Happy Birthday, Aubrey!

I just have to share with you the experience I had today. This sweet 10-year-old is my niece's daughter. Does that make her my great-niece? Well, whatever, she IS a great niece. I wish this picture captured her gorgeous eyes and her unbeatable smile.

Her party was at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a place I'd never visited before. If you haven't been there, you must go. If you haven't learned about the Foundation, you must find out. If you weren't at the party today, you'll just have to experience it through me.

Before the party really got started, the hostess asked if we wanted a tour of the facility. Sure, why not. The building is unimposing, but tastefully done and well designed. Through big double doors you can see a fountain outside with an impressive bronze statue of two small children and a unicorn. Touching to look at, but frozen in the freezing temperatures of January in Utah. In the main entryway, your attention is drawn to the ceiling where you see a huge wrought-iron framework with gentle waves in it that flows across the ceiling for about 25 feet. Hanging from this frame are scores of individual leaded glass stars organized in the colors of the rainbow. Each star represents a wish granted by the Foundation and bears the name of the Recipient. As you watch them twist and turn with the slightest breeze, the colors sparkle and catch whatever light comes through the glass doors at either end of the rainbow. A small lump forms in your throat as you begin to realize the enormity and generosity these stars represent.

Then the hostess took us upstairs to the Wishing Room. This room is locked and must be opened by a key that is given to each Wish Recipient. As the door opens, you see a cool blue-lighted circular room whose centerpiece is a huge standing marble slab with water cascading down both sides. The whole room makes you feel like you're standing on water. Around the outside of the room, the floor tiles are clear and cover a series of lights that change and bathe the room in a kind of surreal light show. At this point, the lump in your throat is keeping you from saying anything, which is fine because this feels like a sacred place that shouldn't be disturbed by human speech anyway.

In front of the cascading fountain sits a cone about 3 ft. high where the actual Wish Cylinder is deposited. When the cylinder containing the wish is inserted in the cone, the entire room turns red and pink, and triumphant music begins to bounce off the round walls. There is no escaping the fact now that you couldn't speak if you wanted to. You look around and realize that everyone has this hazy, wavy look to them because you can't control the tears cascading down your cheeks any more than you can control the water cascading down the marble slab. I wasn't prepared for a spiritual experience for crying out loud!

We solemnly filed out of the Wishing Room and made our way back to the party room, where we sang Happy Birthday, ate cake, and watched an incredible slide show of Aubrey's life. Then Aubrey took center stage and, with Mom's help, told everyone she hoped all our wishes come true. She was so happy, and that smile said everything she couldn't say.

When I was sure I was emotionally drained and couldn't take another tug on my fragile heart strings, they called everyone out into the entry way where there was a small podium set up. On it sat Aubrey's blue star. Attached to the star was a long rope-and-pulley. Everyone got quiet, soft strains of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" could be heard, and Aubrey (again with Mom's help) pulled on the rope hand-over-hand as she raised her star to join the rainbow overhead. Well, I pretty much lost all composure at that point, but it was okay because we were all in the same blubber-boat! Beautiful Mom-Delsa then tearfully thanked everyone for sharing Aubrey's celebration of 10 years of ups-and-downs, triumphs and tribulations, heartache and happiness.

Did I say I had a good time? Did I say how glad I was to have been part of her day? Did I say how much respect and love I have for Delsa and her family? And did I tell you about Aubrey's heart-stopping smile? I meant to say all that.....but I'm all choked up again! It's time to take stock and count your blessings. And after you do that, make a contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. These are people who really do make wishes come true.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUBREY!