One Year Later!

Jeremy's 7th Birthday! August 13th, 2013

                                     

Jeremy loves camping and fishing

                                                    

It has been over a year since Jeremy's last chemo treatment. This past year on five different occasions we have anxiously and with some trepidation accompanied Jeremy back to Primary Children's Hospital for his check up. Each visit consists of an MRI, CT, xray, lab work, hearing test, and doctor's examination. It makes for a long day, but it is nice to receive the results from the scans while in the doctor's office. We are so appreciative for the watchful care he is continually receiving from the medical staff and from a loving Heavenly Father. Our hearts are full of gratitude that Jeremy's cancer is in remission, and for the many blessings we have received and lessons we have learned through this trial. Our faith and love for our Father in Heaven and for His son Jesus Christ has grown stronger. Jeremy has a few side effects that he struggles with now, and possible side effects that he might have to deal with in the future, but we know that through prayer and faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, we can overcome any future challenges. To look at Jeremy today, a year later, we see a miracle. He is a strong, healthy, energetic, happy boy! 

Disney World Trip!

  Jeremy's "Make a Wish" trip to Disney World 

August 15, 2012

Jeremy was so excited to fly on an airplane. It was a long flight, but shortly after take off he fell asleep and slept the entire plane ride. We woke him up when we arrived in Florida, and he said 

"We are already there?" 

 

We stayed at "Give Kids the World Village", a 70 acre "storybook" resort only for children with life threatening illness and their families. 

(Lynnette, Jeremy, Megan, Jake, James, Ireland, and Mike)

Here was our villa for the week. It was equipped with a kitchen and washer and dryer. Every day when we returned to the cottage there were gifts on the kitchen table for each of the kids.   

Gingerbread Restaurant.
All of our meals were provided for at the village. The food was really good.  

Each week more than 1,500 volunteers donate their time to Give Kids the World Village!  We were amazed by the volume of volunteers. Everyone was so kind and friendly. 

Though there was a variety of delicious food, Jeremy still was not eating much.

 The Ice Cream Palace, complimentary all you can eat ice cream from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm. 

The village offers this service because there are so many children who do not have the appetite or desire to eat due to their illnesses. Of course this service is offered to their families as well. It is amazing how the kids did not get sick of eating ice cream every day!  

There was so much to do at the village, merry go round rides, train rides, miniature golf, swimming, pony rides, daily party themes, and activities. For example every Monday is Halloween and every Thursday is Christmas (Santa comes to the village and brings each child and their siblings a gift) and every Friday is Pirate and Princess Day. Each day has its own theme.

Every day Disney, Nickelodeon, or Universal studio characters come to the village so that the children can take a picture with their favorite characters. Some of the children are so ill that they are unable to go to Disney World and the other attractions, so the characters come to them. 

Jake, Ireland, Jeremy, Megan, and James.

Jeremy asked for Mickey's autograph.

Riding the ferry to Disney World!

Main Street, Disney World!

Jeremy feeling shy and did not want a stranger taking our picture.

   

The "Fast Pass" was amazing! If we did have to wait in a line, it was literally only a few minutes. As soon as the employees saw our pass (for Make a Wish kids), they either walked us up to the front of the line or the end of the line and we were on next. Some of the lines were so long, and people had been waiting up to an hour or more to get on the ride. We were concerned how people would react to us walking up to the front of the line. We were so surprised and touched by the compassion and kindness we received by strangers as they smiled at us while we walked up to the front of the line with Jeremy. So many people commented to him how brave he was. 

Buzz Lightyear, one of Jeremy's favorite rides.

Animal Kingdom

An employee would see the Fast Pass around my neck, and would literally take us by the hand and walk us up to the characters for pictures. Again, the people waiting in line were so gracious and kind.

The characters were so cute with Jeremy and Ireland. 

                                       

Jeremy loves Winnie the Pooh and has seen all his movies.  He was so tired by the time we saw Pooh, that he did not want to get out of the stroller. 

Safari Ride

Bugs Life

Epcot

Jeremy was exhausted at the end of each day! The day we went to the Epcot center was extremely hard for him. We ended up not being able to do much there. We did go on the Soar'n California ride. While we walked through the different countries Jeremy fell asleep in the stroller.  

Universal Studios 

Jeremy took this picture!

Harry Potter World! 

This was the older kids and Mike's favorite part of the whole trip. They are big Harry Potter fans. 

Olivander's 

Inside, we watched the wizard and witches show us a wand demonstration. 

Three Broomsticks

Inside Three Broomsticks eating lunch and drinking "Butter Beer" (it tasted a lot like cream soda). 

Jeremy enjoyed riding a few rides in Dr. Seuss land.

Sea World!

Petting Stingrays 

Jeremy pretending to be a dolphin!

Feeding the Dolphins! 

A day at the beach in the gulf, Sarasota.

Jake

Ireland

Jeremy and Megan

James

James

Jeremy and Megan

This truly was a "once in a life time" vacation.