Aloha

We have just returned from a wonderful week on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawai'i, that was fully sponsored by the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

After an eventful lead-up to the trip (nearly missing Wren's surgery to remove her CVC due to engine failure on our flight), we were grateful to spend seven nights under tropical stars.

I can't tell you how great it was to forget about cancer for a whole week and to watch Wren's strength and confidence grow with each day. Every morning she would wake and get ready for the pool--then both girls would race down the hall for the elevator (see the blurry photo below).

In Waikiki we took a ride in a submarine that gave Wren chance to see the reef fish, sea turtles and even spotted eagle rays. It also provided Chloë with the inspiration to figure out how look for fish back at Turtle Bay. The humuhumu nukunuku apua'a (trigger fish) did not disappoint.

We caught a great hula show (the girls were mesmerized) and went for an hike in the jungle (tree ferns and filmy ferns!) near Waimea Bay. The Bishop Museum had a good display of early Hawaiian arts and culture (the woven arts were incredible), and the science wing featured the famous Oahu tree snails--a hit with our family. There was also an impressive dinosaur exhibit that was touring through which was a bit too realistic for our two young girls--they were terrified by the full-sized mechanical carnivores.

The girls were very pleased with the leis that they received at the airport and were busy admiring all of the tropical flowers at the resort (collecting all the fallen ones). They also seemed to appreciate the gorgeous sunrises over the ocean each morning through the window of our room.

But for Wren and Chloë the trip was really about being in the water, both the ocean and the various swimming pools. They just loved swimming and would have spent the entire trip in or underwater if their parents hadn't insisted on other unnecessary activities such as lunch, dinner, and bedtime.

I can't thank Make-a-Wish enough for granting Wren and the rest of us this wish. It provided lots of joy and happy memories.

Wren is doing really well. She seems to have lots of energy these days and is much quicker on her feet than I remember. We head back to Vancouver in two weeks for the final round of tests that mark the end of Wren's neuroblastoma research trial. Of course, we are hopeful that there will be no signs of cancer.

With love,

Patrick, Paula, Chloe and Wren Williston