Here we are at Jacksonville Airport getting ready to embark on a journey of a lifetime..."Dreams Come True"..... We can't thank you enough for what you gave back to our family....laughter, excitement, miracles and most definitely.... A DREAM COME TRUE! XOXO
Day one we had to wake up at 4am to be ready to travel to airport at 5:30am as we live about 45 minutes to the airport and we had to be there for 6:30am....flight leaving at 8:30am. Chad's dad and mom arrived at 5 to carry us to the airport (THANK YOU GUYS.... YOU ARE TROOPERS AND WE LOVE YOU FOR SACRIFICING SLEEP TO SEND US ON OUR JOURNEY!!).... Chad drove his jeep loaded down with 7 suitcases and 5 carry on bags, lol! So much for travelling lightly huh?! We got to the airport, unloaded the bags, said our goodbye's and headed inside to check our bags. What we didn't realize was the extremely LONG line at the Delta counter or rather why there would be one. Once up to the counter we were informed that our flight had been cancelled and that she was going to have to check and see if she could even GET us on another flight that day because there were afterall FIVE of us! Chad being the rock that he is for me.... could sense the tears beginning to well in my eyes and assured me that everything was going to be fine and we WOULD be on a flight that day out to our paradise. After much searching and dealing with the STRESS and OVER STIMULATION from Mr. Alex.... the sweet lady behind the counter found us a way..... NOT ALL TOGETHER, but nonetheless we would all arive at the same destination. The good news in all this was that because our flight had been cancelled.... they were going to bump us up to FIRST CLASS! THANK YOU GOD.... that was a lifesaver for sure! Our trip originally consisted of us travelling to Atlanta changing planes and on to Honolulu. Our new trip consisted of.... All of us flying to Atlanta First Class, in Atlanta we change planes and seperate :0( Chad and Nick would be flying on another plane to LA and not first class.... Me, Brooks and Alex on a plane in FIRST class to LA then we would all be on the same plane from LA to Honolulu FIRST class. I was sad about it at first because I wanted us all to travel together but then realized it might be a blessing in disguise because we were now FIRST class ALL THE WAY and Alex would be entertained the whole way, lol. As we board the plane first because of Alex's disabilities.... you can imagine him having to sit there quietly and to himself while all hundreds of people need to board the plane. NOT! He made sure that every attendant and PILOT knew who he was and his story, lol. Not only did he make friends but he also got to go to the cock pit, hang with the pilots and sit in the pilot seat! The whole time I am freaking saying... "Don't touch a thing Alex... keep your hands to yourself", lol! How awesome was that for him though??!! I was so touched by their kindness and genuine personalities in wanting Alex to come in and sit down and check it all out. Making sure they got the hat to fit him and all!
Once he had his fill of the cockpit we got him situated in his seat and he had the attendant Isaiah hopping the whole flight with getting him snacks and TWIX candy bars, lol! THANK YOU ISAIAH YOU WERE A TROOPER AND CATERED TO HIS EVERY NEED! I wish I could bring you home with us, lol! I kept apologizing to him and he just kept saying... "don't you worry about anyone else on this trip... this is Alex's trip and it's all about him".... GOD BLESS YOU .... thank you God for putting an angel on that flight because God knew I needed something with all the stress that the mornings flight activities were having on me. Alex and Brooks sat together... Me and Chad sat together and Nick was a row up from us. I thought he was sleeping the whole time but little did I know he was sharing Alex's story with the gentlemen next to him who asked what was with the blue shirts (our dreams come true shirts). So we landed safely and shuffled out the plane and seperated from Nick and Chad as they were going to different gate than us to board a different plane. As we are standing at the elevator waiting to get on and go down to catch the train, this gentleman approaches me and asks if Nick is my son. I said yes and he handed me a bag. I looked at him strangely and then he proceeded to tell me that Nick had told him our story and he was such a polite young gentleman and that Nick had been admiring his Dr. Dre headphones as they talked on the plane he had let Nick try them out and he told the guy that he really liked them and thanked him for allowing him to try them out. He handed me the bag with Dr. Dre headphones in them and said that he really really wanted Nick to have them. OMG.... angels everywhere I tell you! I started crying and told him I couldn't accept them and he insisted and really wanted Nick to have them. He met Alex and even writing this I get teary eyed that our story would touch a complete stranger in that way. I opened the bag to see what was in it as he walked away and there were the headphones with the receipt of $ 250.00!! I'm not sure if he gave up his set or if he went to the kiosk and bought another pair just for Nick... either way... WHAT A BLESSING and I am in awe that he, a complete stranger would do something so nice for Nick. I was soooo excited I had to go and find Nick to give them to him, lol. Here we go on the train.... I'm looking for the gate that they have to be at and we make it there before them, ha ha. As Nick walked up I handed him the bag and told him what the guy said.... his face was PRICELESS! I think there may even have been tears welling up in his eyes... he couldn't believe it. He said "Mom... do you know how much those things cost?" and I just replied that yes because the receipt was in the bag! What was really special was that the guy was also going to be on the flight to LA with he and Chad so he went searching for him in the waiting area to thank him in person and he did just that! I kissed my men goodbye and headed to our gate with a slight detour to POPEYES chicken of course before boarding the plane. A 6 hour flight... first class... we got a meal and all the free movies we wanted... NICE! Thank God... kept us all busy! Alex did have to go to the restroom a couple of times and yes that was a chore to get us both in there, but I am officially a pro now and I GOT THIS, lol! We landed safely in LA and headed to the gate to meet Chad and Nick and finally be on our last leg to Hawaii! Five and a half hours this leg, again... movies and a meal we look out the window and this was our view:
I don't know where we were but the scenery above the clouds was breath taking!! Alex did NOT SLEEP ONE WINK... of course he didn't why would I think he WOULD!!?? AAAAHHHHHH... we landed in Honolulu at 9:00 pm..... which is 3:00am FLORIDA TIME!! WE WERE EXHAUSTED!! Once on the ground... we headed off the plane and to get the luggage. The hard part was finding a taxi to fit ALL OF OUR BAGS lol.... Thank God this Suburban pulled up and fit us all in with ALL the bags and we headed off to the Sheraton Waikiki which was about a 30 minute drive. We got to the hotel and my expectations were well EXCEEDED to say the least ha ha. IT WAS TRULY PARADISE AND NOTHING WE HAD EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE FOR SURE! We go to check in at the front desk... our bags will be brought up to the room by the bell desk ( what the french toast, lol)... i felt like I was in a movie! Then she hands me this silver VIP card and tells me we are in the PRESIDENTIAL SUITE... SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!! I wanted to pinch myself to make sure this was really happening, lol! The Presidential Suite is on the 30th floor of the 32 story hotel and when we stepped off of the elevator what we saw we couldn't believe!
This was the entrance to our suite!!! DOUBLE FREAKING DOORS.... CRAZY!
As we walked thru the double doors... this is what our view entailed! Oh wait... we must be in a movie or a dream... this can't be real right?! You only see rooms like this in the movies, lol!!
We were all starving so we unloaded the stuff and headed downstairs to the lobby to check out our massive hotel and all their ammenities. The only thing open was the RUM FIRE bar so the boys sat outside while I went in to order us some food. I was told they only had appetizer portions, at full price of course, lol... but at that point I didn't care and we needed food.... $ 50.00 later for 2 orders of nacho's, 2 quesadillias and 1 order of fries, lol. We headed back up to the room for our first sit down dinner in our Presidential suite!
Every morning between 5-5:30 this was my favorite place to be. I would sit here until the sun came up watching all of the surfers paddling out to catch the waves. An amazing view and a little bit of quiet heaven for me.
We were exhausted and after we ate.... we headed to bed at 11pm... 5am FLORIDA TIME and we hadn't slept a wink yet! I hope you have experienced a little of our first day out and enjoyed the ride with me......Night Night my friends.... stay tuned for Day 2 of our DREAM COME TRUE!!!
PEACE~LOVE~N~THUMBS UP!
LISA
