Travels with Our Trachie
Session 13: Wish Trip
While we were still in the NICU (back in 2016), we had been notified that our daughter’s Wish nomination had been accepted and our family had been rewarded with a week-long vacation to Orlando, FL to the Give Kids the World Village (GKTW), which included access to the many amusement parks in the area.
Almost three years later, we were finally taking our Special Wish trip. Every aspect of the vacation had been thoroughly considered and planned to the finest detail. Traveling with our Trachie always required considerable forethought, especially when we were going to be gone for two weeks! Our vehicle was expertly packed, (this accolade I will acknowledge belongs to my husband, it was like watching a game of Tetris to see him fit in the coolers, numerous supply boxes, and suitcases into the back of our SUV). Being as prepared as we possibly could be, we set off for our once-in-a-lifetime family vacation!
I doubt that I will ever forget pulling into the Give Kids the World Village. We took our then three-year-old daughter out of her car seat and let her sit on Daddy’s lap as we slowly made our way through the quiet streets, winding around playgrounds, colorful buildings, and small amusement rides on the way to our home for the week. Our older girls were pressed against the windows of the backseat screeching in excitement as they pointed out everything they saw. The Village provided a whimsical vacation experience. Even without the amusement parks, I think we could have stayed busy indulging in all GKTW had to offer. We loved the holiday theme parties, all the delicious food and ice cream, and probably my favorite memory was seeing our daughter’s Wish Star in the Enchanted Castle of Miracles.
Almost immediately upon arrival, we made our way to the castle where we were given a gold-colored star on which we wrote our daughter’s name. She held the star as Daddy guided her hands to place it in the star-shaped notch of the treasure chest and it was magically sent off to the Star Fairy for placement in the skies of the castle. It was a very tender moment and a wonderful start to our magical week. The following day, my eyes filled with tears as I looked upon her star in the Luna galaxy amongst a sea of Wish Stars.
We also had many memorable moments at the amusement parks that were part of our Wish Trip. We visited many parks that week, including Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, and Sea World. The Genie Pass facilitated an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience at all the parks. We got to skip the enormous lines and view every show from the front row! With it being December, the parks were all decorated for the holiday in a dazzling display of lights. We all loved being in a simulated winter wonderland as snow fell on our faces while watching fireworks one evening. It was all so magical!
Another favorite was taking pictures with Santa Claus at every park. At the GKTW Christmas party, Santa Claus held his arms out to take our daughter from me. She sat on his lap, a bit begrudgingly as most toddlers seem to be afraid of sitting on Santa’s lap, and she was no different. What really struck me about the moment was how he had no hesitation. People are typically intimidated by her medical equipment and certainly don’t offer to hold her. I concluded that being the Village Santa meant he had been around a lot of medically fragile children, so he was comfortable with her equipment. I was surprised by how much that moved me. He wasn’t afraid of our daughter, or afraid that he was going to hurt her. He just sat there with welcoming arms. It was a beautiful gift to me.
We are forever grateful for the opportunity provided by the Special Wish Foundation of Dayton.
(link below is video compilation of our trip.)
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