When our children turn 9 years old, we take them on a special trip. It's a celebration of their last year in single digits. Kaitlyn was surprised with a trip to the American Girl place in Chicago....her bags were packed and ready to go when we told her.....Madison, of course, had a 2 1/2 year wait for her surprise.
Madison is the most joyous child we know. She is compassionate and full of mercy. She loves life and soaks it up. She never gets in a hurry (even when prompted) and enjoys every moment she's given. She gets so excited about little things.
So, we gave her a trip to New York. (On a side note, we lead mission trips for a living and are not a family with much financial means. However, because we lead trips, we have an abundance of Skymiles that we can use for flights, hotels and even meals. This is where those frequent flyer miles come in mighty handy!). A week before her birthday (we would be in Africa on her birthday), we surprised her with a scavenger hunt. She found clues all around the house and then discovered that she would be going to New York. No one could wipe the smile off her face and the excitement in her heart. It was contagious.
After a month of waiting, you'd think the anticipation would have waned slightly. Not so much. She loved EVERY minute of the trip. We had the best time together...it was something neither one of us will ever forget. Here are some highlights:
-Staying at the Fitzpatrick hotel just one block from Grand Central.
-Madison's first subway ride!
-Seeing the Statue of Liberty and hearing the stories of how it came to be....
-Getting in to a great Italian restaurant with no reservations although everyone else had to wait an hour!
-Seeing Mary Poppins on Broadway!
-Visiting the AG place, eating at the cafe and watching the play.
-Holding hands and walking through Times Square.
It was a truly amazing trip and we enjoyed our time together immensely. I loved being able to spend time with a remarkable young girl who just happens to be my daughter!
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