Logan, Luke, Mark Wills, and Carline
Carline, Luke, and Logan
Sorry about the sideways pictures.. please just turn your head to the side!
Luke's official (with my not so official) 2012 Champion of PA picture.
Logan, Luke and Carline
Luke with Miss America
She was so great and you can tell really cares about the kids.
After breakfast we all headed out to the Capital Building to have the official pictures of 2012 taken.
Luke is third row to the left of Miss America (on the right side).
We ate lunch at one of the Senate buildings in a Senate Hearing room. Luke thought he should get up and speak. The kids had great fun doing this!
Then Logan and Luke sat where the Senators sit and did some more speaking (it got really loud).
At lunch Miss America sat with us... and Luke was in rare form... after calling her Mrs. America and being corrected that she was a Miss he insisted he was NOT going to marry her. She even got it on video! Many years from now we will remind him of this!! Laura is so incredibly nice and it was really an honor to get to know her. The Miss America Foundation has worked with CMN for 20+ years and they do a lot to help the organization out. Her personal endorsement it to help children of parents who are in prison. She has a music/voice degree already. There is definitely more than looks going on with her! One thing that was a bit disturbing was going to the bathroom and washing my hands and looking into the mirror next to her... geesh after so many children and so many days in the hospital looks tend to take a big back seat... nothing like standing next to Miss America to remind you of that!!!
Logan and Carline showing off their PA made candy they got from the Senator's office.
Afterwards we went to Senator Casey's office for a tour. He was not there today but his staff was supposed to take us around for a personal tour. After over 45 minutes past our appointment time this happened:
Luke was fast asleep.
Finally someone came in and told us the office had overbooked for the day and would we mind just getting the regular pass for capital tour with a tour guide. Geesh what do you say to that... uhh.. OK. Just wish they would have said that from the start and not made us wait almost an hour to be told that! I understand we are not big donators, etc so no big deal but the wait was a little annoying.
We did get to see his office and the underground tunnel that connects the buildings in the Capital.
The kids in Senator Casey's office. This was once John F Kennedy's office when he was a Senator.
In the senate building each state has donated 2 statues. This was a statue of Helen Keller who all the children knew about.
On our tour. We had a great tour guide who was so good with the kids. Our children really were into it and asked some good questions.
Luke had a long day so I had to go back and get his wheelchair out of the hotel room. He walked a lot and he needed a break. We haven't used it in a while but all the hospitalizations this year have deconditioned his body.
We went out for dinner at a nearby bakery which the kids enjoy.
After dinner we went to the Air and Space Museum and saw an IMAX movie and got to explore the museum all to ourselves. They really have gone "all out" for the Champions and their families!
Logan, Luke and Carline exploring
Luke figuring out how pilots used to fly by landmarks on the ground.
He is very glad his volunteer pilot, Joe, has much more high tech equipment!
Fantastic food there.. these little dessert cups were very fun!
Can't wait for tomorrow! Am in awe over how many things they are doing for our children! Great to meet so many families whose children have been through lifelong struggles like Luke. We all wish none of us were going through it but there is something about getting together with others who "get it". Met a family from California who have been through many years like Luke has had... so many uncertainties, so many hard times for their son, but living one day at a time.
Amazingly all 51 children arrived and no one had to miss this trip due to illness. Many of the families whose children are still struggling were very worried about that (like we were!!). And we were not the only ones with a child in the hospital on Friday for unplanned reasons... so thankful we could all make it.
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