Our Make-A-Wish Journey

Most of you know that last August our oldest daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that attacks the lymphatic system of the body, including the spleen and bone marrow. Her cancer was stage 3s when they found it, the "s" meaning it was in her spleen, only slightly.  Her prognosis was very good and she started her first round of chemo that same month.  I also gave her name to the Make-A-Wish foundation not knowing if she would even get approved. Well, she did and last October they came out to our house to discuss the process and her wish.  My daughter ask me what should I wish for and I told her the one thing she wanted most in the world. So, she wished for a trip to Paris. Yes, you read that right, Paris. As in Paris France, all the way across the ocean on another continent Paris. I figured that it would never happen and that she would get her back up wish. That one was to go to Hawaii and take surfing lessons with Bethany Hamilton (my girls both just love her). Anyway, Make-A-Wish explained to us that it could take up to 18 months to get the final confirmation for the trip and to actually get to go.

In March of this year they called us to confirm that the trip had been granted and they were working out the details. Two weeks later we had the money to take care of our passports and got our part of the details started. Our passports arrived in July and we got the final notice that we were heading to Paris in October. Exactly one year after their first visit to our home we were off and running to Paris. When they called to tell us they were as surprised by how quickly it all came together as we were. In fact the volunteer we spoke to, told us it hardly ever happens that fast and we had some one much higher working for us. Yes, we did!

I must admit I was  a little nervous traveling internationally. It was not the flight or anything that made me feel that way, it was the state of the world itself. I mean we are dealing with terrorist threats, ISIS be-headings and Ebola.  I just had to put my worry aside and depend on the Lord to look after us.  I was driving to pick up my kids from school one day right before the trip and I was praying about the whole situation. I really needed the Lord to give me some peace and right in the middle of my prayer it was as if God had spoken right out loud to me. I heard him say, "Did you ever stop to think I may be sending you now because it is going to get so much worse later on and I want you to be able to do this?".  To hear the still small voice of God speaking to me made me stop and look at it all different and it gave me such peace about our trip.

Anyway, the trip was awesome and I am so glad we had this amazing opportunity. I hate the circumstances we got it through. No parent would ever want to get something like this because of your child being sick, but I am thankful to Make-A-Wish and other organizations like them that do all they can to make a child's ultimate wish come true.

I would ask you right now if you have thought about donating to them and haven't or have never thought about it at all, please reconsider.  My daughter is doing great and goes back for her year check-up this month, but this trip meant the world to her.  There are so many other children that a wish would mean everything to them and their families.  You can call any Make-A-Wish organization around the world, you can not only donate money, but also your time to help other wish families like ours.

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?"