A buddy + A walk = A special day

I remember the first buddy walk we did. Just 5 years ago. I will admit, I was VERY nervous. Unsure what we were about to witness. Scared to see some of the older kids and adults with DS. Scared to see what our life would become. Owen wasn't even able to to sit up on his own then. We didn't have shirts. We didn't have a special meeting place. We barely set up a fundraising site (actually my sister Lisa started one for us). We were rookies.
But 4 years later, it has become an important day for us. It is gathering our friends, our families and meeting in a place where other people's friends and families are to cheer on an extra chromosome. To celebrate it. Not to feel sorry for it. To show everyone that Owen is more like everyone else than he is different.
We appreciate it when people come join us. To take time out of a beautiful Sunday to spend it with us, even if it happens to be their birthday, even if they can't walk, even if it is a 4 hour drive to spend 2 hours at the walk, even through the hassle of finding parking and bringing their kids is a lot of work.
How heartwarming. It makes us feel like we are not alone. That we are not in this journey by ourselves. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And to those that can't make it to the walk, you have opened up your checkbooks to give in honor of Owen, thank you. What generosity we have seen over the years.

And this year was no different.

Thank you to everyone that has put forth the effort. We appreciate you.

Owen thanks you

And Olivia Loves it!



We hope to see you next year!