Dear Friends,
Words can not describe how thankful we all are for the trip that was provided for our family! We continue to feel overwhelmed with gratitude to the Jack and Jill Foundation for so lavishly giving to us. It was more than we ever could have dreamed or expected! From the beautiful gift basket with goodies for everyone that was waiting for us in our amazing rooms, to the nightly chocolate surprises that would meet us in our room after dinner, everything about The Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa was exceptional! We felt very welcomed and comfortable and were amazed at how many people took the time to remember our names and ask about our stay, offering to be of help in any way possible.
One day in the upstairs gift shop, I enjoyed meeting the lady who put together the beautiful and surprising gift basket for our family. All of the treats were perfect! I love the Indigenous lotions and scrub. Just smelling it reminds me of so many good memories. Karis has slept with her Wild Horse Horse ever since she got him!
Sonya Youngblood did an amazing job coordinating everything! She saw to it that all of her staff went way beyond anything normal and served us to the max! Shane, the Aji manager, arranged for a surprise visit from Karlos Dansby (Outside Linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals) for lunch. That might have been my favorite part–watching Nathan and Jonas realize that Mr. Dansby was there to eat with us! That will be sure to be the topic of conversation at the next high school football practice! Mr. Dansby gave us a generous gift of his time and compassion that day, and is a very sincere person.
Hannah and Karis were tickled pink (just like the color they chose for the paint on their toes) with their time in the spa–we all got the royal treatment in the salon and Karis thrived on the idea of being the object of pampering! During the same afternoon, Chad and Nathan and Jonas enjoyed the beauty and fun of Whirlwinds Golf course. And, while the Kelly boys aren’t real golfers, they soon learned why so many love the game–not the mention the fun they had making fun of one another’s pitiful shots!
Rawhide was entertaining, as well as a culinary adventure for my boys. I can’t think of anyplace in North Georgia where they could sample Rocky Mountain Oysters and Rattlesnake at the same meal! It was very kind of the manager, Jim, to check on our meals and express support and encouragement, having walked through cancer with his own wife. We survivors kind of have our own club!
Robin greeted us our first meal at the Ko’Sin Restaurant making sure we were comfortable. He asked about our stay almost daily. Greg, the Ko’Sin manager, always made sure we had more than enough attention, food, and treats! The servers at the Ko’Sin Restaurant made sure that we had enjoyable, relaxed meals every time we were there–Robin, Rudy, Taryn, Glen and Chris. Chris even emailed us the directions to make our own “Cherry Fizz!” and a photo of one of our desserts. We never met the chefs, but OH MY! What art they are able to make out of food! The extra thought and effort that was put into the making of the amazing dessert sampler garnished with a pink ribbon symbol was especially meaningful (not to mention a treat to eat!). The treats that were prepared in such a detailed fashion and left in our rooms while we were at dinner amazed my children (and their parents too!). Two BEAUTIFUL desert scenes made from my favorite food (chocolate!) were exciting to find and amazing to look at as well. Ask anyone of my friends and they will tell you that I LOVE to eat!
The highlight of the trip for most of us was probably the Grand Canyon! What an amazing experience–all orchestrated by the wonderful people at Wild Horse Pass! The “Detours” tour was super and full of information–thanks to Todd Weber’s 40 plus years of living in Arizona, as well as his passion for nature and people. Tell the kitchen staff that the snacks and meals they provided made everyone on the trip jealous!
One or two of the kids had never been on a horse before and Kimmy, along with her assistant, a young Native American man named Nathan, was a wonderful teacher and guide. She explained the desert life to us and showed us many things. Hannah said that she enjoyed that more than she thought she would and maybe would like to do more with horses in the future. That was something different for her.
My youngest wanted me to be sure to thank the housekeeping staff for the special care they took with her “babies” while making the beds for us. She was delighted to walk into the room one day to find that they were neatly lined up in a row, propped on the pillows with her blanket neatly folded at their feet. That meant a lot to her and shows a heart of love.
There are so many to thank and our hearts are so full that I am afraid I might leave something out of this letter. We are so blessed with wonderfull memories that will last a lifetime. That is a priceless gift that we have been given by so many this past weekend. We are truly grateful. We have come away from the trip with a greater appreciation of God’s grace because of you all–unearned, undeserved, lavish and extravagant favor, free for our enjoyment because of a great price paid! The cost was great for our time at Wild Horse Pass–time, energy, service, thought and resources; and the cost was greater still for God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, as He gave His life that we might be free to know God as our Father! Once again, thank you all!
With much appreciation and gratitude,
The Kelly Family–