Yesterday might be the most Down syndrome awareness we have had all month, and I honestly am not certain if we can top yesterday. To recap, in case you are not a daily reader, :-) we started the day with our Buddy Walk Team. Bradley's Buddy Brigade was small, but the spirit around us was pretty huge. We may have been missing a few faces this year, but we felt you!
Anyway, after an awesome lunch, the family bolted to the house to clean up and dress up. Not leaving when we should have, because well...it was just flat out so hard to leave our friends, we really had to move it to get to a wedding on time. We made it, if by just minutes, and then the wedding ceremony was not for another hour. So maybe I had time to dry my hair and style it a little bit, and perhaps I could have removed the hat head look that Madison had... but you know, all in all, we looked pretty darn good if I do say so. Eric said I looked pretty, so I was good to go. And I could have been running with my hair waving to everyone as I went and Eric would have told me I was pretty, and not because he lies, he just sees me through a very amazing lens. I know, lucky me right?
But to talk more about this wedding I should back up to when I was twelve and I met the Bride. She cut my hair then, she continued to cut my hair for the next um, lots of years. When I got married, she did my hair for me. Whenever we skipped back through town from where ever it was I had run off to: school, or where ever the Navy had taken us, she always found time, she always made room to cut my hair. When I had my girls, she started cutting their hair too. Who gave them their first cuts? Lenore. Who else? When my girls are their most beautiful, it's because of Lenore. My best hair days...their hers.
Our friendship has grown into something beautiful over the years, and I love her dearly. Her greatest gifts to me has been the joy of coming home, enveloping me and my family in love, and the complete acceptance of my son. She knows my girls, more, she wants to know everything they're up too. She listens to them and hears them. They adore her and she them.
And then there is Bradley. When I brought Bradley home, it was love at first sight. Every time I would see her, she would have more information. An article that she read that talked about how children with Down syndrome were considered chosen and closest to the Gods and so some were made Shamans in a few Native American tribes. She is always reminding me how there is a place for Bradley, that he is meant to be here, agreeing with us that we are so lucky to have him.
When she let me know that she and the love of her life had finally set a date for their wedding, I told her to let me know when so if I needed to find a babysitter I could have time to find someone, or train someone, or something so that they could take care of Bradley. Her reply, "I want you ALL there. I want your whole family." Refill my heart with warmth and love. What a beautiful thing to say, and to hear.
Fast forward to last week, one last trim before the wedding to make sure I try to represent her work as best I can. I do lack her gift with hair, but hey....I sure tried! ;-) Before we could leave the salon that day, she came over to bend down and spend a few minutes talking to my son, reaching out to give him knuckles and fives, rubbing his leg, making physical connections to him as much as possible in the few short minutes she had between us and her next client.
And finally, last night. Watching two people get married is such a gift. I know that people give weddings a hard time, but when you get the chance to witness love, that is a gift. It doesn't matter what you think about their chances, it's seeing love living between two people that is incredible! These two have been through so much, and for us all watching it was such a joy to see two people that have given so much to others and waited for this day for themselves to finally tie their lives together before friends, family, and God. It was time, it was beautiful, and it was so humbling to be included in their moment.
Taking Madison to a rush bathroom break, she had I were given a sneak peek at the Bride, who hugged us closely and introduced us to her fiance as some of her favorite people. Hugs and tears later... Madison and I hustled back to our places for the wedding itself: short, sweet, endearing, emotional, and just lovely! The happy couple greeted their immediate family and then worked the crowd a bit. We were in the very back so that our little guy wouldn't disturb the ceremony or the guests; Lenore found us. She came halfway through the crowd, then saw us and made a line to us. We shared hugs and love and then she worked her way between a rose bush and the front of Bradley's stroller to squat down in her long, beautiful white dress so she could talk to my son. Again, her hand on his leg, reaching out to hold his hand. It was one of those moments that is forever etched into my heart. His presence for her was just as important as anyone else there, and she could never have chosen a more beautiful way to tell him that she not only loves him, but accepts him for who he is. In that moment, I could see my son being viewed with love, and found amazing.
Did I love Lenore before her wedding? Yes, she is someone that I hold so close in my heart and I know that I am Blessed to have her. Yesterday, her kindness and her beautiful soul overflowed to envelope us in her joy and gave us such a beautiful gift.
As a way to end an incredible day, we actually found a way to add amazing to incredible, What a Blessed Day, what a lucky family we are!
I hope you had the best day, everyone deserves at least one day like ours! Happy Sunday everyone! The Walkers are walking so I have to run! :-)
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| Bradley just couldn't handle the crowd, so he was watching a movie...he finally looked up and it was to look to the side. Oh well... HAHA.... |
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| The Family with the very Beautiful Bride! |
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