tickets, then another line to have our passports stamped and customs forms taken, another line to go through security...this all took well over an hour...
we finally got through to the waiting area and was able to buy a bottle of soda and water, as we were talking to the others our plane was called...we still had over an hour before we were scheduled to take off...Len didn't tell us there was two more check areas....we had our passports and tickets checked and headed up the stairs to where we had to throw away our drinks...no one told us or I wouldn't of bought them....went through a check with a metal detector wand and then our bags were searched...
as we waited to walk down to the plane, I looked down and saw a penny...this one was a bit brighter than the first one, again knowing Jim was still with us.

the plane ride back to Newark was uneventful and on time, we talked a bit to those around us and tried to rest....since most of the group was heading back to Boston about an hour after we landed, we didn't get to say good-bye to everyone, which we regreted not thinking about that earlier....we got through customs pretty quick and did say good-bye to those we saw including the Gengels, thankfully!!!!

we headed out to the shuttle for the hotel which pulled right up, got checked in, got our boarding passes and headed up to our room...I called mom and texted Nan and Michelle we were back on US soil....Megan got in the shower and we ordered a snack from room service, I took a shower and then we settled in for the night.

Monday am we were up early and back at the airport for our 730 flight which was delayed a bit...other than a bumpy descent and landing into Seattle it was good....we arrived home at 1230 and we just collasped...

as hard as this trip was, we are so blessed and thankful to have taken it...the many wonderful people we met helped us through and knowing we had so many people back at home keeping us in their prayers lifted us up and gave us strength.

Haiti will be forever in our hearts and souls!!! we are looking forward to returning some day to work with the children of BeLikeBrit and see our friends there once more.

We came home with a greater appreciation of our lives and the people in them and know we are blessed.

thank you for all the love, support and prayers you all have sent our way, you are a part of our family and we love you all!

 

[mommy2mrb]

I'm behind and I know I have more to catch up on, but I saw this and I just had to say it warmed my heart.

it is such a wonderful gift Jim's boss is donating in Jim's memory

 

[blessedmom4]

Glad Megan is at school. I am just bawling, I am thinking of what we talked about in the middle of the night and just so moved to see theses pics. I had seen Jim's stone of course but love seeing and hearing about it from your perspective. Strength and love coming your way dear friend.

 

[mommy2mrb]

Glad Megan is at school. I am just bawling, I am thinking of what we talked about in the middle of the night and just so moved to see theses pics. I had seen Jim's stone of course but love seeing and hearing about it from your perspective. Strength and love coming your way dear friend.

thank you sweetie

 

[KatMark]

I don't even know what to say. Can I just get on an airplane right now and give you and Megan a hug? The pictures are beautiful, the sun shining through the trees brought more tears as I knew that was your Jim. A beautiful recap, and I'm so glad you were able to make this trip. Hugs to you and Megan.

 

[mommy2mrb]

I don't even know what to say. Can I just get on an airplane right now and give you and Megan a hug? The pictures are beautiful, the sun shining through the trees brought more tears as I knew that was your Jim. A beautiful recap, and I'm so glad you were able to make this trip. Hugs to you and Megan.

you are so sweet Kathy, thank you...we will have a BIG hug fest in December right! (((I see you added a new ticker)))

 

[jedijill]

from me as well. What a moving, gut wrenching trip.

Jill in CO

 

[mommy2mrb]

from me as well. What a moving, gut wrenching trip.

Jill in CO

thank you Jill

 

[DMGeurts]

My heart just breaks for you and Megan as I see these pictures... Bawling my eyes out. I can imagine how hard that must have been for you, yet what a small relief it was to be there.

Many hugs as always.

D~

 

[morgansmom2000]

I can't wait to hug you in person too. Counting the days!