The Cooper Empire: WISH NIGHT 2014

Wish Night is one of our favorite activities of the year. Last year was our first time to participate...and the kids asked all the time when it was time for Wish Night again. They loved it that much!!

Wish Night starts in April with practices every single weekend to learn the routines. We have amazing choreographers in Jen and Kim. Our organizers, Shelly and Gay, are outstanding.

Sorry - the order is kinda crazy and it is not cooperating with me trying to change the order.

Maggie, Grace, and our new heart friend, Arianna

There was a new emcee this year....Cynthia Izaguirre. She is a local newscaster in the Dallas area. She asked to meet some of the kids a couple of weeks before Wish Night so she could hear a little about them and get to know their stories. She was as nice as I thought she would be.

Izzy and some of the Wish Kids

Bennett and Grace love to take their picture on the MAW sign

Grace and Cynthia

Almost all of the participants with our choreographers, Jen and Kim

Grace was thrilled to walk into the hotel and see this huge banner hanging from the top of the atrium

B's bracelet for the silent auction

G's bracelet for the silent auction

All of the kids designed a domino for a domino set. This was the box they put them in. SO cool!!

Grace's silent auction cookie jar

Bennett's cookie jar

Grace's slideshow picture in the ballroom

They look adorable all dressed up!!

Ready for the night to get started

Grace got asked to present an award

One of my favorite parts of Wish Night is when they open the huge ballroom doors. All of the Wish kids line up and greet the patrons with high fives and hand shakes.

This kid cracks me up!

Waiting to greet people

Maggie LOVED giving high fives to everyone. She cried when it was time to go back to our room.

She tried to high five everyone who walked in.

Grace getting in on the action

Arianna and Grace - Grace LOVED her and followed her around everywhere.

I have known Jen for a long time...so awesome that she teaches Grace!!

They had a singer come sing "I Believe I Can Fly" as the opening number. All of the kids stood on the stage and sang with him. It was so cool!! Then, it was time for the meal. Once the meal was over, it was time for Grace to present her award.

After Grace presented her award, she had a quick change to get ready for her performances. They divide the kids up by ages, so the kids were in different dances.

Bennett and Cadyn. His mom is one of the organizers of the event. They loved playing together.

Grace's star jewelry holder

Bennett's awesome decorated wine bottle!

Cadyn, Grace, and Bennett

Cadyn and Maggie

More pics of Grace. She thought it was soooo cool.

New heart friends!

This is how much money they raised on the Fund-a-Wish part of the auction. This was solely donations to fund wishes. Amazing!!!

Pics with Cynthia after their part was over. This picture made it on our local news!!

Lauren is one of our favorite Wish people. Mary Kathleen was the person who did all of the leg work for our trip.

After the dinner portion is over, they move everyone out into the atrium to spend money on the auction items. They have a band and Bennett and Grace were ready to tear up the dance floor!!

Bennett and Gay, one of our organizers

This is why we love MAW people....Lauren danced with Grace all night!!

And when Grace got tired....she just sat down with her.

The lead singer of the band kept motioning to Grace to come up on the stage and dance with her. I had to bribe Grace to finally get up there...and then I couldn't get her to come down!!!