Can I Go Back...Please?...(Pictures, Make-a-Wish Trip, Ian, Fun Stuff, Video)

I came back from Florida for this?



And, as a follow-up to the last post, here is a video clip of Ian fighting Darth Vader:




We're still in the process of sifting through the pictures & videos, and I'm going to try flexing my video editing skills to come up with something that shows the scope of the whole trip.

Vacation Pictures, Ctd. (Make-a-Wish Trip, Ian, Pictures)

I tried in vain to get screen captures of this from the video clips I took over the past week. Now that we're home from our Make-a-Wish trip, I was able to rip this from the Disney PhotoPass site:


This was the first of many highlights from our trip. Ian took part in Jedi training at Disney Hollywood Studios, then got the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with Darth Vader. As a parent, and as a Star Wars geek, this was very cool.

Once we catch our breath, I'll try to get things a bit more organized. There is so much to show and tell, though, that it will take a few days...

Make-a-Wish Trip, Day 1

Day 1

Exhaustion. Pure exhaustion, and the trip is just beginning. Hopefully, we will be efficient sleepers, so that we can be ready for the next few days…

We started off this morning at 4:30, getting ready to be picked up by a limousine, which was a first for all of us. The driver was very kind, and gave us the first of many thrills for the day. We were met at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport by a Make-a-Wish volunteer named Martha. She escorted us through check-in and security, and waited with us a while at the terminal.

When we boarded the plane, Ian was allowed to sit in the cockpit for a few minutes and work the controls.

We had an uneventful flight (the best kind), and arrived at Orlando to 70 degrees and lots of sun. We were met there by a volunteer from Give Kids the World (the name of the complex where we are staying) named Helen. Helen took us through the baggage claim to the car rental.

Half an hour later, we pulled into Give Kids the World. This place is amazing. It’s perhaps the most kid-friendly place I’ve ever seen (and, yes, I realize that how close we are to Walt Disney World). Within minutes of arriving, Ian was given a stuffed Mickey Mouse, and that wasn’t the last gift he received. We ate a quick lunch (with ice cream), checked in and then explored the village.

After supper at The Gingerbread House (an on-site restaurant), it was Christmas. Every kid got an age-appropriate present; Ian chose a Sorry game.

Click here for pictures of the trip. Click on a thumbnail to enlarge it, or just view the slideshow.

Tomorrow, we hit Disney Hollywood…

108300 Seconds and counting (Temporal Echoes of the Eternal, Events, Make-a-Wish Trip)

Yes, we're a little excited about the upcoming trip. We're all looking forward to a special time away, when we can relax and forget about MRIs, treatments and obligations. We've all got attractions that we especially want to see, but all three of the adults are looking forward to watching Ian enjoy everything.

We've verified that we'll have Internet access at our villa, so (hopefully) starting Thursday evening we'll be making nightly daily posts here at on the Caring Bridge site. Because of limitations on Caring Bridge, this site will have more pictures, and video. I've also created a Flickr account, so I'll be putting pictures there as well; as soon as there are photos there, I'll post a link to the side.

In the meantime, please pray that the weather forecast clears up a bit for Sunday...