Russell's Wish....We are Home!

Wow...what a week!

We got home at about 1:00 in the morning last night (or early this morning) after a truly amazing week.  So many experiences and so many memories.  Something about seeing your kids with huge grins on their faces for a whole week makes it all worth while.

I have enough notes and pictures that can keep my busy blogging for many weeks.  I was intending to write some blog posts and journal our week but to be very honest the whole experience was so overwhelming that I wanted to take some time and reflect on our experience.  It was a fabulous time but also a realization about how our lives have changed in 8 years.  Normal families go on vacations.  Normal families go to Disney.  It was a huge emotional barrier to do something "normal" and we have many people to be thankful for giving us the push we needed.

A huge thank you to Children's Wish of Manitoba for organizing this whole trip from Winnipeg.  Also, the staff and army of volunteers at Give Kids the World Village who exceeded everything we could have ever imagined.  I mentioned the volunteers at Kids Village.  This place does not function with an amazing group of volunteers.  There are numerous volunteers who are from the Orlando area but there are also many volunteers, who come from all over, to volunteer at Kids Village.  We were fortunate enough to be at the Village with several groups including a contingent from St Johns University and Oakland University.  In addition, there was a group from Forest Hills Presbyterian Church from Forest Hills, Michigan.  All of these folks and the many others make staying at Kids Village so unique and extra special.  These staff and volunteers truly exemplify the quote which you will see all over Kids Village.

Although our trip is now over we have so many great memories.  Some of which I'll share over the next few days.  From start to finish this was an amazing trip.  Things couldn't have gone better.