Bugdozer
<font color=royal blue>One day at a time.<br>Yeste
- Joined
- May 6, 2003
- Messages
- 2,509
All Slinkymans Wishes Came True
.
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
No truer words can be spoken. For Slinkyman, Smalld, Bug and Bearz these words will forever have a new meaning. There was a bolt out of the blue for all of us and his name is YAVN.
It all began with a letter. I had to thank the people who helped us get through a very difficult time in our lives. At the top of that list were the creators and staff of VMK- the game that helped Ink get through his darkest days. So I sat down one night at 1 am, let my mind clear of all thoughts and wrote a letter to Yavn that came straight from my heart. 2 hours later and many tears I sat looking at letter I could not believe I wrote. It truly came from somewhere within me. Now the next step was to get the courage to e-mail it. I do not normally do things like this. It was a big step. But by this point Inks cancer had proved to me that never not take a chance. How would he know how I felt if I did not send it.
So the next day it went off and I proceeded to do my story about Ink for all of you here on the Dis. I thought about my letter for the first few days but since I had not heard back I was loosing hope that it had been read. It was during this time that the letter wring campaign started with all my wonderful friends here on the Dis( many hugs and thanks to all of you!). A week and a half went by and by that point I had put it out of my mind. Then one evening after we finished dinner, I settled at my computer ready to fire up VMK when I checked my e-mail. I had received a reply from Yavn. I sat there shaking. I wanted to open it but also had the fear that he might not be happy that I had e-mailed him directly. With trembling hands and hardly able to breathe I opened the e-mail and started to read. What I remember the most was the tears that just started. He was very kind and had been touched by Inks story. He told me that he was going to be in the area around our approximate dates and wanted to know more info on when were going to be there. He very much wanted to meet Slinkyman.
The next several hours were a blur that I dont remember much. Finally 6 hours later I was able to stop shaking enough to type a reply to him. I gave him our dates and tentative plans and my contact information. The next morning I received an e-mail from a Tiki from Magic Kingdom guest services. Some very special, once in a lifetime experiences had been arranged for us for our trip. I sat in disbelief as I read the e-mail. They wanted it all kept a secret from the boys so they could pixie dust them properly. Once again the tears just flowed. I called Smallds mother told her and we cried together. Later in report you will hear about these wonderful surprises.
Two days went by with very little eating and sleeping when I received another e-mail from Yavn. This is the e-mail that would change everything. Yavn had adjusted his plans and was coming to spend an entire day and night as our personal tour guides and he was brining Caffdawg with him. Ink would have his dream his special meeting with Yavn and a meeting with a good friend of his on the game Caffdawg. I would have my chance to personally thank the people that made a HUGE difference in our lives. I sent off a thank you reply and tried to go about my day. Needless to say it seemed like my mind was just spinning. What should I do do I tell the boys or not. Surprise is nice but this was big and I kept thinking they needed time to adjust to the shock so they could talk to him. So much to think about.
That evening during dinner my husband yelled to me that my cell phone was ringing. I ran down the hall to grab it from my computer room. Am I ever happy I answered it! On the other end of the phone was Yavn. I quickly shut my computer room door, grab my chair and managed to sit. I must say he caught me off guard which was good as I managed to carry on a conversation with him. We talked about 15 minutes. Those of you who want to know he was very easy to talk to and I felt comfortable right away. The poor man was probably tired of me thanking him as he said I had thanked them more then enough. We talked about several things one being whether or not to let boys know. We both decided it would be in their best interest to let them know now. Yavn said he wanted them to not be nervous, be relaxed and have fun. He said they were looking forward to seeing us and that the boys would have a blast.
Conversation ended and I came out of the room-time to break the news. I sat at the table and of course Ink asked who called. He must have been able to tell by my face that something was not right as he asked me if I was ok. I told him he was not going to believe who I just talked to. When he said who? I managed to say Yavn and it was like time stopped. He looked at me eyes getting bigger and said no way. I said I would never lie about something like this. I would say he went into a kind of shocked state. I then proceeded to tell him that Yavn was coming to WDW and would be spending an entire day with us. I could see the disbelief in his eyes and he saw the tears in mine. I gave him a big hug and the rest of the night was a blur of excitement and disbelief.
I must admit that the next 3 or 4 days were rough. I could not eat and I slept about 3-4 hours a night. I was excited, nervous, scared and amazed. I was on an emotional roller coaster with highs and excitement 1 minute and swirling down with tears the next. They were happy tears but still a wild ride. This man was giving us the greatest gift a person can give, the gift of time. He was taking time away from his family and his life to spend it with a boy he hardly knew. How would I ever begin to thank him? There are no words great enough for his kindness.
We now had just shy of a month before the big trip. Suddenly the focus went from the cruise to the 3 days at WDW. The joke became what cruise? All focus was on the meeting with Yavn and Dawg. I started to plan the details. I ordered the boys VMK shirts from Zazzle that they would wear for the big day and have Yavn and Caffdawg sign them. We got Silver markers so they could sign the boys Mickey ears and the special hats that Bearz had given both boys when Ink started treatment. I made a special photo that had the castle dream emblem on it. I added the VMK logo and thanks to antjewel who quoted the wish upon a star song in my other post I decided to add the lyrics to the picture. I added a picture of Jiminey cricket and it was done. We would have Yavn and dawg sign the photo-1 for each boy so they could be framed for their rooms.
I also made flats for our trip. I made several sets including a set of us all wearing our VMK dream shirts to give to Yavn. Bearz had said to me that if we give him a set of flats when he is having a bad day at work he can look at them and remember who he works for-our little peeps. I also made a Yavn flat for him to have and a Caffdawg flat for her to have. I have learned that the little details are what make things special.
Left to right: QA_Caffdawg, Host_Lily, CL_smalld, Yavn, CL_slinkyman, Acebugdozer, Laurabearz
During all this time we also made contact with the dream squad girl that we met last trip. She was taking the day off from work to spend with us along with her friend another dream member and a friend of Inks on VMK named Ladyvader. What an unbelievable group of people. We had nice talk with boys to explain to them that this was not a normal trip. This trip would not be about the rides but about the people we would be spending time with. This was truly turning into a dream of a lifetime.
Less then a week before trip we had a great phone call. I had mentioned to Yavn that it might ease the boys nerves if they talk to him before the meeting. He was kind enough to take the time to call. We had a great conversation. I put my cell phone on speaker so the boys and I could all hear and talk and Yavn and dog were on speaker on their end. Boys were nervous but did well. I really think this help put them at ease some.
The next installments of the report I will do by days. This trip was filled with so much it will be a long trip report. I will be including lots of pictures too. This is a spoiler warning- I will be including pictures of the boys with Yavn, Dawg and TikiT. If you dont want to see them then please dont read the rest of the report. I discussed this with Yavn and he said I could post some pictures. You all played an important part in Inks recovery and in my ability to make it through each day and it gives us great pleasure to share our great adventure with you all.
To be continued
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
No truer words can be spoken. For Slinkyman, Smalld, Bug and Bearz these words will forever have a new meaning. There was a bolt out of the blue for all of us and his name is YAVN.
It all began with a letter. I had to thank the people who helped us get through a very difficult time in our lives. At the top of that list were the creators and staff of VMK- the game that helped Ink get through his darkest days. So I sat down one night at 1 am, let my mind clear of all thoughts and wrote a letter to Yavn that came straight from my heart. 2 hours later and many tears I sat looking at letter I could not believe I wrote. It truly came from somewhere within me. Now the next step was to get the courage to e-mail it. I do not normally do things like this. It was a big step. But by this point Inks cancer had proved to me that never not take a chance. How would he know how I felt if I did not send it.
So the next day it went off and I proceeded to do my story about Ink for all of you here on the Dis. I thought about my letter for the first few days but since I had not heard back I was loosing hope that it had been read. It was during this time that the letter wring campaign started with all my wonderful friends here on the Dis( many hugs and thanks to all of you!). A week and a half went by and by that point I had put it out of my mind. Then one evening after we finished dinner, I settled at my computer ready to fire up VMK when I checked my e-mail. I had received a reply from Yavn. I sat there shaking. I wanted to open it but also had the fear that he might not be happy that I had e-mailed him directly. With trembling hands and hardly able to breathe I opened the e-mail and started to read. What I remember the most was the tears that just started. He was very kind and had been touched by Inks story. He told me that he was going to be in the area around our approximate dates and wanted to know more info on when were going to be there. He very much wanted to meet Slinkyman.
The next several hours were a blur that I dont remember much. Finally 6 hours later I was able to stop shaking enough to type a reply to him. I gave him our dates and tentative plans and my contact information. The next morning I received an e-mail from a Tiki from Magic Kingdom guest services. Some very special, once in a lifetime experiences had been arranged for us for our trip. I sat in disbelief as I read the e-mail. They wanted it all kept a secret from the boys so they could pixie dust them properly. Once again the tears just flowed. I called Smallds mother told her and we cried together. Later in report you will hear about these wonderful surprises.
Two days went by with very little eating and sleeping when I received another e-mail from Yavn. This is the e-mail that would change everything. Yavn had adjusted his plans and was coming to spend an entire day and night as our personal tour guides and he was brining Caffdawg with him. Ink would have his dream his special meeting with Yavn and a meeting with a good friend of his on the game Caffdawg. I would have my chance to personally thank the people that made a HUGE difference in our lives. I sent off a thank you reply and tried to go about my day. Needless to say it seemed like my mind was just spinning. What should I do do I tell the boys or not. Surprise is nice but this was big and I kept thinking they needed time to adjust to the shock so they could talk to him. So much to think about.
That evening during dinner my husband yelled to me that my cell phone was ringing. I ran down the hall to grab it from my computer room. Am I ever happy I answered it! On the other end of the phone was Yavn. I quickly shut my computer room door, grab my chair and managed to sit. I must say he caught me off guard which was good as I managed to carry on a conversation with him. We talked about 15 minutes. Those of you who want to know he was very easy to talk to and I felt comfortable right away. The poor man was probably tired of me thanking him as he said I had thanked them more then enough. We talked about several things one being whether or not to let boys know. We both decided it would be in their best interest to let them know now. Yavn said he wanted them to not be nervous, be relaxed and have fun. He said they were looking forward to seeing us and that the boys would have a blast.
Conversation ended and I came out of the room-time to break the news. I sat at the table and of course Ink asked who called. He must have been able to tell by my face that something was not right as he asked me if I was ok. I told him he was not going to believe who I just talked to. When he said who? I managed to say Yavn and it was like time stopped. He looked at me eyes getting bigger and said no way. I said I would never lie about something like this. I would say he went into a kind of shocked state. I then proceeded to tell him that Yavn was coming to WDW and would be spending an entire day with us. I could see the disbelief in his eyes and he saw the tears in mine. I gave him a big hug and the rest of the night was a blur of excitement and disbelief.
I must admit that the next 3 or 4 days were rough. I could not eat and I slept about 3-4 hours a night. I was excited, nervous, scared and amazed. I was on an emotional roller coaster with highs and excitement 1 minute and swirling down with tears the next. They were happy tears but still a wild ride. This man was giving us the greatest gift a person can give, the gift of time. He was taking time away from his family and his life to spend it with a boy he hardly knew. How would I ever begin to thank him? There are no words great enough for his kindness.
We now had just shy of a month before the big trip. Suddenly the focus went from the cruise to the 3 days at WDW. The joke became what cruise? All focus was on the meeting with Yavn and Dawg. I started to plan the details. I ordered the boys VMK shirts from Zazzle that they would wear for the big day and have Yavn and Caffdawg sign them. We got Silver markers so they could sign the boys Mickey ears and the special hats that Bearz had given both boys when Ink started treatment. I made a special photo that had the castle dream emblem on it. I added the VMK logo and thanks to antjewel who quoted the wish upon a star song in my other post I decided to add the lyrics to the picture. I added a picture of Jiminey cricket and it was done. We would have Yavn and dawg sign the photo-1 for each boy so they could be framed for their rooms.
I also made flats for our trip. I made several sets including a set of us all wearing our VMK dream shirts to give to Yavn. Bearz had said to me that if we give him a set of flats when he is having a bad day at work he can look at them and remember who he works for-our little peeps. I also made a Yavn flat for him to have and a Caffdawg flat for her to have. I have learned that the little details are what make things special.
Left to right: QA_Caffdawg, Host_Lily, CL_smalld, Yavn, CL_slinkyman, Acebugdozer, Laurabearz
During all this time we also made contact with the dream squad girl that we met last trip. She was taking the day off from work to spend with us along with her friend another dream member and a friend of Inks on VMK named Ladyvader. What an unbelievable group of people. We had nice talk with boys to explain to them that this was not a normal trip. This trip would not be about the rides but about the people we would be spending time with. This was truly turning into a dream of a lifetime.
Less then a week before trip we had a great phone call. I had mentioned to Yavn that it might ease the boys nerves if they talk to him before the meeting. He was kind enough to take the time to call. We had a great conversation. I put my cell phone on speaker so the boys and I could all hear and talk and Yavn and dog were on speaker on their end. Boys were nervous but did well. I really think this help put them at ease some.
The next installments of the report I will do by days. This trip was filled with so much it will be a long trip report. I will be including lots of pictures too. This is a spoiler warning- I will be including pictures of the boys with Yavn, Dawg and TikiT. If you dont want to see them then please dont read the rest of the report. I discussed this with Yavn and he said I could post some pictures. You all played an important part in Inks recovery and in my ability to make it through each day and it gives us great pleasure to share our great adventure with you all.
To be continued
Yes, this is the very most magical trip report EVER!!! I can't wait for the rest! OMG!!! 
You TOTALLY and COMPLETELY deserved it! 
That trip would probably be one of the most magical moments on ink's childhood life.
