Day One of the Wish! June 5th

 Jun- The Wish  11 Responses »
Jun 052012
 

Hello all!  I would like to say hello from sunny Florida but I can’t.  It was raining when we got here!  But we got here and that is important.  Let me say, it was not too bad getting here from Salt Lake.  The airport wasn’t bad, the flights were a bit bumpy but all around it was a pretty good trip.  We Found out that Tristan doesn’t like being cooped up in his seat for 6 hours and the plane freaked him out a bit, but he is 2.       

Cameron was fascinated by the plane and its workings; he really taxed my knowledge of avionics, but I was glad to be able to answer his myriad of questions.  He even got to talk to the pilot when we landed in Orlando and was shown how some of the instruments worked and how they fly the plane.

Amelia was glad to be the princess.  Everyone liked her hair and commented on her dress.  Leatha just went along for the ride and helped when we really needed her to.  I kind of like having an older child that can help.  If only she wasn’t growing up….but that is another post altogether.

When we got to Orlando, ok there are 2 huge buildings that make up the Orlando airport.  The airplane taxi’s over a bridge to get to the arrival gates and then you take a shuttle back to get your bags and such.  It was a bit strange.  Anyway, we got to the main part of the airport and were met by our Give kids the World greeter who helped guide us through the airport to get our checked bag and then get our car.  Amelia got to pick out the van.  She picked a red one because it was the closest to pink.  Kind of funny.

          

Get this, the rental on this car, including gas and insurance is covered in the wish.  I have been shaking my head all afternoon at the incredible generosity of everyone related with this wish, especially Give Kids the World.  We got to the village to check in and they gave each of the kids a stuffed animal and then showed us to our “villa”.  This place is bigger than our old apartment was.  It has 2 big bedrooms, a huge bathroom for the kids, fridge, stove, dishwasher, TV’s….it is really a cool place..

     

We are now sitting here planning tomorrow’s activities while the kids are all passed out in the other room dreaming of Mickey Mouse.  I will soon be following them.  for now, that is it.  We are heading to the Magic Kingdom tomorrow and then on to the Animal Kingdom on Thursday where Amelia will be leading the parade!  That is going to be another adventure.  So enjoy today’s short video and the few pictures, there will be tons more tomorrow!

Have a good one, and thanks for coming back!

*** Don’t forget to check out even more pictures on the pictures page!  CLICK HERE to see it!*****

-Justin

Other posts:
Day 1, June 5 (That is this post!)

Day 2, June 6

Day 3, June 7

Day 4, June 8

Day 5, June 9

Day 6, June 10

Day 7, June 11

Day 8, June 12

Day 9, June 13

Day 10, June 14

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A Week of Amelia the Star!

 Mar-Apr in Wishland  No Responses »
Mar 152012
 
The parade logo

Image via Wikipedia

Hello folks.  I just wanted to check in and let you all know about some new things that Amelia is doing for Make A Wish!  You know I look at these events and have 2 thoughts.  One, these are great things for Amelia!  She will have so much fun!  And Two, She will he helping Make A Wish.  Both are great causes even if I am prejudiced on the Amelia side.

So, this next week will be busy.   There is a new mall opening up in downtown Salt Lake later this month.  As a part of the big celebration of that, Macy’s, the retail chain that does the Thanksgiving day parade, is having a fashion show on Saturday the 17th.  They wanted some Make A Wish kids to be the models for the show, so they called Amelia!  She is such a ham she will be perfect.  She gets to go in on Monday to be fitted for the clothes.

As a part of the grand opening as well, Amelia is going to be featured on TV again!  The local show is called Fresh living.  As of this post being late, here is the video link to the story!Sorry the link is no longer available on the News website….  This is all in preparation for the Grand Opening of Macy’s and they will be having a special sale that benefits charities and they will be having a fashion show!  Amelia gets to walk the catwalk as a model!  I will have some video of that up after the event!

Until then,

Justin

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Amelias Wish Declaration

 Oct-Dec in Wishland  2 Responses »
Jan 282012
 

20 oct

Wishes fireworks shows in the Magic Kingdom Wa...

Image via Wikipedia

The appointment was set for October 20.  The whole family was invited to the Make-A Wish tower to have Amelia formally declare her wish to the Wish Wizard.  We were the only ones there besides the 2 ladies that would be working on Amelia’s wish.  We entered the front door and there was a large sign welcoming Amelia to her Wish Declaration!

From there we got a tour of the facility and got to see stars that all of the wish kids get to raise when their wish gets granted.  We then continued through the building where each of us received a wish token that we took out and got to toss into the fountain.

Back inside, we went to discuss what Amelia would like for her wish.  They have a great game that helps the kids to decide what their wish will be or to help the volunteers make sure that the wish is for the wish child and not for the family or someone else is pushing the kid.

Amelia however, did not need to play the game.  She knew what she wanted to wish for.  Her wish?  To be Rapunzel in the parade at Disney World.  Now a little background here.  During the initial call about her wish, we told the gentleman about it.  He told us that it probably was not going to happen because Disney doesn’t let people do that.  So, her second wish was to be Rapunzel and have a tea party with all of the princesses at Disney World.

Yes, Disney World was her idea as well.  She said that she had already been to Disneyland and wanted to see the other castle.  So Disney World it is.  She wrote her wish down on a special paper and then had to wait for the rest of the family to fill out our own wish for Amelia.  These wishes were things just for her, to have a good time, to stay healthy etc.

2 weeks before our appointment for wish night Amelia received a package in the mail.  It contained a special announcement and a key that would unlock the special “Wishing Room” at the Make A Wish headquarters.  After we all finished with the wishes, Amelia was led to the Wishing Room and had to use her key to enter.

This was quite the “royal” adventure for our princess.  We entered the Wishing room in the tower of the foundation.  There was a water wall, and fancy lights, and a very, not solemn but peaceful feeling.  We all read our wishes to Amelia and she put them in a special envelope.  She then had to follow a special path of lights on the floor, behind the water wall, and around the other side to the special wish portal of the Wish Wizard.

This was a large, brass cone in the floor.  Her wish was rolled and placed in a special cylinder that went into the wish portal and was accepted by the Wish Wizard.  She had made her declaration and she was ready to get some cookies.

We talked about some particulars and then were ready to wait for her wish to come true!  They would be telling us about it in January sometime because they have to have the OK from her doctor to go.  That OK is only good for 6 months and it would be June before we would go on the trip.  So we went home and waited!

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