Buddy Walk 2010

Why is it that when Jax crashes his sleepy head into my mouth that he remains asleep, totally unfazed, while sharp pain stabs through my lips and a completely different pain simultaneously ricochets through my front teeth all the way into the back of my brain?

And why is it that I never see that big giant head aiming for my lips? I would seriously prefer that he pull my hair and bite my nose again! Or puke in my mouth or crap on my leg again. Although, to date, Jax is the only one of My Littles who has yet to puke in my mouth. Give him time. He'll get around to it.

Today I got a call from the tire department at Wal-mart. It was my new soon to be good friend Liz. I approached Liz about a month ago about perhaps obtaining a donation for our Buddy Walk. She let me know that all of their donation budget had already been spent for the year, but that she would submit the letter Jax wrote for next year's budget. And then she told me her very personal story with a special needs child. It broke my heart, but it is not for me to share. We were strangers to each other before that afternoon, and I am quite certain that I've seen her while shopping at least 52,000 times. She's seen me as well, I'm sure. Until that afternoon, neither of us had any reason to give notice to the other.

She was amazingly interested in my Jack-Snack, went so far as to tell any of the associates who approached her during our long chat how old he is, his name, his diagnosis, and asked "Isn't he just the the cutest?" Clearly, her associates love her and know her story. The instant she uttered the words Down syndrome, every person she told softened toward Jack, moved a little closer, touched him...melted a little.

During our conversation, Liz said that while she couldn't give us a cash donation, she was quite certain that she could provide a high dollar item to give away if I'd like to organize a fund raiser. I explained about our situation with three special needs kids in the home and therapies coming out of our ears, and she said that she'd speak to some of her associates to see if they might be able to organize a fund raiser to benefit Jack's Buddy Walk goal! Awesome!

I spoke to Liz again two weeks ago when she called about the DSALA tax ID number. Of course she asked about Jack. Knowing her story, knowing how a simple benign procedure had changed all of their lives indelibly and forever, I confided that I was terrified of having Jack's wiener repaired and asked her to pray for him. She prayed a beautiful prayer not only for Jack, but for me as well, on the spot!

Today when I got the call from Liz I was instantly excited because I thought it must be related to the Buddy Walk. I've been feeling a little blue that more of my family and friends haven't rallied around our efforts to contribute, but in all honesty, I can say truthfully that if the shoe were on the other foot just now, we wouldn't have the money to donate to someones fund raiser either. And I have to remind myself that The Buddy Walk is just two days after Jack's first birthday and I think people would rather spend the money on him, rather than for him. The first thing Liz asked me was about how Jack's doctor visit went. I wasn't surprised that she remembered. She's been a kindred spirit ever since she shared her beautiful story with me and the two of us stood weeping in the customer service area at her store.

I wasn't prepared for the even better topic that Liz wanted to talk about! She and her husband have just recently adopted a three month old baby boy named Nathan. Liz wanted to know if I'd be interested in getting our boys together for a play date! A Play Date, people! Oh yippee skippee! This simple suggestion that we have a play date, an occurrence that happens in households all over the world every single day just had me giddy with delight! I would be thrilled to get our boys together to become buddies and I very happily told her so, along with, "Oh Liz! Thank you for that! It means so much to me!"

And the next news was just the cherry on the sundae...she'd badgered their corporate office for a cash donation and she would be honored to present a check to us for $250.00 if Jack and I would be so kind as to come to the team meeting at 9:30 am Friday morning! She said it's only $250.00 and I said "Are you kidding me? It's TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS!!!" So we will firm up details for our boys' play date on Friday! I look forward to getting to know Liz and Nathan, and I hung up the phone with the biggest smile on my face! Yippee skippee!