Last week I was given the opportunity to join my niece in receiving her wish from Make-A-Wish Foundation to visit Disney World! As many of you know, Naomi is a survivor of Leukemia, and as a survivor, it was suggested that she wait at least a year beyond being in remission before enjoying her wish so that she could have an optimal experience. My sister asked me to join her, our mother and the kids in Florida, and despite my hectic schedule, I couldn’t imagine not taking part in Naomi’s wish.
I flew to Florida two days before everyone else (the flights were cheaper leaving on a Thursday), and hoped to find a space to practice for my upcoming concert. I was happy to discover that the friend who graciously housed me for 2 days lives very close to a piano store! The owner, Teresa Foster, was friendly and kind, and didn’t hesitate a bit when I asked if I could use one of her pianos to practice. Thank God for her generosity. I was so grateful for those practice hours to review my music. If you’re in Jacksonville, FL, go see Teresa at Teresa’s Piano Gallery and buy your piano from her!
I did manage some down time, visiting the Jacksonville Beach and taking a leisurely walk with friends on the rough sand. My feet got a de-facto pedicure…ouch! lol The little rocks digging into my feet didn’t deter me from taking in the beauty of the ocean. After 2 days in Jacksonville, my friend, her daughters and I drove to Orlando to meet my family. We waited, and waited, and waited, and finally Naomi came skipping down the exit hallway at the airport with a huge grin,
Sunday – Universal Studios. We arrived at the park just before noon (so much for trying to get there early – have you ever tried wrangling 8 people into being out the door early?? Sigh…) My mom had a couple of falls recently, and had to use a wheelchair, but thanks to our being escorted to the FRONT of every line for rides, shows, character photos, etc., she had a great time along with the rest of us. My nephew is a ride fanatic like me, so we were ride buddies. The faster, the more G-forces, the better! We managed to hit almost every ride in BOTH parks and wore ourselves fully out. However, the buzz was strong enough that we stayed up far too late Sunday night. Before falling asleep I noticed that Naomi’s face was hot. Uh-oh…Yep. Fever. We gave her some tylenol to cut the fever and prayed for the best. By morning, Naomi said she felt better, so we went forward with our plans.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to witness Naomi’s joy in meeting her most beloved characters, being escorted to the front of every line for rides, participating in a theatrical presentation of the Lion King and just having a grand time. I’ll never forget the smiles on the kids faces. Magical…