A Make A Wish Trip - Final Update!! Pg. 33

[tmfranlk]

Hi fellow MDCer! He is awesome and we are planning on writing something up for WDW to acknowledge this guy. He was just awesome and the two CMs who made it happen were great as well! I hadn't thought about writing something up for MDC mag but perhaps I'll approach them. It would be good to get as much publicity for GKTW. Its amazing I had never heard of them but they are incredible. The guy who founded it wrote a book and it really is amazing how he got from Holocost victim to founder of GKTW. And GKTW is all through corporate sponsors yet you don't see much of that. Sure, the cups at the Ice Cream Palace say "Friendly's" and of course during the parties you see stuff from the big theme parks but there are sooooo many sponsors and you don't see it anywhere at the resort!

I second this! We got a copy of the book on a tour of GKTW and his story is amazing. If anyone ever has the chance to visit or purchase a copy of the book (you may be able to get it from the website). I would highly recommend it.

 

[SingingMom]

WendyGrace - house photos are lovely - let's see INSIDE!!!

 

[tmfranlk]

Yeah, I finally finished your wonderful TR!! Such beautiful children and the most precious smiles!! The outside of your house looks wonderful. I can't wait to see the rest. Best of luck recovering your hard drive. Makes me very thankful for my obsessive DH who backs up CDs incessently.

 

[Becky521]

I just found your trip report so I have a lot of catching up to do. I am a big mush at heart so your title caught my attention. And then I saw your pictures. Could your kids be any cuter? I am looking forward to reading the rest of your report.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[LeeLee2U]

Wendy the photopass pics are adorable!!!! And I love your new plants. Low maintenance you say?? Then I think I need to look into some of those for our house!!
I hope everything is going o.k. with ya'll. I won't be on for a while after today, B's surgery is tomorrow but I will be checking in soon! You did an amazing job on this TR! I hope I can do half as good reporting our trip!!

 

[tinker1bell]

I would give anything to wait in line if I could have a lifetime with my son and I know they would too. We go on these trips knowing this may be our last and sometimes only trip with our children. Letting us, who live our lives with people staring at us, know that you don't mind waiting in line makes things just a bit more magical for us. As being able to ride Peter Pan over and over again made my son's day and if he were to leave us tomorrow, the joy in his eyes while at Disney will never be forgotten.

Now I have tears in my eyes. Your comment really touched me. I appreciate your comments more than you'll ever be able to know. Thank you.

Okay, i have been reading along, but this really touched me. I think that with any family member that we have now or have had in the past, that means the most.

 

[tinker1bell]

WendyGrace- don't feel bad... even without "wiggly kids", SeaWorld is difficult to plan, IMO. Last year, of course on the HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR, we went and I did not enjoy it. The show schedule is very strange - you feel like you are running from one end of the park to another.

We were seated, waiting for the Shamu show to start, when a worker came in and said we (there were quite a few of us) weren't supposed to be in our seats yet, and made us LEAVE the arena! Of course, the line outside at this point was huge! It was the only time I ever saw Bob look like he was going to get into an argument - he told the guy, "don't even THINK that we are getting in the back of this line because someone on your staff didn't have the entrance manned." Oooo.. I was afraid we were going to get thrown out of the park!

We ran into a few "less than friendly" workers that day. I truly did not enjoy our day at SeaWorld and will not return.

And, I know what it is like, being the "photographer" of the family.... I threw the camera at Bob once and said, "take a picture of me so this child KNOWS that she HAD A MOTHER!"

I am really going to show my age, but I can remember many, many years ago I was taking my two oldest children to Sea World only because during the Christmas- New Years week WDW was fill to capacity at 10:00 am

We get the tram and go into the park and had a nice time. Not the best but it was okay. The thing that surprised me was when we were trying to get on a tram to get back to our car. It took about 5 tries because people were just running and practically throwing their kids on to the tram. That was really frustrating because they needed to have better crowd control. I cannot even imagine one family having issues with getting kids and strollers all together to get on the tram.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

hi. i just wanted to say i love your trip report. i'm sorry i missed all the excitment before and right after the trip but i caught up now! I think it is great what make a wish does for kids. I'm going down to WDW in Jan to work in the college program for 5 months and one of the things we can sign up for is to volunteer w/make a wish and i really want to do that, I think it will be an amazing experince. great pics too!!!

 

[wendygrace]

Thanks you guys all for your kind words. Tia, I thank goodness I was able to talk dd out of that haircut. I think its time for a cut again. I love her hair long but she won't put her hair up and its always tangled and a mess.

Tinkerbelluvr7, good luck on your college program. You will not regret voluteering at GKTW. I have even heard of some voluteers seeing the kids at the park and being recognized by a member of the park just makes the kids day! Its the small things that count.

OK. I'll get to inside pics this weekend. I think I've been avoiding using my camera since my hard drive blew. Isn't that silly? I will have to get that done though since I need a pic of my linen closet for a project. I'll just have to make sure I back up!!

Gotta run!

 

[tmfranlk]

Thanks you guys all for your kind words. Tia, I thank goodness I was able to talk dd out of that haircut. I think its time for a cut again. I love her hair long but she won't put her hair up and its always tangled and a mess.

Me too! I tried telling her that it would make me cry, to which she replied, "No it won't. I had to point out that just the thought was making me visibly teary.

Can't wait for the inside pictures!!! The small glipses of the kid's room I got on our Carepage have me very excited to see the rest!

 

[disneyholic family]

hi!
just wanted to say that i'm just starting your trip report now....it's very interesting so far.....
what a beautiful family you have...

ok...back to the beginning....

 

[MousekaMaddi]

sending warm healing wishes to your family........ Hope the surgery went perfectly!!

 

[Becky521]

Wendy, what a great trip report. Thanks again for sharing it with us. Your report just touched my heart - your kids look so happy. That is something you will remember forever. I love the fact that you let your kids have ice cream for breakfast. So many parents wouldn't and I just think it is great that you let them really be on vacation.

Your comments about people being upset that you got to go to the front of lines just made me shake my head. On our most recent trip we took a friend and her 14 year old grandson. At one of the attractions a family with a little boy in a wheelchair went past us towards the front. It was obvious this little guy spends most of his time in his chair. He went by and "Dopey" says "that kid's lucky. He gets to go to the front of the line". My daughter (13) looked at him with total disbelief and says "That has got to be the stupidest thing you have ever said. I'm sure he would trade places with you if he was able to". I was so proud of her. I work with developmentally disabled adults so she has an understanding and compassion for people. She was also handed a tough life lesson when she was 8. Her brother died suddenly and unexpectedly so she knows what is important in life.

I love your pictures - especially the ones where the kids are holding hands or hugging. Thanks again for sharing with us. Take care and I hope you keep us posted on Michael's surgery. He is in my prayers.

 

[patticake3]

Wendy, I found this a few days ago and loved reading every word! Thank you for sharing your family and your experience. I laughed and cried, I really did! We're hoping to go on my son's wish trip in March to Disney, Universal, and SW, so while your story was touching and wonderful in so many ways, it was also really helpful for planning! And thanks for sharing the good times as well as the real-life meltdowns - we can all relate and it was just so real and all the more touching! I love it that your neighbors got together to spruce up your home life! Sorry that your hard drive crashed - still hoping your find a computer wizard to help you with that. Sending you lots of positive thoughts for a successful surgery for your son and lots of happy times for both of your adorable kids, you and your husband, and your extended family!
-Patti

 

[Tortuga Joy]

Just subbing as I've read the first few pages and I've got to sign off now. I can't wait to read more; your family has really touched me. I think we all get so wrapped up in our lives and our own problems that we forget that others have it much worse than we do.

Your family is precious and I know you've got a huge prayer chain going for you! Can't wait to hear more and blessings to you and your family.

 

[disneyfanforlife]

I just read your TR. I loved it. My cusin ? has CP. So I know how hard it is for him. Yet his mom never treats him any different.
Your kids are cuties. I bet they enjoyed their trip.

 

[mboekhoff]

Great report so far! I can't wait to see pics of the house! I've been lurking but I had to post so I would get emails when you post again

Missy in MN

 

[Pez Pez]

Thank You so much for giving so much insight on what to expect. I felt like I was there with you with your words and pictures. I hope all is well with you and your family!!

 

[debbieb04]

Hi Wendy and family,

As you can tell from my number of posts I don't write often, but I read as much as possible. I have totally enjoyed reading your trip report, you (and your husband) did a wonderful job.

I became aware of GKTW through an internet group and have been donating through that group for a couple of years. It is so nice to read a trip report that explains how GKTW works and to realize that our donations are going to such a wonderful place! Hopefully on one of my trips to WDW I will be able to tour GKTW.

Thank you again for writing the trip report. I can't wait to see more pictures of your home (I loved your pictures from the trip). Congratulations on your new neice and good luck with Michael's coming surgery.

Debbie B

 

[Bill_Lin]

Wendy,

Did I tell you that you are our hero, who boldly went before and paved the way. Your experiences helped me to ask for magical things that other wise would not have happened. Thank you for sharing so much of your family experience with us. I am really looking forward to sharing in other folks' Wish Trips through their reports.

Thank you also for starting the Wish Tripper Unite thread. You are very special to all of us. May God bless you all richly.

Bill