MAKE A WISH TRIP day 2

MONDAY
We woke bright and early, and after breakfast, met a boat right on the beach.  We were going snorkeling for half of the day!  It was a little rough trying to get on the boat-but we made it!  The water was unusually rough that day, and for the first 30 minutes we all almost tossed our breakfast...and wanted to turn around.  

Our Captain-

The Regent Palms, we stayed in bldg to left, on 4th floor left corner ocean front condo

Mike's shirt next to the water- turquoise, it looks calm, but this part was so rough, we tried snorkeling here, but everyone was quickly loosing the boat and it was 50 ft to the bottom.

"Dis is a Konk (conch- but k sound at beginning and end)

intently listening

Aidan ready to go!

I had to look straight, again, car sick, sea sick, ugh...

Now we got to a lot calmer waters, it was so  tranquil and blue- and not as deep

huge stingray!

he was so mad I picked out turquoise for his swim shirt- lol- I think he looked good :)

DIs is the spot!

Aidan is always first to jump up and go do anything exciting

Are you laughing?  I was :)

weeeeeeee!!!!

 The goal was to snorkel and dive down deeper for a conch. We each can take one by law. They are disguised by lots of grass on their shells, so they really just look like an ocean plant.  But, Calli found 2, and Aidan found one! 

can you see it peeking out???

 Then we went to the beach at Iguana Island, and dis guy took all the conch that we found, and cracked, sliced and diced it in front of us!

ewwwww- it is like a huge snail

wow, that is gross, I'm gonna eat that???  and raw???

 OK- so then he held up this long worm looking thing- It was the Conch's "pistol", (aka male reproductive organ)  And he said "Now who gonna eat it?  Huh?  It will make you a man, strong and manly."  So....who do you think stepped right up and ate that thing?

OH, Aidan, my daredevil.

yum- doesn't that look appetizing?

see his eyeballs???

now, to get the good stuff

left with all white meat

before and after

conch ceviche- it was actually very good :)  We all tried it, Aidan, Mike and I ate all of ours....

Calli opted to eat 4 bags of Doritos instead

fish!

our boat

time for a walk

Mike was running like a little boy, I wish I got it on video- I almost peed my pants, it was so funny!

Iguana!!!

He let me get very close..he was rather large :)

maybe this will be my screen saver

yes.....

heading back now

Aidan rode on the front of the boat on the way back.

 We got back to our room, ate lunch and chilled out before heading out into the town for dinner. 

I actually got to finish reading this magazine

always exploring

view from our porch

WIFI = texting :)

her cozy KING bed for the week- Mike slept on sleeper sofa, I slept with her, and Aidan had a roll away bed :)

guess I fell asleep  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Someone brought this for Calli, they were in and out, we never knew they were there:)

HAPPY DADDY

Add caption

Ha Ha- there is a story behind that eye!  Calli was mad at me, I wanted her to take pictures and I am particular, and like pictures that are focused, so she want crying to her daddy <3 

kiss and make-up

she wanted to do the Titanic pose in the sunset

she can be quite goofy sometimes

poor Aidan had this weird rash all over his face

tired of me taking pictures- lol

I said, "hug each other!"  that is what I got- lol

they are making fun of me right now,

better....

ha ha lol, this is the best one I got!

 So, after lots of pictures, we went to SOMEWHERE, a little restaurant that the locals frequent.  We did not want to eat at fancy places each night.  We drove up the road and, this one was also right off of the beach, and we had a great breeze...Calli ordered shrimp quesadillas, and hated them, I tasted them and gagged, so Mike gave her his bean burrito and he ate her quesadillas. 

artistic photos by Calli

 It was a wonderful good day!

MAKE A WISH TRIP preparing and day 1

When Calli was told that she got to make a wish to do anything, meet anyone or go anywhere...she first thought of Italy.... 


She loves History, food, ruins, art and well...anything that has to do with learning about a culture and immersing herself into it!  Knowing that she wanted to travel everywhere in Italy, and having a restriction of time and energy to tour each day......she started thinking maybe this was not the time, and about how she would like to have a little bit of summer that she never got to have.  She thought of warm waters, and thrilling sites, food and culture and changed her mind to Hawaii!!!


Helicopter tours of waterfalls and volcanoes, and snorkeling, laying on the beach, zip lining down a mountain..those were on her list of things to do once there!  Once she realized how long the flight was from Pennsylvania to Hawaii, if we got a direct flight that is...and how much her back or hip can hurt if she sits too long.....and when she found out that Make a wishers cannot be taken on helicopter rides......she cried....and cried.


I tried to encourage her not to give up- there is a whole world out there- and closer to Pennsylvania too!  So, we got out the globe, and she had an epiphany!!!  Long ago when Jeff Corwin was still doing shows on animal planet, she remembered watching and learning all about Galapagos Islands- they have it all- volcanoes, sharks, whales, penguins, blue-footed boobies, snorkeling, beaches, turquoise water, and sun!  She was set, and excited again!!!  She was thrilled to tell our Make a wish coordinator, and as a plus, it was half the distance of Hawaii!!!


The next day when she got the call that Galapagos was 2 days of travel time to get to, and she would only have 2 days on an actual island, she was crushed.  Apparently, it is very remote (DUH).  We would have to fly to Miami, then to Quito, Ecuador.  Stay over night, catch a morning plane to the little airport island, then catch a ferry to Isabella Island where she wanted to stay.  Another setback, oh dear, now I had a very emotional, very upset, and ready to just forget it teenage girl.


I told her to pray about it, to be calm, and that we were just not meant to go to those places..YET.  One day, she will travel the world, one day she will meet and help and experience other cultures, islands, animals.

With the tears in her eyes, I told her, "Now Calli, forget about a place sweets, what do you want to do?"  she replied, "Mom, I want a summer, I want to swim in calm turquoise waters, I want to snorkel, and go horseback riding on the beach, I just want to relax and eat different foods, and it not be hours and hours away."


That was easy!  I took out the Ipad, that someone generously gave to her, and went to google earth.  I know the Caribbean is only a few hours away, so we looked at the satellite view of the earth and zoomed into the most turquoise spot on the Caribbean Ocean.  At that moment, it was Turks and Caicos, a small island in the British West Indies, right above Haiti and Dominican Republic.


In a matter of a few weeks, Our make-a-wish contact got everything prepared and ready, and got us nonstop flights- only 3 hours!  All we had to do was pack, find someone to take care of our animals and be ready to leave the Sunday after Thanksgiving.


DOGS
 When we found out the week we were going, I realized...we have three dogs and no one that can take care of them.  You see, For the past 7 years, we have not taken an actual "vacation" vacation.  We have had foster kids, and we have taken several work trips and mission trips with them-a few times I was able to take the kids to the shore for a weekend..... but it was always me taking them, and Mike staying home to care for our 3 dogs, 1 cat and 25 chickens! 


There was a few times that Mike was able to go with us on a work trip and a family member or friend would watch them, but we did not want to burden anyone, and Calli really wanted the dogs to be free during the day, not stuck in their crates.  These are her babies.  So, I emailed the kennel up the road, BEN-JEE Kennels...

I emailed the owner, Jim Hill, and his response took my breath away, confirmed there is still heart and kindness and self-less ness in our world..."I am moved by your daughter's story and her poetry and I will not charge you."

We were so blessed, and relieved, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to the staff at BEN-JEE Kennels.


Our friends the Homan family, were willing to take care of our chickens and cat!  Thanks guys!~  We were set! 


The week leading up to her trip was very busy, as it usually is for everyone, but super more it seemed....I had her meds to refill, I had the dogs to vaccinate with Bordetella and vacation meds to fill, chicken, dog and cat food to stock up on, and none of us had bathing suits that fit, I had to get UPF swim shirts to protect her fragile skin that was already burned so badly from radiation- her entire head, and back needed to be shielded.  Then... I got sick and had to get an antibiotic and after 3 different antibiotics over a course of 3 weeks, I was just beginning to feel better. 


The week before Thanksgiving Mike's mom Linda, was having weird trouble with her legs, they hurt and she could not walk right, and then she fell.  She was back and forth to the doctors. 


SUNDAY-the Sunday before Thanksgiving, we were all at Mike's brother Jeff's house, and Linda just could not walk at all.  She was crying and in pain, and this is not like her at all.  She is strong, a bulwark, has a high tolerance for pain.  It was decided that she needed to go to the emergency room, so Jeff and I took her, while Mike, Lori and Chris stayed behind with all the kids. After tests that showed nothing, they decided to keep her for a few days for observation.


MONDAY - I took all three dogs to the vet- OYE VEY- they went through an entire bag of treats to distract them from other dogs- they each got some shots, and a check-up.  Calli stayed home alone and  for some odd reason had so much pain, nothing relieved it, nothing helped.  All day, she cried and complained, which is not like her.  I was on the phone with her doctor several times and late into the night, and decided to wait till the next morning to bring her in.


TUESDAY- Calli and I were out of the house before 6:30, and made it to CHOP by 8:30- it took so long that morning to get to CHOP.  Her doctor reassured us, that this WAS NOT tumor, she just had a fantastic MRI the week before and it was most likely muscle or bone.  But just to be sure, she ordered x-rays  of her bones, NO CANCER in her bones, and as a matter of fact,her marrow looked phenomenal, her spine- was curved perfectly,and no more scoliosis from the tumor was present.  It was her muscles!!! 
It turns out, she had been working out so much, that she pulled muscles in her back, and was experiencing pain from that. 


TUESDAY NIGHT- As soon as I got home from CHOP, I took Mike's mom's van back to the hospital at Grandview and picked her up.  We stopped at the pharmacy, I put some meals in her freezer, removed all her rugs so she could not trip, did a little bit of laundry and waited for Mike to come get me.  Now... she had a walker, and could barely walk as it was.  Turns out that they thought this was her sciatic nerve crippling her.  I thought it odd, since she kept saying the bone in her leg and knee and hip hurt.  It was hard for her. 



WEDNESDAY-  All day, I cooked, and cleaned.  Aidan made the pumpkin pie, Calli made the pecan, I made the apple.  I made stuffing, Sweet potato casserole, the way my Mama makes it with pecans and brown sugar, and I made my special potatoes, green bean casserole, Waldorf salad and I smothered the Turkey inside and out with herb butter.  I did not take one picture :( 


THURSDAY- This year, was just the four of us, and Mike went to pick up his mom and brought her over for dinner.  It was so difficult for her to walk.  We had a very simple and peaceful day.


FRIDAY- I woke up very early and yes...went black Friday shopping, I only got a few small things that were a good deal at Walmart.  For the last several years, we have been trying to simplify Christmas, and focus more on being together than the whole gift thing.  We have had a full house of foster children for the last 5 years, so it was necessary.  A good friend of mine, told me once- "Our kids get 3 gifts, Jesus only got three."  So that is what we do each year- they get  one gift for each other, one from their teacher (me) and one from Mom and Dad.  After I got home, we started cleaning up the house, and trying to get organized.  I used a list on my phone from TRIP IT- that helped a lot!


SATURDAY TIME TO PACK!  OYE!  We packed and packed, and cleaned and did all the last minute stuff you do before vacation, and now it was time to say goodbye and drop off our beloved dogs to the kennel.


DAY ONE
SUNDAY- we woke up quite early and were quite surprised when a LIMO showed up at our door!

This was Calli & Aidan's first ride in a LIMO!

The limo was warm, and had fresh water...but I got really sick, I mean very car sick, riding sideways is not my thing ;p  Calli got a little queasy too, but I think it was from me gaggign or from Aidan's gas.....

I checked in online, so we arrived at the airport, and after checking bags, we went right through security- we were escorted, because I had Calli in her wheelchair.  Of course I beeped and beeped and beeped, and had to be patted down :)  It was all very funny, and we had time to kill anyway.  When it was time to board the plane, they let us on with Calli first, and then called everyone else on board after we were settled.  Mike and Aidan were in the last row, and Calli and I were in the bulkhead seats so that she had more room...but the plane was not even half full and I believe the Lord opened up the seats right next to us, so Mike and Aidan moved up right away.

Doctor's orders!!!

We both had two windows in the bulkhead section

Maryland or Delaware- We were waving hello to our dear friends in Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Berlin Maryland!!

One of the Islands

Beautiful!

Going down, starting to land!!!

We seriously thought that this runway was sand!!!

NOPE, there is an actual runway :)

We rented a car, and Mike drove like a wild man following the wild taxi driver in front of us to our condo!

Not our Suburban- LOL- Mike BARELY fit to drive-

 It was funny, They drive on the left side of the road, but the driver seats are on the right- which confused Mike's brain.  HE claims it only happened once, but I remember at least two times, we forgot, and he was driving on the wrong side of the road!!!  IT was quite funny.  They also have a ton of circles, and they are quite easy to maneuver, but again, the whole left side of the road thing is confusing.


This is a video of our condo room- bigger than our house- square footage wise.

Pretty NICE! 

Yeah...um... he was annoyed at me or Aidan, um or both :)

After unpacking, we changed and headed out to the beach, swam till the sun set, and then jumped in the pool!  Calli and Aidan ordered virgin Pina Colada's and Strawberry Daiquiri's.  After that, Calli and I each took a turn in the bubble bath, and relaxed before dinner.


Our first meal was up the sandy beach at the Mango Reef.

Hard to see at night- we were right on the beach, with a gentle breeze

Calli got WAHOO- who knew what a Wahoo was???  Not me!  Leave it to Calli, to not only know it was a fish, but one of the most widely eaten fish in Hawaii...which we were not in, but hey- they swim around Providenciales, Turks and Caicos any who right!?!

We walked a nice slow walk back to the Regent Palms, where we were staying.  It was a wonderful first day :)


More to come, I will update day by day-

fall days

Life has caught up to us, and I am sorry that I have not updated.  To spare you from reading a super long post, I will update a little each day on some highlights of November.  

Aidan has been working so hard each week at TaeKwonDo.  He goes to classes- 4 times a week at Mark Cashatt's in Souderton.  Somehow God has put it on people's hearts to help pay for him to go, and we have not had to pay since June.  Thank you to whomever has been helping, it means so very much for Aidan to continue to be able to go.  I usually drop him off 2 nights a week on our way home from physical therapy, and then Mike meets me there after work, so I can go home and make dinner.  Mike faithfully takes him the other two nights.  Aidan is strong and determined, and loves his martial art.

GREEN BELT!!!

Aidan tested for his Green Belt in November!

He had to do the pattern Do-San

He got all A's on his test, and is waiting to get his new belt

Fitting the new belt

Yeah Aidan!!!

Master Mark Cashatt is Grrrreat!

Alyssa and Calli-beautiful Derstine's

Here is a copy of Calli's short-term goals.  She scribbled them down for Her Physical Therapist Erin.  

She has some great goals!!!  And, she LOVES Erin.  Erin has been challenging Calli to do more, and Calli is building lots of muscles!!!  She came in the other night and said, "Mom, do you want to see my muscles?"

She is strong, and getting stronger- she will not quit, give up or give in and although she tires easily, she tries everything!!!  She made her screen saver on her Ipod the letters "PT" to remind herself, that before she starts to play a game or go online on her Ipod, that she does her home PT exercises first.

HIKING
So, one of Calli's goals was to be able to hike.  We love hiking on trails and the week before Thanksgiving, we decided to take the dogs to our secret spot and try it out!

So we came to the creek we always have to cross. to get to the trails....

Mike and I realized that this was going to be a very good exercise for her today(and us!) to work on her balance.  Not only are the rocks uneven, but they were very wet, which makes them like ice!  LOL.  With me in front of her, and walking blindly backwards, and then with Mike behind her...we helped her cross.

Mike almost fell in a few times!!!

Mike directing me!

Finally she made it!

Our doggies!  Roscoe, Scotty & Butchy- gotta wear orange in the fall!!!  Don't want them to be mistaken for a deer..or a raccoon..or a fox

Gentleness

Need a break!

My survival boy- finds water in trees- it was not sap- but fresh water on this birch tree

I need another break!  This is tough work!

  I could not sit still while Sissy needed a break!

Someone was goofing off and fell in!

I collect heart rocks, but this was good enough for me today :)

PEACE

Patience