MAKE A WISH

This evening we were honored to attend our appointment at the Make A Wish foundation in Murray.  It was an incredible experience!  

When we arrived, there in the entry was a large sign welcoming Taylor.

The volunteers waiting for us, wanted to take his picture, but he was to shy.  (His weight still bothers him so much.)  He did let me take one as we were leaving.

We were introduced to the volunteers who would be coordinating Taylor's wish and given a tour of the facility.  Each member of our family was given a token.  Then we were asked to step outside to the back of the building where we were asked to toss our tokens and to make individual wishes, simultaneously.  After making our wishes, we went back inside and continued our tour.

In the main hallway, way up high, are hundreds of beautiful glass stars.

Each star has a child's name and their wish on it.  After a child has received their wish a party is held in their honor and they are presented a star which they get to raise.  From the hallway we were taken to another area to a wall which held pictures of the children whose wishes were currently in the process of being granted.  Next we went upstairs to a "family" area.  We sat and visited with the coordinators.  They asked questions about our family, Taylor and his experience.  Then they begun to ask him what kinds of things he might like to wish for.

Tay has had a long time to think about this, yet he was still undecided.  He is such a practical boy that it has been hard for him.  He has been concerned about how much certain things would cost.  He is concerned that if he chose some kind of trip he would have a hard time making up all the schoolwork he would miss.  This put a nix on him wishing for the tropical vacation Shane, Jonah and myself were hoping for.

After much thought, he finally narrowed it down to the two wishes the foundation had asked for.  1 -To meet the San Francisco 49er's  2 - To go on a shopping spree.

We were each given a special piece of paper and asked to write down our wish for Taylor.  Taylor was asked to write down his two make a wishes.  Then we were taken to the "Wishing Tower".  Taylor had to use the special key which was sent to him in order to open the tower.

The tower was magical!  It was a circular room which held only a beautiful water feature in the center of the room.  The only light was that which illuminated from the floor tiles.  We were each asked to read our wishes for Taylor aloud.  Aah, talk about tear jerking.

Coordinator Annie wished that he would always love life and find happiness in everything.  Coordinator Renee wished that he would always have lots of fun doing what he loved.  Coordinator Carlee wished that he would have a great time and that his teachers would be extra nice.  Jonah wished that he would have no more cancer and get one of his wishes. Shane wished that he would have good health for the rest of his life and that his life would always be as happy and joyful as he is now.  I wished that he will never have cancer again and that he will live a long and happy life and that all of his dreams will come true.Once we finished sobbing, Taylor was asked to follow the tiles as they lit up on the floor.

They illumination took him behind the fountain where he was asked to read his wish aloud.  After reading his wish, he put his paper in a small tube which emerged from the floor and submerged once his wish was inserted.

It was such an amazing experience!