36 Hours for Kids Video

Here is the video that the radio station put together from the 3 days they were there.  Sara is in it right at the beginning, and then again at the very end if you look super close.  She's in a black shirt that says HERO, and on the left side of the giant check.  Mostly you get to see her arm until they pan back!

I couldn't get the video straight on to my blog, so you'll have to follow the link.  The video is right in the middle of the page.  Click here!

Disney Trip Press Release

The Kids Wish Network wrote a press release about granting Sara's wish!  I thought I would share it with all of you.  It made me cry, so you might want to have a tissue handy.

Kids Wish Network Grants Disney World Wish to Westminster Girl with Illness

WESTMINSTER, Colo. - A little girl suffering from a life-threatening tumor disorder has her wish to visit the Florida theme parks granted through national children’s charity Kids Wish Network and the Westminster Elks Lodge #2227.

Sara suffers Neurofibromatosis Type 1, which causes tumors to grow in various parts of the body.  Sara’s tumors are located below her waist, including a baseball sized tumor in her abdomen.  There are tumors growing in her right leg, which has made the leg two times the size of the left leg.  Sara is continually monitored and must get MRIs often. 

When Sara was referred by a family friend to children’s charity Kids Wish Network to have a wish granted, her first request was to visit Disney World in Orlando, Florida. And now, with the help of the Westminster Elks Lodge #2227, Sara’s wish was just granted.

Once in Orlando, Sara and her family followed an itinerary sent by Sara’s wish coordinator that included accommodations at the famous Royal Plaza Hotel, dinners every evening and, of course, tickets to every theme park that Sara could ever want to visit.

“It was amazing,” said Sara’s mother, Julie. “Sara's exact wish was to see Mickey Mouse, and it was granted!”

Sara, her mother and her grandfather visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT Center and Magic Kingdom.

For Sara, her wish was a whirlwind of magic that didn’t end. According to Julie, Sara loved everything, especially meeting the characters, riding the rides and even having a princess makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!

“I still can't believe it,” said Julie of her little girl’s wish. “I was filled with tears at some points, like when she met Mickey and Minnie.  It was so great to see her smile so big and her so excited about being there… Kids Wish Network is amazing!  They really do make wishes come true, and I'm so grateful that they were able to give my daughter something I can't.  Being a single mom, I never would have been able to give my daughter a trip like that on my own.  I can't say thank you enough for all the smiles and laughter they've brought to my daughter's life!  There are no words for how truly appreciative I am for all they've done!”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Sara’s wish extra special: Westminster Elks Lodge #2227, Compassion Program, Royal Plaza Hotel, Pirates Dinner Theater, Fulton’s Crab House, The California Pizza Kitchen, Dollar Rent-A-Car and Wonderworks.   

Kids Wish Network is a national charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children having experienced life-altering situations. Kids Wish Network assists children and their families through several key programs. Every child deserves a chance at happiness; a wish is just a way of bringing them that joy. If you would like to sponsor a child’s wish or if you know a child who is suffering from a life-threatening illness and may be in need of Kids Wish Network’s wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free  888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

Written by: Editorial Staff

Hope and Miracles are Happening Right Now!

 Sara and I interviewed to help raise money in 2009.  This was on their website!

Its that time a year again in which a local radio station takes 3 days of broadcasting to raise money for The Children's Hospital!

Alice 105.9 is currently running its 36 Hours for Kids Radiothon!  It is a chance to share stories from families that this hospital has touched.  And because TCH is part of our family, so is this radio station and all the families sharing their stories.  Some are heartbreaking, ending in tragedy.  Others are full of hope and survival!  Its amazing, and its very important to Sara and me!

And you can help us spread the word and raise money!  We're not only raising money for Sara, but for every other child that needs this place.  No matter if its a life-threatening, lifelong illness or just a broken arm that's treated in the ER and released...this hospital is an important part of this community, and to the entire country!

Sara said to me this morning on the way to preschool while we were listening...

"Mommy, I want to go and tell people to call and help kids like me on the radio.  And I want to take my piggy bank so they can help more kids!"

If my daughter can do it, so can you!  Take 5 minutes out of your day, and donate.  You can donate online, by clicking the link, or you can call 1-800-458-KIDS.  Then put it on your Facebook, blog about it, call others or send them a text.  Let's get the word out!

And in case that wasn't enough of a reason to do it, here's one more.  Sara and I went and gave an interview in 2009.  It was the most amazing experience!  It won't load here for whatever reason, might be too big, so if you want to hear it drop me a note and I will email it to you!

Thank you to everyone who is supporting this amazing cause!

Day 30 - My Goals for the Future

I can't believe its the last day!  And today is an amazing day to end this challenge!  I feel good, and I look good!  Its sunny and warm outside, so my spring fever is bad.  My daughter is healthy, my boyfriend is exceptional, and my life is good!

I only have one goal for my future, and that is to be happy!  Whatever that means is what my life will hold.  I plan to keep Sara as healthy as possible, I'd like to go back to school at some point, and I just want those around me to take time to enjoy life with me.

No one lives forever, so don't waste the time you have being miserable.  Be happy and love it!

Smile at someone today!  It will make you and them feel better!  :)

Day 29 - A Picture of Something that Makes Me Happy

I have a lot of things in my life that make me happy, but there is one that does it better than all the rest.

Here's a shocker...its my baby girl!

Love you Sara!!

Day 28 - My 3 Wishes

My first wish would be for Sara, and everyone else in my family, to enjoy good health!  Really this is the only wish I have, but since you gave me two more I'm sure I can come up with something.

I would also wish for the means to pay off my debt, and maybe a little something extra so that I could be home more and be able to participate in Sara's school activities.  I always wanted to be a stay at home mom, so that would be my second wish!

Lastly, I would wish for the chance to travel.  Both with and without Sara.  I love traveling with Sara and showing her all the world has to offer, but I also love traveling without her and enjoying other things that can't be enjoyed with kids in tow.  I have no idea where exactly I'd go, but I'm sure I could find some interesting places.

Day 27 - My Favorite Vacation

This one is hard!  I've had a some amazing vacations in my life.  I went to Europe on a school trip when I was young, have been to the beach more times than I can count, and visiting family is always a good time.  But overall I can say, that this last trip was the best!

I got to spend the most amazing time with my daughter!  She was in awe at everything around her, and it brought me to tears more than once to see all the happiness in her eyes.  Disney is amazing, and Sara just makes it even more so!  It will be hard to top such an amazing trip.

I know that it took a lot of people and work to bring all that happiness to my daughter's life, and I am forever grateful!  This is a trip I will never forget, and I know that Sara won't either.

Day 26 - Something That Always Makes Me Smile

This is a no brainer!  Obviously its the people I love.

Sara always makes me smile.  No matter how bad my day is, she always says or does something to make me feel better and bring a smile to my face.  My family is so important to me, and I love them so much.  And my boyfriend is always making me smile.  Its hard not to when you have someone that tells you you're beautiful and smart every day! 

There you have it!  There is no object in this world that can even come close to making me as happy as I am when I'm with the people I care about. 

Disney World Pictures....Finally!

Sorry it took me so long to get these up on the blog!  I know many of you have been waiting and waiting.

FYI:  This will be a really long post!  Of course, I only plan to post the highlights.  But since I have over 600 pictures from our trip, even the highlights are a lot.

The Characters We Met

Daisy Duck was right at the entrance on the first day!

The White Rabbit was by the teacups!

Buzz Lightyear, Stitch, and Chip 'n' Dale were in Tomorrow Land.

Sara fulfilled her wish by getting to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse!

Who doesn't love Tigger and Pooh?

We ran into Goofy outside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

On day two, we met Mickey, Pluto, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy at Epcot.

We also ran into Marie from The Aristocrats.

Day 3 started off with Peter Pan, who told Sara her hair looked like she'd flown through a rainbow.

Then it was time for Cinderella's lunch, where we also saw Ariel, Belle, Aurora, and Snow White.

On the last day, we went to Animal Kingdom before heading to the airport.  There we saw Lilo and Stitch (again), Rafiki, Flik, Pocahontas, Jimini' Cricket, and Baloo and King Louie.

The Rides We Rode

 We rode lots of rides, and lots of them I don't have pictures of.  Here you see the teacups, Dumbo, the carousal, Its a Small World, and the magic carpets.  Some of the other favorites/classics included the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, the safari ride at Animal Kingdom, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

The People We Were Able To Share This With

 The first day we were completely caught by surprise.  I had made plans to meet my best friend's sister, but what I didn't know was that my best friend and her boyfriend flew in to be there too.  It was awesome to get to share this amazing experience with them for just one day!
From right to left:  Patrick (BFF's boyfriend), Kimmy (my BFF), Becky (BFF's sister) holding Porter, Me, Sara, and my dad (Sara calls him Poppy).

The Bibbiti Bobbiti Boutique

 Before meeting the princesses for lunch, we took Sara to the Bibbiti Bobbiti Boutique to get her hair done, nails painted, and makeup done!  The fairy-godmother-in-training was great.  Sara totally loved it and picked rainbow hair (she calls it junk hair, instead of punk hair).

So there you have it, the highlights of the most amazing vacation!  I still can't believe it.  It was filled with tears at some points, like when she met Mickey and Minnie.  It was so great to see her smile so big and her so excited about being there.  It really is the place where dreams come true!

Day 25 - A Song That Makes Me Cry

There are several songs that make me cry, but the one I heard most recently was Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle. 

Having a daughter, it makes me think about all life has in store for her.  And it reminds me to treasure the time we have now because it will be gone before I know it.  Not to mention, that I always think about how lucky I am to be blessed with such an amazing little girl.  I still have no idea how I got so lucky on that one!

It also makes me think about my relationship with my dad.  I'm a daddy's girl!  It brings back very special memories for me of when I was little.  I'm still very close to my dad now, and I can't imagine him not being a part of my and Sara's life.

And being a sappy, pathetic girl...how can I not cry when I think about all that stuff!  Stupid emotions!

Day 24 - My Favorite Piece of Art

Now that I'm back from a wonderful (non-relaxing) trip to Disney World with my daughter, let me get back to this blog challenge.

My favorite piece of art is pretty much any thing Sara makes.  She's made some awesome pieces, and I have an entire wall in my dining room dedicated to her artful crafts! 

Included on that wall is an entire herd of zebras, multiple paintings, and lots of other random pieces.  But my favorite of all of them is packed in a box, so I was unable to photograph it for you.  It was my Christmas gift this year, and was the very first handmade ornament Sara has ever made me.  It was a wreath cut from paper with her picture in the middle, and then other little pieces of paper (cut in the shape of stockings and candy canes) glued around the edge.  I love it so much! 

Where have I been?

I'm back!  Sorry for my absence in the middle of the blog challenge, but if anyone looked to the left under Dates to Remember they saw that Sara and I were at Disney World the last few days!

It was a wonderful time filled with lots of memories.  I hope to be posting some pics of our trip very soon (maybe even tonight).  It will probably be a long post, or maybe several posts over the next few days.  There were so many magical moments to share!

I would have shared it as we went along, but we had to pay for internet at the hotel...and that just didn't seem worth it when I could spend that money on Sara instead.

Oh, and I will continue my blog challenge tomorrow with Day 24!