Polar Bear Adventure Day 7: Quilts and Blankets, Lunch with Friends and Back to San Diego

Lunch with Curtis and Ellen

We spent the night at the Sheraton Four Points at the airport in Winnipeg. The next morning, our friend Ellen and her husband Curtis drove over and met us at our room.

Since we'd been reunited with our luggage, we were able to give Ellen the blanket that we'd made for her.

Steven's preschool made a prayer quilt for him after his surgery and before we left for Memphis. After the quilt was made, they hung it in the lobby of the church and after services, people came out and tied knots and said prayers for him with each knot. That quilt came with us to Memphis and he wrapped himself in it every night during radiation.

My cousin Christine and her kids also made a quilt for Steven during his chemo and Steven slept with both quilts over him every night during treatment.

All the St. Jude kids are given quilts when they come there, it is a symbol of love and comfort in a time of trial.

In that same tradition, we had gone to Hancock Fabrics, a huge supporter of St. Jude, and Steven picked out some velvety soft fleece to make a blanket for Ellen, who's been going through some mighty hard times herself lately.

The blanket had fringe all around the perimeter, which we had to knot, and Steven and I said prayers for Ellen with each knot we tied. We were sure glad the blanket made it to Winnipeg with us and that we were able to give it to her.

We had a great lunch with Ellen and Curtis at the hotel, then we walked from there to the airport to catch our flight home.

We were scheduled to fly from Winnipeg to San Diego via Chicago this time. Because nothing involving air travel ever seems to go smoothly for us, bad weather in Chicago caused us to be diverted to North Bend, Indiana.

We finally made it home, arriving after midnight instead of a little before 10 pm, all luggage intact. Our friend Ginny from Make-A-Wish was waiting to welcome us home at the airport, providing service above and beyond the call of duty considering the hour we finally flew in, but we were glad to see her.

It was an awesome trip, a magical, one-of-a-kind experience, and we are incredibly grateful to all those who contributed to making it happen for us.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

- Kathleen