Serendipitous Girl

We are determined to enjoy every moment of our West Coast visit. Yesterday, we visited Disneyland and California Adventures. This morning our Fairy Godmomma inquired how Disneyland compared to Disneyworld. I am sorry to say—it doesn't. It was nice to visit and be able to say we did it, but it made me miss Disneyworld. Mickey and Minnie weren't even there, but we did get our Dole Whips! Chris laughed at me when I asked, "Where is Cinderella's castle?" His reply was, "She can't have the same house in two different states! If you had a house in Florida and one in California, would they be the same?" "Well, let me try that, and I will let you know!" Glad I have this witty man as my partner in all of life's adventures, always putting things in perspective for me. This morning, we all slept in and ordered breakfast in bed. The past few days have physically taken a toll on Jayde. Though she is fighting to make the most of this trip, she is exh...

Yesterday, Jayde's wish, through Make-a-Wish, was granted. Jayde is understandably exhausted, and her pain is, as she put it this morning's check-in, "An eight, from head to toe." Even in pain, she glows.  There were many moments where I was not sure this day would happen. T he only word I can think of to sum up the experience for our family is MAGICAL. Destiny, our LA Make-a-Wish rep, and James Nagel, an amazing LA-based photographer and cinematographer, met us at our hotel. We spent the next few hours strolling the Santa Monica Pier and the beach. Jayde is so shy in front of the camera, but behind it, she lights up. James was amazing. Besides being relatable and kind, patiently teaching Jayde and helping her hone her skills, he saw her. Having the opportunity to watch our beautiful daughter in her element was as much a gift for Chris and me as it was for Jayde. This morning, my heart is full of joy and gratitude. This East Coast girl was raised on Disney Florida, s...

The day I received the phone call informing me Jayde had been granted a wish through Make-a-Wish, I began to cry uncontrollably. No parent ever anticipates their child will become, at any point in their life, a "Make-a-Wish Kid." My tears were mingled with happiness, relief, and sadness. When you live in the medical trenches with your child, you distract yourself with dreams of beautiful, far-off places. Someplace where, for a brief moment, your child can escape the reality of their life. Though this is just a dream, that is alright because a dream is a wish your heart makes. Yesterday, we began our California Coast photography adventure, compliments of Make-a-Wish and Jayde's dream. This is Jayde's first flight. We are all a little anxious—yet filled with excitement. As her anxiety gets the best of her, she plants her hand tightly in mine. I lean over my beautiful girl to look out the window at the clouds below us—she lets out a giggle. All is well. For me, it had b...