Posts Tagged ‘Legacy Retreats’

The Whole Body

Friday, April 27th, 2012 by Jill Thompson

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I am not a very fast typist. However, to my children (ages 10 and 8) I am a superstar typist.

When my children walk into the room and I am working on my computer they usually comment on how fast my fingers are moving on the keyboard.  They are amazed at the clicking sound my nails make when I type quickly and they often try to replicate it when they play on the computer. Clearly, my fingers are important for typing but my brain, my eyes, and my internal organs are all functioning to help me. Read the rest of this entry »

Cheerleader

Friday, April 22nd, 2011 by Jill Thompson

I am not a runner!!!!  There is no question about that.  DSC_0020

I actually have said, “One thing I will NEVER do in my life is a marathon….I have no desire!” I do, however, have several friends who have committed to running marathons for Inheritance of Hope and I woke up at 3 am and stood in freezing conditions for hours to cheer them on during their route.DSC_0022

God created me to be a cheerleader.  I like to stand on the sidelines and cheer (LOUDLY and EXCITEDLY) for people.  So, why am I now signed up and training to run (walk) 26.2 miles???  Two reasons:

Read the rest of this entry »

Bittersweet

Monday, January 10th, 2011 by Jill Thompson

Three days ago we arrived as virtual strangers, and now we are saying goodbye to wonderful friends.

There is no doubt everyone involved in this 2011 Disney Legacy Retreat, from staff and volunteers to family members, is leaving this weekend changed.  Tommy Booth said that the Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat was perfect for his family: “I’ve never seen my mom smile this much.” Read the rest of this entry »

The Magic Continues

Monday, January 10th, 2011 by Jill Thompson

This post was authored by Inheritance of Hope volunteer Mary Finch.

Today the families got to explore the Disney Parks once again.  Some chose to see wildlife in Animal Kingdom while others chose to check out the classics in the Magic Kingdom.  Either way, a fun time was had by all.

The Hurlbut family especially had fun visiting the main attractions at Epcot including, but by no means limited to, Soarin’, Test Track, and Ellen’s Dream.

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Another fun-filled day!

Sunday, January 9th, 2011 by Jill Thompson

After another morning of productive group time gaining tools to navigate the challenges they face, families set off for the Disney parks with their park hopper passes.  Despite the crazy winter weather moving through the Southeast, we had another sunny day in Orlando  with highs in the 60’s. Read the rest of this entry »

A Magical Day

Sunday, January 9th, 2011 by Jill Thompson

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No doubt this day was special!  All of the families had a wonderful time in the Disney Parks and there were lots of smiles and stories to share this evening.

DSC_0147Please check out all the twitter feeds to read the moment by moment action by each family.  I must admit I have delegated out my “tweeting” to a very lovely and capable volunteer named Jacey.  She is gifted with words and enthusiasm and I know she enjoys keeping everyone up-to-date with the families and activities of this Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat.  (Thanks Jacey!) Read the rest of this entry »

Sunny Orlando

Saturday, January 8th, 2011 by Jill Thompson

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It’s a great day in Orlando Florida.  The sun is shining.  The temperatures are in the 70s. All of the families and volunteers are well-rested after a good night’s sleep.

DSC_0257We met for breakfast this morning and then had a counseling session, followed by lunch at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  The children had a wonderful time in their morning session and have already seemed to form some incredible friendships with the other children as well as the volunteers and staff.  There always seems to be a lot of noise coming from the children’s sessions as they laugh and joke and play together.  All the while they are learning some major lessons in anger management, how to handle fears, hurts and frustrations, and communication skills.  It is difficult to describe the bonds that these children feel with one another as they share these unique and difficult circumstances.

Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone is Here!

Saturday, January 8th, 2011 by Jill Thompson

All the Families with Mickey Mouse

Everyone has arrived!

The weather in Orlando today was absolutely gorgeous.  The sun was shining and the temperatures were in the 60s and 70s.

We were so excited to welcome families from Michigan, Iowa, Ohio, New York, California, North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois, Texas, West Virginia, and Florida.

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Until We Meet Again

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 by Jill Thompson

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It is hard to believe we have only known each other 3 days.  These past few days have really bonded us all together in such a wonderful and special way.  The children created some very special relationships with our volunteers and staff.  I heard more then one of them say they “don’t want to leave” (Gage) and “wish they could stay together longer.” (Jordan and Justin)  This children are leaving with some amazing memories with their families, some wonderful new friendships with the volunteers and other family members and some tools to help manage and work through their personal struggles and fears. Read the rest of this entry »

A Day Packed With Fun!

Monday, November 22nd, 2010 by Jill Thompson

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The weather continued to amaze us all day today as the temperatures remained around 60 degrees all afternoon and evening.  The families walked about 4 blocks to Radio City Music Hall after lunch and enjoyed the legendary Christmas Spectacular Show featuring the Rockettes.  The children and adults alike were thrilled with the show and also the drinks and popcorn they got to enjoy during it. Read the rest of this entry »