Wishes Really DO Come True...

When Grady was born the girls received their first gift from Matt's cousin Ellen. They were silver wish necklaces. With directions stating that a wish should be made when putting on the necklaces, and they would fall off when their wish came true.

So my jewelry loving daughter Riley ripped open the bag, immediately put on her necklace, and told us her wish... that her friends would come and visit her here in California. She must have named 10 kids who she wanted to visit. Kids from her class in India. Kids from her class in Israel. She made lists.

But she always narrowed it down to two friends. The two friends she's known since she was nine months old.




When Riley got home from school yesterday I asked her if she wanted to put on her wish necklace (I normally don't let her wear any jewelry to school). Of course she did. And she told me her wish again too ... which she let me video tape.

So imagine her absolute surprise when about 20 minutes later the doorbell at our hotel rang... and the girlies waiting on the other side of the door were none other than her closest girlfriends ... Gabby and Kit. From Maryland. She was shell shocked and couldn't speak. She got teary eyed, she hugged her friends, she grinned from ear to ear.

Christine and I had been trying to figure out a way to get together while we were still here in California, but nothing seemed to be coming together. Until last Wednesday, when she came across inexpensive airline tickets, and within a few hours had bought the tickets, made reservations, and had booked her whirlwind 3 day trip out here to see us and get the girls together.

It was an AWESOME surprise, and we're so thankful they're here to spend the weekend. Gotta go now - the park is calling us!