TREVOR TREDAWAY RETURNS HOME TODAY!

Trevor with "Mickey Duck"!

Melinda, Trevor & Morgan at The Phoenix Zoo!

Good Morning! My Journey with the precious children I've been blogging about here in Scottsdale continues, albeit with some additional developments. Just as The Gillespie's departed for home last week, so it is this morning that The Tredaway's and their son Trevor, age 3 and sister Morgan, age 1 are returning to Midland, Texas where Trevor will continue his cancer treatment and his parents Todd and Melinda will weigh opinions from other physicians. Last night, and Wednesday night were so meaningful for me. I was greeted at the hotel door by Trevor who immediately said "HI! Let's play with my toy train!" And so for a few hours, Trevor and Morgan sat in my lap on the floor and we each held remote controls to a train similar to Gunner's. In fact, Gunner gave Trevor a blue train car as a gift, and Trevor was so proud as he pointed this out to me! The giggling was so great for all of us; I had devised another of my famous sound effects that I used whenever the toy train was climbing a hill and Trevor was so tickled by it. He asked me how I did it!

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Later, all of us including Todd's mother and father were eager to look at my camera photos that I snapped of The Gillespie's just prior to departing Scottsdale. Everyone gathered around me as we looked at photos of Gunner, Janna and Gus with great Love and Interest. They also laughed heartedly at photos of my Mom and I cutting up at The Grand Canyon during her June visit (my Mom is a pistol!). Thank God Southwest Airlines services both areas of the country where these two families reside. I've grown to love them all as my dear friends. And so as I left The Tredaways, hugs all the way around felt so wonderful, especially from little Morgan and Trevor--who untied my tennis shoe laces because he wanted our visit to go on. I assured him I would be flying in, and Todd's father warmed my heart by telling me that I was welcomed in their home when I visited. I was so moved by their love! At the door, Trevor looked at me and spoke my first name four times with such a serious expression and a question mark. I smiled and hopefully turned that question mark into a definitive exclamation point! My friend Brian Jones has taught me that in many ways, children have the answers. In their innocence, they know when they are around someone who loves them and really means it. I reassured little Trevor I'd be flying in one weekend soon and yes, I meant it. Anyone who really knows me will tell you that once you've adopted me as a friend, you're basically stuck with me for life! And so with great laughter and sharing it is once again not a "Goodbye", but rather, a "So long for now".

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I direct my thoughts and prayers for the family's safe travel and arrival back home. I will be sure and post wonderful photos of my visits with The Gillespie's and Tredaway's here soon. In the meantime, please know your kind thoughts and prayers are so appreciated and mean so very much to these families. They need our Unconditional Love and Supportiveness at this time as they move forward "putting one foot in front of the other" each day. So often, I am reminded that it is all too easy for each of us to dismiss how important our thoughts and prayers are to others. But at one point or another, each of us will find ourselves in certain circumstances of need at a place where we are sensitized to the Love that is Strong from those around us who recognize, acknowledge and act with Love, if only to be present. Again, I can say with confidence to each of you who stop by here to visit and read that your genuine caring has meant the world to these families and their Caringbridge websites are listed on my Blogroll for you to keep up with them.

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Have a terrific weekend, everyone !

Michael

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