Anyone who knows us knows that our Make-A-Wish to Disney World last April was the best time of our family’s life with Hannah. I’m disappointed that I never had the chance to really blog about it, but I am so glad that we have over 800 pictures from the trip.
It was Disney World. It was Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Hannah’s absolute favorite characters are Mickey and Minnie. It was being able to stay at Give Kids the World. They made all three kids feel like the most important kids on earth. It gave us time to just have fun and be a family. We had very few worries and were able to just relax (with the exception of Hannah overheating and needing a first-aid break one day). It brought some very special people into our lives.
It all began with meeting our wish granters back in early March last year. We have kept in touch with two of our three coordinators over the year.
Today, the 2nd month anniversary of Hannah’s passing, was the annual Make-A-Wish run here in Las Vegas. One of our wish granters whom we became friends with told me that she was going to participating in the run and asked if she could put Hannah on her shirt, specifically one with her in her Minnie Mouse costume.
I was so touched, incredibly touched. Even though we weren’t able to do the run this year (Ethan and my mother-in-law did it last year), Hannah was still there. Running in and on the heart of someone who volunteers to help change children’s lives by granting their wish.
Hannah, who had already lost almost all of her fine motor skills, worked so incredibly hard to reach out and touch Mickey Mouse. She was so excited to see him. I cried right there in front of everyone when I saw that, and I'm so thankful the Disney Photopass photographer captured the moment perfectly. Look how happy she is!!
It is so hard to explain to people HOW much this trip meant to me. It was one of the last times we had pure joy with Hannah before her condition really started to deteriorate. I was naive at the time, but looking at pictures of Hannah soon after the trip, I see it now.
But most importantly, it gave all of us, especially Ethan and Abigail, memories that we could not have ever provided. Memories of nothing but fun with Hannah and amazing opportunities, I mean, the kids were treated like royalty and still talk about it to this day!
When we made the decision to place Hannah in hospice, after the meeting with the social worker to break the news to them that we were bringing Hannah home to … well, you know… the social worker asked the kids to stay with her while Daddy and I took a walk. She had each of them draw a picture of something they think about that reminds them of the good times with Hannah.
They weren’t sitting near each other nor did they talk about it beforehand. But both of them drew a picture about the Make-A-Wish trip. I still have those pictures they drew and colored in Hannah’s memory box.
Thank you, Make a Wish of Southern Nevada. You gave us a tremendous gift. Not just the gift of an amazing trip, but the gift of priceless memories to last us our lifetime.
So very glad that you have those amazing memories from the MAW trip! I think about that often… How perfect the timing was. Much love….