Dear Make-A-Wish

I wanted you to know how much I do appreciate your organization. I know that you have a great yet some times sad job. Make-A-Wish. I had heard about you before we were eligible for your services. I knew that you provided services to dying children. I knew that you were out there. I have been lucky enough to send you money on behalf a clients that have died. You are sort of like the American Red Cross. We want to know that you are out there doing good works but we don't want to ever ever need them.

Within hours of being told that Mary-E had lukemia, we were also given the news that she now qualified for a Wish. That news brought great joy but also a very sobering sad realization. You also thought M-E could die. More accurately, you have had enough experience to know she might.

It was fun exercise. M-E and her friends have spun great wishes. Great big ideas.

1. Lap Top computer. Practical, needed and cool. (Rejected....Mom will get me one)
2. Disney Land: No (I have been there more than once. Even if you get to stay in the real Disney Land Hotel and get front of the line passes.)
3. Aunt Belle's Version: John Travolta flys to Seattle with Tom Cruise as the Co-Pilot, picks us up in his 727 and flys us to Chinle Arizona to pick up Aunt B and then continues to Austin Texas where we meet the head of Dell Computer, who gives us lots of laptops while we meet Lance Armstrong. Then continue on to Disney World where Brad Pitt will take us to all the rides via Golf Cart. (When asked who John Travolta was she said: He is the one that has a plane.)
4. Whitney's Wish: Go to Oprah on the day that she gives away her favorite things. Spend the day at the American Girl Store shopping and see Laura(there other best friend that moved last year to Chicago). ( Oprah does not do Make-A-Wish.) This was her first choice but then Oprah said no and we went on the next wish.
5. Go to Venice with Ruth and Whitney and here we are.(This almost floored me.)

You have said we could go to Venice. She has been to Venice with Ruth and Whitney for a few hours when she was able to go on the Verhoff family vacation. They have included her in a number of adventures and she has always had a good time. When we knew Venice was on the list we looked up some things and did some prep work for it. She was ready to love Venice. She knew about the four horses and St. Marcos and lots of other things. She discovered that Venice was in her soul.

When we were talking Rachel and Tanya she began to speak about Venice in ways I had never heard her talk. She talked about the ice cream and the Masks and how she wanted to bring one home. She talked about the glass and her desire to see the glass blowers. She talked about how it felt to be there and how she wanted to have time to really be there. Just there for a long time. Time enough to understand it.

Since you have said yes, she has been so excited. We have looked at guide books. Friends have sent her guide books and maps. I am on a Venice Memorabilia hunt. Pictures, gondola rotating music boxes, old souvenirs. It has been fun. We have been looking at a great set of books that Alison gave us a few years back. We have been reading about Venice on the internet. It has been a good distraction.

I don't thing you will ever understand the joy that this process has brought her. She is of an age that this is really a great thing for her to look forward to at this time. She is a bit worried that I mean it when I say I am going to light a candle in every church in Venice. But I am serious. I want to leave as many prayers in a place we love as I can.

I know we are not out of the woods. We are planning to go in October of this year. Many people have asked why we don't wait. I am not going to wait. I know of a family that did wait. They will not be fullfilling Kelsy's wish of going to Disney Land. I have learned that it is important to enjoy each moment. I know we run the risk of not being able to go. I know she would be devastated. I have learned not to tell her about things too far in the future because things are so tenative but I have to also not stop planning a future. We need a future to work towards.

I have wondered where this wish originated. As I have heard her speak to her friends over the past few weeks she was truly affected by Venice. She remembers the strangest things. The bathrooms cost .20, the stolen horses on the front are not the original. The real ones upstairs.
The ice cream was the best in Venice. She remembers how long she was there and was wise enough to know she wanted to return.

I know we are going to have a good time. I know that you will take good care of us while we are there. I hope that we can some how repay you in the future.

Thanks again.


P.S. She also wants to take one side trip to Padua and see St. Anthony's tongue. Whitney agrees that would be cool.