Samuel's Make A Wish Pre-Trip Report

[HeatherSue]

I can't wait to see the pictures! I'm glad everything is going well with Pierre!

 

[jessica52877]

Hoping we'll see you while you are there! We are heading to disney the 19th also now!

 

[OneBlessedFamily]

Hi everyone,

We have been a bit overwhelmed, as you can imagine. Pierre came home on Saturday night and this last week was PACKED full of doctors visits, dentists visits, attorney's appointments....you name it, we had it. And all the appointments are 50 minutes away in St Louis, so when we go, we pack a day full of various appointments.

We have gotten the MOST AMAZING gifts in the mail in the past several days!!! Beautiful autograph books, jump ropes, coloring books, crayon rollups, and GORGEOUS clothing!!!! We got the cutest matching Minnie Mouse dresses for Gwen & Lydia, which of course they adored, since they want everyone to know they are sisters. They cannot understand for the life of them why people don't automatically assume they are sisters. It's hard to explain to them, because we don't like to focus a lot on looks in our many-colored family, but they were just AMAZED that people sent them matching clothing. So, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to the Big Give-rs who sent matching outfits for my girls! They are in love with you and will be forever. It made them feel SO special and I got tears in my eyes watching their excitement. Lydia said, "How did they know???" Gwen was very matter of fact though.... "Lydia, they're matching because WE'RE SISTERS!" (said with a bit of "duh!" in her voice. lol) And I loved the hem on Gwen's dress!!! It was the first thing I saw and it's like a pretty little wave....or sprinkle of pixie dust! So cool!!!!

We also got the neatest bracelets that the girls are just dying to wear!!!! They are beautiful!!!!

And then yesterday, I just got all gurgly (is that a word?) opening 2 packages. Well, watching the kids open them. Anyway, one of them had the most adorable shirts for Sam, Phoebe & Pierre. Sam's is Winnie The Pooh, Phoebe's is Piglet, and Pierre's is Tigger. Pictures will be posted soon, because I cannot do them justice! We put Phoebe's whole outfit on her -- the Piglet romper, the skirt, and then I added some pink tights and pink squeaky shoes, and she strutted around the apartment VERY proud of herself.

Last, but certainly NOT least, oh my goodness.....this package brought tears to my eyes because, well.... 1) it had something for ME in it (is that selfish? lol) and 2) the fabric was unbelievably gorgeous. The box had 2 matching toile dresses for Gwen & Lydia and a matching purse for me!!!! Our names are all embroidered on them and I just gushed tears when I saw it all. It was the last package we opened and everyone's kindness just built up until it exploded. lol

Remember I said that the hem is one of the first things I look at? Well, when Gwen pulled her dress out of the bag, I held it up and looked at the hem and OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! There, across the bottom of the dress, all the way around..... "Lydia & Gwen, sisters forever".

I cannot believe how much work has gone into these packages!!! And it was so neat to receive a little something for Pierre as well! I love all of the care that went into all the "extras". The tags, and the notes, and the cards....all came with a very special touch.

You have all BLESSED us beyond what I could have imagined!!!!

I SWEAR, pictures are on their way!!! I have to go pick up the kiddos at Mother's Day Out, and then we are back here for a quiet time before heading to a Christmas party. I really really really hope to get pics up while the kids are down for quiet time. I do hope that you all understand that this week has been busier than any other time of my entire life. This next week should be much better!

Tomorrow afternoon is Sam's send-off party! The girls BEGGED to wear their dresses (I'm not sure which ones yet), and I said yes, because I cannot wait to see them strutting their stuff!

Thank you again everyone!

Mary

 

[OneBlessedFamily]

Oh my word...I need *help*!!!!

I cannot get any pictures to post. I use Picasaweb and I use the link feature, just like I did for the first few pics, and I cannot get the pics to show up.

Any help would be appreciated!

Mary

 

[OneBlessedFamily]

Ok, I'm about to cry.....I cannot find a chunk of the pictures that we took of opening the boxes that people sent us. I will take more pics of everyone in the outfits, but the pics of opening the packages were so special to me (and to the people who sent the packages!!!).

I got some help with Picasa Web, and this should work. You should be able to see the pics of the kids wearing some of the clothes. We went to Sam's send-off party yesterday and everyone wore something that came in a Big Give package.

So, here are the pics we have (oh and ignore the messiness of our apartment....new babies throw us for a loop!):

Opening the box of crayon rolls (These are WONDERFUL!!!! The kids are so excited to get on the plane, JUST so they can use them! lol I wish we had something like this on our trips to China! 18 hours is a long time on an airplane!!)

I'm going to post this and see if it worked. If so, I'll post more immediately!

 

[OneBlessedFamily]

Hooray! It worked!!!!

Ok, here are some more pictures:

So, to the send-off party the Gwen & Lydia wore the toile Pooh dresses (thank you Heather!), and Sam, Pierre & Phoebe wore the cute Pooh outfits (thank you Anna & Becky!)

More pics coming up soon!

 

[kstgelais4]

I love all the stuff you've gotten so far! I hope mine comes soon!!! (Like before you leave!)

 

[HeatherSue]

Those pictures are wonderful, Mary! Thank you so much for figuring it out. I'm sorry you had such a hard time with them and that you might have lost some!

Your kids are absolutely precious!! I love the excitement on their faces as they opened their gifts!

 

[kstgelais4]

By now you are at Disney!!! I do hope you got the package before you left!
Have an awesome time!

 

[mom2lilnick]

Ohhhhh!! I love the outfits! Those are just perfect! What great gifts!

 

[maroo]

Mary,

I don't know how I did it...but I managed to read your report a few times (stumbling on it) and then never officially "subscribed!"...so I missed some of your updates!

And now you are THERE!!!!!!! I hope you guys are having a wonderful time!!!

Great pics. We can't wait to see pics and hear about your trip!!

Maroo (Mary)

 

[HeatherSue]

We haven't heard from you in a long time, so I just wanted to check in with you and see if you're okay!

 

[OneBlessedFamily]

Hi everyone!!! I will start posting trip reports tomorrow!!! We had an amazing time, both at Give Kids The World and at Disney and are eagerly planning our next trip back, as Disney just started their next military promotion.

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back to this. We've had 2 kids in and out of doctor's visits/hospitals/etc. It's been a crazy few weeks! BUT, I'm eager to get started and talk about our experience. AMAZING!!!

Mary

 

[mom2lilnick]

Can't wait to hear all about it! I hear ya about being sick after the big trip. We are dealing with the stomach flu, upper resp infections and staph infections over here and we haven't been home yet a week!

 

[maroo]

Hi everyone!!! I will start posting trip reports tomorrow!!! We had an amazing time, both at Give Kids The World and at Disney and are eagerly planning our next trip back, as Disney just started their next military promotion.

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back to this. We've had 2 kids in and out of doctor's visits/hospitals/etc. It's been a crazy few weeks! BUT, I'm eager to get started and talk about our experience. AMAZING!!!

Mary

Yea!!

Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[teresajoy]

Hi everyone!!! I will start posting trip reports tomorrow!!! We had an amazing time, both at Give Kids The World and at Disney and are eagerly planning our next trip back, as Disney just started their next military promotion.

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back to this. We've had 2 kids in and out of doctor's visits/hospitals/etc. It's been a crazy few weeks! BUT, I'm eager to get started and talk about our experience. AMAZING!!!

Mary

I can't wait.

 

[tinytreasures]

I can't wait to hear all about your trip

 

[kstgelais4]

Oh! I can't wait to hear either!!

 

[muttshouse]

What an incredible story you have. What an incredible family!!

You and your husband must have hearts as big as the moon and love to fill the universe.

I can't wait to read the rest of your story.

 

[ClaraBug]

You are truly a blessed family!!

I cannot wait to hear about your Disney Adventure!!!