Rolling thru the WORLD in a wheelchair on a WISH trip! 8/12 NEW UPDATE*CR CAPTIVES!!

[5dwarves]

That is another area my DH is looking into, Huntsville. He is a government construction rep and he builds new prisons, but he's thinking of going into a different branch of the gov't and hoping if he does that to get on in Huntsville where they are building five new missile plants. I would think I would have a better shot at finding a decent paying job in Huntsville rather than Tuscaloosa. Am I right?

I never heard of Coach Saban and Roll Tide, lol, guess I'll find out next year, hahaha!

Yes, there are suppossedly 6000 new government jobs being transferred to this area in the next 4 years. Along with that go all the contracting jobs that support those programs, so we have been expecting some huge growth here. There is a 4 year university here as well and they do a lot of continuing education for the engineers and techies so there are jobs and educational opportunities there. My son's high school won the US Dept. of Ed. Blue Ribbon award for being the best school (public or private) in the state (one given in each state). They had more national merit scholars than any other school in the country (I'm told) and students there make the top 20 Academic Allstars in the nation. My daughter's band went to Disney last year and won several first places (golden Mickey's). We are 14 hours from WDW, btw. A day trip in a car. It is a good place to live. I can pm you real estate web addresses, school web addresses and a bunch of employment web addresses if you are leaning this way. The town is smaller, but we have a lot of "big city" stuff (symphony, nice parks, pro atheltic teams (arena football, minor league baseball, minor league hockey) museums, nice restaurants, etc.) A new mall just opened up this month (our 3rd major one) and it is kind of like an outdoor plaza. They have a carousel and, get this, gondalas...LOL...just in case you thought you were in Venice and not Alabama. We are 2 hours from Birmingham, 2 hours give or take from Nashville, 2 hours from Chattanooga, 3 hours from Atlanta...lots to do fairly close.

As far as learning about Roll Tide and Nick Saban, well if you move to AL you won't be in the state 5 minutes without being inundated with it. This is Saban's first year to coach at Alabama. Some crazy person actually NAMED THEIR BABY SABAN!!!! this summer, before the guy had ever even coached one single game...no idea if he was any good or not!!!! Shocking!!!!! The "Saban is our Savior" posters at the game just kill me, as if they needed saving from last season when they only lost 3 or 4 out of about 15 games (I think)....as you can tell, football (college mainly) is out of control here! On the plus side, the grocery stores and the malls are all empty on Saturdays during the games

 

[5dwarves]

Leah:

It is awesome that Wishing Well was so generous. I see the magazines they gave you for the plane help you with your habitat house too! How very thoughtful of them!

Someone said Braeton looked like a teenager in the making when he was holding the money. If I could just get my teen to stop growing out of his shoes and jeans and stop eating 4 x more than eveyrone else, I would have big wads of cash like that too...LOL....oh well, I can dream!

I'll keep you posted on our TX travel plans! Do you like your bbq brisket chopped or sliced? Yum!

~Elisa

 

[LeeLee2U]

Great update, how cool that the w/c wheels light up and how sweet of the family on the boat to give the boys their ears

Wow what great gifts you got

Thank you Jo Yes It was Christmas in September for us!!!

I think Marek (my wish kid) would be happy with JUST the gifts. Holy moly- looks like Christmas and Birthdays combined! Good for him!!! What a great wish organization they must be. Very generous and so awesome for the kids.

You are killing me with the updates- I need at least a whole day not just the wake up!! More, more, more....

Yes The Texas Wishing Well Foundation is THE BEST!!! Well at least as for aswe are concerned!!!!!! And I'm sorry for not even getting out of the resort. It's just I tend to give details which make my updates long and I know some people prefer shorter updates so I was trying to make it easy on them. It wasn't that I was running late to an app. It was that I really had ya'lls best interest at heart!! And Yes as I said at the beginning of this TR I was very overwhelmed and in awe when they handed the bags to us. What was neat is there was gifts for all of us!!!!

I agree wit Eeyore's mom.....need more please!! Look at all those gifts..wow!!

O.k. O.k. Just for you, I will TRY to at least get us out of the resort and into the park today. So look for another update.

Yeah for an update


Wow...the wish organization is amazing.

All that stuff you got is great..I love the pic with Braeton and the money...a teenager in the making


I never unpack...minus toiltries..

We live our of our suitcases


Hmmm..I am going to guess you get everything you want to do minus the hair cut??, as the line was huge and the kids didn;t feel like waiting??

Am I close??

I wasn't going to totallly unpack, but it is so much easier to find it all when it's out of the suitcases. I left all the clothes in the baggies and just put each ones in a diff. drawer. I did take some hang up clothes and hung them up and then got all the meds orgnaized.
Oh Yes, If any money is left out at our house, our kids think it's finders keepers. I don't even want to THINK aboutwhen they become Teens!!!!!
And your answer was...............(DRUM ROLL PLEASE)..................


you'll see in future updates!!! :rotfl2:

Great update LeeLee, I can't wait to see what you do when you leave the hotel that day. Wow you sure got some nice gifts from the Make A Wish. That is so wonderful! Looks like they gave you some serious cash too, looked like $100 bills!!! I am so glad to know that they really do give so much to the Wish Families, they sure do deserve all they get and more.

I can't believe you are going to iron your clothes for Disney. Once you get there you will be all hot and get wrinkled anyway!!! Waiting for more pics from that day!!!!

Yes The Texas Wishing Well Foundation is who we went through and they are Great. they went way beyond my wildest dreams!!!!

Yeah! An update!

Love the pic of B with the money! Too darn cute!

That is so wonderful that they were so generous with you - look at all the wonderful gifts! That's amazing!

I was playing on one of the games earlier, while I waited on an app.!!!! Yep Braeton and his $$$ Can you believe we actually had some of it put up!!???

Leah:

It is awesome that Wishing Well was so generous. I see the magazines they gave you for the plane help you with your habitat house too! How very thoughtful of them!

Someone said Braeton looked like a teenager in the making when he was holding the money. If I could just get my teen to stop growing out of his shoes and jeans and stop eating 4 x more than eveyrone else, I would have big wads of cash like that too...LOL....oh well, I can dream!

I'll keep you posted on our TX travel plans! Do you like your bbq brisket chopped or sliced? Yum!

~Elisa

You Noticed the Magazines!!!!!!!!! I thought that was so thoughtfull of them! Speaking of which. They finished the road and are now marking out our foundations!!!!
UGGHH Braetn eats so much now i can't imagine when he gets to be a teen!! And Yeah my Dad used to say if he could just have a nickel back for every can of hairspray, pair of pantyhose and all the feminine products he had to buy for us he'd be a rich man!!!! There was 4 of us girls plus my mom, And back when we were teens BIG hair was in. So a lot of hairspray. And NO don't even ask for the BIG hair pics!!!!
Yes keep me posted on your travel plans. Have I pmd you my #? If not I will!!!

 

[5dwarves]

You Noticed the Magazines!!!!!!!!! They finished the road and are now marking out our foundations!!!!

Yes keep me posted on your travel plans. Have I pmd you my #? If not I will!!!

Very exciting to hear that things are underway on the habitat house. When do you start working on it? Does it still look like closing at tax time? Gotta love that refund check!!!!

I have your address but not your phone. If you give it to me now I will lose it...LOL. I am a room mom at the elementary school and we are doing book fairs, authentic Thanksgiving pilgrim meals, field trips etc. My oldest asked if he could have a few people over for the Alabama Auburn game the weekend after Christmas...We have a big screen TV so I said, sure, why not. A few (5-6) has turned into 25 I need to feed 25 teenagers and fit them all into one space to watch a football game! My house is not big enough. LOL. I think we are going to move the TV into the garage and have everyone bring a folding lawn chair. Anyway...things are chaos here, and I would surely lose the phone number if you gave it to me. I'll ask closer to departure date.

~Elisa

 

[hjohnson6]

That is quite the pile of presents! Great trip report so far! I can't wait to hear how your first day at Magic Kingdom went.

 

[LeeLee2U]

Very exciting to hear that things are underway on the habitat house. When do you start working on it? Does it still look like closing at tax time? Gotta love that refund check!!!!

I have your address but not your phone. If you give it to me now I will lose it...LOL. I am a room mom at the elementary school and we are doing book fairs, authentic Thanksgiving pilgrim meals, field trips etc. My oldest asked if he could have a few people over for the Alabama Auburn game the weekend after Christmas...We have a big screen TV so I said, sure, why not. A few (5-6) has turned into 25 I need to feed 25 teenagers and fit them all into one space to watch a football game! My house is not big enough. LOL. I think we are going to move the TV into the garage and have everyone bring a folding lawn chair. Anyway...things are chaos here, and I would surely lose the phone number if you gave it to me. I'll ask closer to departure date.

~Elisa

They haven't told us when we start actually building yet, but it looks like we may be through@ Feb!!! Yep That's where our refund is going!!!
I understand the room Mom thing. I am Room Mother Chairman for Braetons class, Room mom in Tylers class, Volunteer, Menntor and now the Chief Decorator for Thanksgiving Feast!!! I asked several weeks back if they still needed me for the feast and was told they would let me know. I've decorated the last couple of years and last year just kind of ended up over it. I was asked to head it up for this year, but hten the ***. principle and head teacher that was over it, both resigned in the summer. Anyway today I was asked could I be completly in charge!!!!
I had just packed up a bunch of my mini gourds and was shipping them to Iraq for my nephew and his squad!!!!
Don't worry I still am sending them stuff, but it just has a few mini gourds in it now. It's a box of homemade cookies surrounded by Thanksgiving stuff such as napkins, leaves mini pumpkins gourds, etc.....
Anyway right now I feel like my head is spinning round non stop, so I understand!!!

 

[LeeLee2U]

That is quite the pile of presents! Great trip report so far! I can't wait to hear how your first day at Magic Kingdom went.

If I can manage it this evening I will have another update then!! If not then I will have one tomorrow!!!!!

 

[dismom9761]

Hi LeeLee! I have been MIA because of working a second job but wanted to let you know that I loved the recent updates.

 

[mrsksomeday]

Hi LeeLee, great updates. I am finally all caught up. Bill and I were so happy to see CM's in wheelchairs, it gives him hope. Can't wait to read more .

 

[Trentmom]

Hey LeeLee!!!

Just checking in...

Looking for an update.

But I see you were busy, so hoping you unbusy yoursellf, as we want more!!



Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Eeyore's Mom]

yes, we need more info please!!

 

[IkeandMike]

Great update. Love all the pics. And alas, we always plan to get out and to the parks by 8:30. I think once we made it, and that was only because the kids were dragging my dh out by his ear.

I can't believe all the stuff they gave you. Braeton's smile is just priceless!

 

[LeeLee2U]

Hi LeeLee! I have been MIA because of working a second job but wanted to let you know that I loved the recent updates.

Thank You!!! How is everything going? And ANOTHER job!! Bless you!!

Hi LeeLee, great updates. I am finally all caught up. Bill and I were so happy to see CM's in wheelchairs, it gives him hope. Can't wait to read more .

You're BACK!!!!! Yeah I thought the Wheelchair CM's were awesome. Now Bill needs to go work for them and then We will have to make a way to go back just so we can go see him!! And you of course!!! I'm going to have to check your thread!!! I can't wait to hear how it was!!!

Hey LeeLee!!!

Just checking in...

Looking for an update.

But I see you were busy, so hoping you unbusy yoursellf, as we want more!!



Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would LOVE to unbusy myself!!!

It's kind of crazy @ here!! (As usual!!)

An update coming up next, if I can hurry!!!!

yes, we need more info please!!

O.k.!!! Look below!!!!

 

[LeeLee2U]

First I have to apologize!! I promised an update the other day and I didn't do it!!! I'll make up for it I promise!!

Braeton has been doing the strange fever thing again and is n ow on his FOURTH round of anitbiotics in the last couple of months. He has been keeping a major sinus infection since before we left for our trip. They are going to schedule him for a CT scan to check and see if he doesn't have a fungus growing if he's not better by Mon. Plus all the other "life things" We have had a couple of school projects. I was the chief and as it turned out ONLY decorator for the boys school Thanksgiving feast Thurs. And then last night went and decorated our church fellowship hall for our Fall Fest today of which I have got to get in gear and bake NOW!!! We also are having kids choir practice for Christmas right now (of which I diret) and extra practice for our Adult chorale (Of which I sing in and torment my sister who is the director!!) And then we just did our special Veterans day service which was very awesome! And I've been trying to do a few things for my nephew in Iraq. He's got a busy month of packages!!! Thanksgiving and then his 21st birthday is Dec 14th and then Christmas!!!! I'm the middle child of a family of 5 and we are all close, so everyone sends things to him not counting our churches and our friends churches and his Dads job!!!! Of course the boy has complained!! Yep he's complained!!! Want to know of what??? Of course you do!!! It seems he was getting a TON of packages, so many he has to go to a different area with a truck to get them. Now he wasn't complaing of that, because he shares all his stuff of course and the guys in his squad wouldn't allow him to complain of that!!! But anyway he was getting all these packages and he wasn't getting any letters at reg. mail call!!! So now we mail his letters seperatly!!! I don't get to send packages very often. But we do try to send letters and cards often. This will be our 2nd Thanksgiving and Christmas without him EVER!!! The first time was last year. We thought he'd be home by now, but O.k. I;m going to get off that tangent before I get depressed!! Update coming................................

NEXT!!!

 

[LeeLee2U]

Great update. Love all the pics. And alas, we always plan to get out and to the parks by 8:30. I think once we made it, and that was only because the kids were dragging my dh out by his ear.

I can't believe all the stuff they gave you. Braeton's smile is just priceless!

Thank you!!!!
Yeah I always got up early, but for some reason The time always decided to jump up a few hours before we got anywhere

 

[LeeLee2U]

So we have to go to the store and Oh WOW DH had went down while ai was getting the kids dressed and he had bought batteries for my camera!!!!! YEAH NO more going dead in the middle of a shot!!!! Anyway we had eaten breakfast from the suitcase of snacks and breakfast items I had brought. So we are off to MAGIC KINGDOM!!! We go out the door and head to the boat dock. Oh, Yeah you can only go to MGM and EPCOT from there, so we turn @ and it took a min for me to gget my bearings. OH YEAH! The bus stop is out front! DUH!!! So we go back throught the lobby and head to the bus stop, where we wait, for a while!!! It is getting a little crowded and the bus pulls up and all these people go heading through the doors, when the driver stops them and asks them to get off please and wait. Then he proceed to let down the ramp and we are off on our VERY first Bus ride in a wheelchair!!!! Braeton is looking around in amazement and this nice lady tries to talk to him. He's not talking today!!! But he does finally grin at her. She comments on our shirts and we get in a conversation and I tell her about Braetons WISH and as we are talking I suddenly notice that the Bus has gotten VERY quiet and people are leaning in listening to the conversation!!!! THen we are THERE!!! As the doors open people congratulate us and WISH us luck and a great time! Several people stopped and said Hi to Braeton and told him to have fun!! It was a great moment. They weren't rushing off , everyone was smiling at us and then boy once their feet hit the pavement they were OFF!!! The Driver unhooked Braeton and helped us off, he then gave the boys stickers!!!! and we were off to baggage check! Now I had hhoked the Backpak on the wheelchair again and COULD NOT get the handle off the chair!! So I go over to the side and wrestle with it for a min and THEN .................................

It cam e off. Got the Back pack went throught the check and we are off to the gate!!!!

We go through the line AND.......got sprinkled with Pixie dust. Oh look it's so pretty. There were pumpkins everywhere and everything was BEAUTIFULL and then PHOTOPASS so we grabbed him and he said o.k. stand here.

after a few shots he says lets do something fun. O.k.
boys cover your eyes like OH NO!!!! and mom and Dad turn to each other.
O.K.
Now kiss!
HUH?
Well act like you are kissing!

Oh I didn't get that do it again!!

Try it one more time!!!


WHAT!!!

Gotcha I got it the first time!!!


It's Disney World I think I'll let him live.....

THIS time!!!

So off we go to Guest relations and get Birthday buttonsfor Tyler and DH.
When we leave we are going straight through MAIN street, no detours no Bypasses, we can do this later when it's not crowded and then we see
Our first character......
Do we go to her or do we wait??? Then I see a CM go up to her and we are standing there and a little girl runs past us and gets her autograph and we just kind of move up and the CM smiles at us and then a WHOLE bunch of people come up and these kids move right in front of Braeton and rush up to her,knocking into his chair. The CM just looks at us horrified and then says PLEASE form a line BEHIND these people. And Then it's our turn and another child runs past us and moves in on........
And the Mom comes up and starts snapping pics and the CM says EXCUSE me, but you need to wait in line these people are nest and the Mom Huffs at us as I try to undo Braetons brake and I hear a remark about the wheelchair from someone in back of us! WHAT????? O.k. Remember the nice people on the bus Leah, Remember the nice people... And then we see.........

She was GREAT. She pointed her finger at that little girl and shook her head. She kept blowing kisses to the boys and tried to get DH to kiss her and acted all miffed because he wouldn't. I had Braeton tell her she was pretty and he got all shy, but OH BOY she went into full action on that one. She primped and pranced! It was great. I'm glad I had batteries for the camera!!! We saw her several times later and she woauld always pull her handler over and tap the boys on the head or wave! It was a GREAT first character experience!!

So off down main street we go and we see

THey were singing and then noticed the B-day buttons and sand the Birthday song to DHa nd TYLER and then they asked Braeton if it was his B-day?
NO?
Then it must be your...
UNBIRTHDAY and broke into the Unbirthday song

It was really great!! There was so much to see that it was hard to keep to the plan. So off we headed to the castle!!

 

[LeeLee2U]

So down main Street we went and then MORE Photopass...

Now something fun!! Cup your hands together!! Oh could it be??? Are we going to get the--------------- pic??? Yes we are!!!!

And then to the Castle show we went!!!

We were really enjoying this and then the music started skipping and Donalds voice was sounding a litlle wierd and then
"Pardon us for the interruption. Our show has been cancelled due to ....blah blah blah... Something about the sound. We tried a couple of other times, but they were not ready. Oh well. The boys are thirsty, hungry and ready to do something. Braeton was not feeling well as you can tell in the Pics so we were going to try a few rides and or characters, eat and then go rest! We got them a drink and snacks and off we went. O.k. Now here is where I messed up, We kind of fwandered abound for a minute. After all my carefull preperation on the DIS i had left my plans and map at home and was LOST! So I found a map and looked like all the other NON Dissers and carried it around and did a WHOLE lot better!!!
Braeton said Mommie I'm not feeling happy!
well what would make you happy??

Pirates!!!
So off to find some PIRATES!!!

 

[Trentmom]

WOOHOOTY!!! An update from LEEEE!!!

First up, I am sorry Braeton is not feeling well. Please keep us posted on his situation



Now, on the trip update, what a great bunch of people on the bus.....Very heartwarming


Love the kissing pic...That was so funny, they had you do it twice


How awesome that you got meet Clarabelle as your first charatter. She is so cool!!

As far as the comments people were making, that was so rude and really made me mad. They are lucky I was not there, I would have told them exactly what I thought

I am glad you didn't let that damper your day.

How cool you saw the Dapper Dans....They are awesome and so sweet they did the unbday song for Braeton

That stinks the show malfunctioned. We only have ever seen a few mins of it, but sure is cute show.

DS loves the pirates...WE had to do that one 3 times in a row


Have fun at your festival today

Thanks againg for update

 

[Eeyore's Mom]

It is so easy to make me happy!! Yae for the update I am sitting here with a grin on my face while my boys are asking me what is so funny. Your whole post made me smile, except the rude people but sounds like it was handled really well. Your boys are so darn cute! Thanks for taking the time out of your VERY busy schedule to do an update I do hope things improve for Braeton by Monday!

 

[Mommy2Briana]

I am loving your trip report I have caught up all in 1 day. That is so cool that your family got this trip I hope God continues to bless your family.. Can't wait for the next update count me in.