Hank's Wish Trip ~ Dreams Come True!!! *update 11/28 post 46*

[Lambflock]

I finally have a moment to sit down and start my pre-trip report! I am new at trip reports, so bear with me!!! I will also let you all know that I am the world's worst speller. You have been warned!!!

Now, go grab a cup of coffee and join me as I talk to you about my favorite thing! My family!

My DH, Kevin, and I have been married for 13 years (come Aug. 19). We met in high school and I will tell you that I thought that he hung the moon. I fell totally head over heels for that man! It took him a little time to warm up to me! But in the end I won him over with my good looks and charm!!!

We were married in 1995 and welcomed our first child in 2000. I so wanted to have a millennium baby!! Who also happens to be my wish child!

Here is where I get to tell you about that millennium baby and I already have tears in my eyes. On March 10, 2000 at 7:13 in the morning I got to meet the next man that would make my heart melt. His name is Henry Thomas, named after his great-grandfather and his grandfather. We call him Hank. He is one of the lights of my life (the other you will meet soon!). I had a very hard pregnancy with him and in fact was pre-term labor for 5 months. Hank ended up coming 3 weeks early and was born healthy, thanks to steriod shots, great dr's and lots of prayers!

At age 3 Hank was diagnosed with Asperger's (high functioning Autism). Then at age 5 he was diagnosed with epilepsy. At age 6 he had his feeding tube put in due to failure to thrive. At age 7 Hank went to Baltimore to John Hopkins for 3 months of feeding therapy. That didn't work and he has continued to get sicker. He totally has the dr's puzzled. He is part of Community PedsCare Hospice (who refered him for a wish). They do know that he having liver problems and his has suspected Mitochondrial. Currently, Hank is having problems with memory, uneven pupils, headaches and lack of cordination. He is scheduled for a MRI at the end of the month. Lots of prayers welcomed.


Now on to the other light in my life. Her name is Mackenzie Hope. Her name we fell in love with and her middle name is from Sept. 11. We were having our ultrasound done and just found out we were having a girl when the first plane hit. Mackenzie joined our family on February 2, 2002 at 7:13 at night. Notice how both my little people were born at the same time but one AM and one PM! She came out perfect and screaming! She has brought nothing but joy to us all. She has the biggest heart and loves her family more anyone I have ever seen.

She has cut her hair off for Locks Of Love, she has had lemonade stands to give money to the children's hospitals that have cared for her brother and she has become his biggest protector. Now, don't get me wrong, she is 100% complete diva and drama queen!

She loves all things girly, sparkly! She loves to read these trip reports and can't wait to back to the house of mouse!!!

(I told you this was going to be long!! Will continue in the next post!!)

 

[Lambflock]

On to Hank's wish! His wish is to go to Orlando and do Jedi Training and stay at Give Kids The World ( www.GKTW.com ). Hank is a total Star War, Indiana Jones and video game junkie. He loves those things. So, even though we live in Florida and he could have picked anything ~ that is what he wanted and it is his trip! I will let you all in on a secret, I was stoked that is what he picked ! I love Disney and couldn't wait to go back.

Hank took his first trip there this summer. It was a blast and he did great!! It was Mackenzie's second time going. Her and I did a mommy-daughter trip last August to do the Pirate and Princess Party It was a blast!!

We are all looking forward to going! I am enjoying doing some planning and making some ressies!! So far I have BBB for Mackenzie, Rainforest Cafe and Ohana for breakfast one morning. The kids still want me to get the castle (good luck with that one), Whispering Canyon Cafe and Coral Reef. Not sure how we will fit this in but I will try!!

Oh, I almost forgot the best part! We are going Nov.6-12!! So we don't have to wait too long! Also, the park will be decorated for Christmas!!! One of my favorite times of the year! I adore magical things and times!!!

I will try to figure out how to post a picture and get some up of all of us!! Be on the look out!!!

 

[bigdisgrandma]

Janel,
Great Start to your PTR. No one would ever know that this is your first try at such things. How wonderful that you get to take your family to Disney World and enjoy the benefits of a Make A Wish trip. We know about Asperger's at our house as one of our grandson's has been diagnosed with it. Isn't it amazing how these young children can adjust and adapt to all the trials that are thrown their way and keep on going? Thanks for sharing these most personal parts of your life. Can't wait to hear all about your plans.
Denise

 

[oklamomof4boys]

Great start to your TR. I look forward to reading more. You are just going to miss us. We get to GKTW on Nov. 16th!

 

[Lambflock]

Here are some pictures of the "cast":

Kevin (dad) ~ 37
Janel (mom) ~ 35
Hank (wish child) ~ 8
Mackenzie (sister) ~ 6

Kevin, Hank and Mackenzie

Me (Janel) and Kevin

All of us at Disney in July 2008

 

[Lambflock]

Ack!!! I used shutterfly, so why are my pictures sooooo small?????

 

[HeatherN]

Wow, you are off to a great start! I can't wait to get to know all about you and your upcoming wish.We just got back from my daughter's wish trip last weekend.

 

[Lambflock]

Janel,
Great Start to your PTR. No one would ever know that this is your first try at such things. How wonderful that you get to take your family to Disney World and enjoy the benefits of a Make A Wish trip. We know about Asperger's at our house as one of our grandson's has been diagnosed with it. Isn't it amazing how these young children can adjust and adapt to all the trials that are thrown their way and keep on going? Thanks for sharing these most personal parts of your life. Can't wait to hear all about your plans.
Denise

Thanks so much! I was thinking maybe I was going to bore you all with the detail!!

Great start to your TR. I look forward to reading more. You are just going to miss us. We get to GKTW on Nov. 16th!

We are thinking of maybe extending our trip on our dime. If we do maybe would could meet up at one of the parks! That would be awesome!!!

Wow, you are off to a great start! I can't wait to get to know all about you and your upcoming wish.We just got back from my daughter's wish trip last weekend.

I have been reading your trip report and have been loving it!!! The outfits are great!

I can't wait for you to walk me through making some shirts!

 

[oklamomof4boys]

I would love to meet up with you if you are still there when we are there.

Carol

 

[sherreis]

Count me in. Love to read TRs of Wish trips and surprise trips. I'll be thinking about you and the MRI and sending prayers your way. Hank is about weeks older than my youngest DS.

Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[Lambflock]

Okay~I have been doing some planning and I sure that this will all change (and I need to be flexible) but here is what I am thinking so far. Tell me what you think.

Hank really wants to do a lot of the night activites at GKTW so I didn't make any dinner reservations.


Anywhoo ~ On with the plans!!!


Thursday ~ Arrive at GKTW and hang all day. Do the Christmas Party that night there.

Friday ~ Magic Kingdom!!! Mackenzie has an appt. at 1:20 for BBB!!! We also have 10:15 ressies for Ohana character meal!!! Then do the Pirate and Princess with Shamu at the Village.

Saturday ~ Universal Studios!!! Maybe do Mayor Clayton's B-day Party (unless you all have a better idea)

Sunday ~ Animal Kingdom and Epcot!!!! 12:30 ressies at Rainforest Cafe. At night play Candy Land at the Village.

Monday ~ Sea World!!! Still looking at getting ressies for Dining with Shamu. Then back to the Village for Safari Double Dare.

Tuesday ~ Hollywoos Studios!!! This is where Hank will get to do the Jedi Training and Indiana Jones!!!!! Stay for Fantasmic!!!! Also, we have ressies for Whispering Canyon Cafe at 1:45 (not sure why I made them for this day)

Wednesday ~ Islands of Adventure or Magic Kingdom again! We also check out of GKTW. We may extend our trip on our dime though. We only live about 2 1/2 hrs away, so we aren't sure yet.


Tell me what you think. Should I add or take away anything?

 

[bigdisgrandma]

Your plans sound great! I think your kids will love it! And so will you. I love the pictures of your cute family. Can't wait to hear more.

Denise

 

[sherreis]

Your plan sounds great.

Where is GKTW? And, what kind of place is it? I've read about it in a lot of the Wish TRs and I haven't asked.

 

[mistymouse5001]

Hi great start!

 

[Lambflock]

Your plan sounds great.

Where is GKTW? And, what kind of place is it? I've read about it in a lot of the Wish TRs and I haven't asked.

GKTW is in Orlando. It is an awesome village for families that are ona wish trip. I can't even begin to explain it or do it justice, but I can give you a link that might help!! http://www.gktw.org/pre/Village/village-story.asp?p=village

 

[twinmum]

Hello! Great start to your TR! Yes, we'll be at GKTW at the same time, for part of the visit, anyway! I assume you'll be at the Christmas party on the Thursday night, and you can bet we'll be there too! Look for the family with twin boys...and you can check out my pre-trip report for some pix as well!

I haven't written much about our specific plans, but I do plan to do so soon!

Alison

 

[Lambflock]

YES, YES, YES!!!! We will be there that night!! That will be the night that we arrive(Nov. 6th)!! I will be the short mom with the tall dad , cute as anything dd and son that will make you laugh!!!

I am sure we will find each other and we will take a great picture and show it to everyone on here!!!! I can't wait!!

 

[sherreis]

Thanks for the link to the GKTW. DS8 and I just watched the videos and we were both quite impressed and he was quite moved when I explained what "allows" a kid to stay there.

 

[Lambflock]

Thanks for the link to the GKTW. DS8 and I just watched the videos and we were both quite impressed and he was quite moved when I explained what "allows" a kid to stay there.

Thank you!

But I have to say that I was quite moved by your TR! I hope you can pull it off and I can't wait to read what happens!!

 

[Lambflock]

I am having waaaaaaayyyyy too much fun planning and making ressies!! I keep finding more and more places I want to eat at. There is no way that we can eat at all the places I want, see the parks and hang out at GKTW!! Good thing we live in FL and I am starting to get DH hooked and not be such a Disney-hater!!

I have a question about the photopass. Do you have to look and edit your photos before you leave the park that day or are they just put onto your cd? When you get the cd can you edit and add the cute banners and other stuff?