We're headed to San Diego in the morning, we'll stay with my Dad and join in the San Diego Buddy Walk on Saturday. We've done this every year for the last four years. The first year we did it because we were in San Diego at the time. When we moved to Ventura County the next year we thought we could do it up here, but there were two reasons we didn't. The first was that the closest ones up here are in Santa Barbara or Anaheim...both closer than San Diego, but Santa Barbara does theirs in June and Anaheim in November (usually during Down syndrome Awareness Week). We couldn't do June, Bradley was too sick to have surgery at the end of May, so we were all just barely hanging on in June. Now we just forget about June. By the time Fall came around, Bradley was too sick not to have surgery...so we did, and it was our family and friends that came out to be with us at Balboa Hospital in San Diego, that kept us going and helped keep us on our feet through it. We knew that's where we needed to be for the Buddy Walk.
And that's how it's gone. Our Team started as the ones that worked with Eric in Atsugi, they are our core team. They are the ones that have been there from Day One of Bradley's life, and we are honored that every year they keep coming out. So yeah, San Diego is where we are supposed to do this. Last year we thought we were doing our last one, the Navy only gives you a few years in one spot and then people get transferred all over the world. It was time for our loved ones to be transferred, but strangely...perhaps because of Fate, most of that initial group is still in town and still up for at least this one more Buddy Walk. We appreciate how fickle fate can be, we get it...we've seen it turn on a dime against us, and sometimes for us...so we don't argue with Fate, and we don't bargain too much. We just accept it for what it is.
This year, we've been given a gift. These amazing people that love Bradley because he belongs to us, because he's pretty great on his own, they are making a point to spend a few hours with us on Saturday. Along the way, we have some new walkers coming as well, all have touched our lives in the most poignant of ways, and they have worked very hard to arrange lives around a special Saturday in October.
It's super easy to get emotional about Buddy Walk Saturdays, and I say easy, because you don't get much wimpier than me about stuff like this. Every year is a triumph, a chance to see how far he has come and let those that love him and us, see that...spend those hours to catch up and reconnect. It's a digital world and a world that moves so much faster than we do in our house, so keeping in touch is never easy. But these are the people that know when the Buddy Walk is before I do...the ones that send me e-mails or text messages to see if the Team is up and running yet. Connecting is not just a big deal for me, it's a big deal for all of us. And that feels even better!
Though I'm a little nervous about the new venue, I know that weather wise it will be an amazing day and emotion wise it will be all the best kind filling my cup to overflow...refilling my soul to face a whole new year, ready for whatever comes next.
So this message is to Bradley's Buddy Brigade - past, present, and future - the ones that will be there on Saturday, the ones who have been there, the ones that can't be there this time: We love you! We appreciate you! You are the reason I felt strongly enough to start blogging in this Challenge least year, and you are the reason I kept going for the whole month. I wanted to share Bradley's story and you let me know that his was a story worth sharing. Because you believed in me last year, I jumped into the blog Challenge again this year, so thanks! It's emotional, it's difficult, it's cathartic to share Bradley's story and let the world know that we're okay, that we're better than okay - maybe because of that extra chromosome! God Bless this Team and we can't wait to hug you all on Saturday, and send special thoughts to everyone else who will be thinking about us as we walk! It's going to be another really great year! The only down-sides are those that can't make it, and a new venue means no amazing Japanese lunch like every other year. Oh well! We will prevail! ;-) Apparently, this year it is an Oktoberfest and that means there will be beer, that has to be a bonus for some right? :-) HAHA!!!
Be well and have a great night all!
No comments:
Post a Comment