3 wishes?

I have a lot to pray for.  There are many people in my life who can use prayers, myself included.  Though, I find it hard to pray for myself.  It's hard to pick the right prayer, and to me, it seems greedy to ask for something for myself or something really specific.  I come to face a challenge with praying for my children, I feel like sometimes praying for them, is the same as praying for me.  It's my wish, it's my request...it may be to make their challenges easier, but is that also to make my own life easier?  Is it that God believes I would be able to handle these certain trials & I shouldn't challenge him, but yet embrace them?  I struggle with this often.

I believe in miracles & I believe in prayer.  I believe if you pray for others, those prayers are super strong.  There are a few opportunities that have the opportunity for very direct lines to God and have more weight than the average prayer. I truly believe giving up a birthday wish is one opportunity.  I have seen more than 2 birthday wishes come true right after someone has given them away.  I honestly envision the smoke from the candles going directly to heaven with that special wish.  I also believe in the special prayer when you first enter a new church.  My mom believes in this more than anything & I think she has visited more churches than anyone...I wonder if she has kept track - she'd probably be impressed with herself.

It's the same for non-religious types, like wishing on a star.  Even as a kid, I never wanted to wish just for something for myself, so I'd always feel better wishing for a general thing or for someone else, but never too specific.

I'm facing a genie in a bottle situation...my cousin is going to Medjugorje in just a week.  I was told I can write down my petitions for the Virgin Mary and they will bring them with.  This is huge! I feel like I've never had a direct line to Mary.  Can I put a bulleted list?  A long list?  A short list?  Can I ask for only one petition?  One petition per person?  How many requests is asking too much?

This petition is something that I'm adding to my list of things to do.  It's an important one, so with focusing on work tasks for today...my soul has to work on getting it's petition together, and it has to be a good one!