Buddy Walk 2011

WARNING:  Loud music is about to play. Scroll down and push pause if your kids are napping or your husband is snoring. 



Saturday was our Buddy Walk.  It's hard to believe it's been a year since our last one, because time has gone by so quickly.  Here's our little baby from last year..........................................



But at the same time, it feels much longer, because we have come such a long way since that day last year.  Last year, we showed up to our first Buddy Walk with butterflies in our stomachs, sweat on our palms, and fear in our hearts.  Still battling if we really wanted to be there or not. 

Reading my Buddy Walk post from last year reminds me of how far I have come.  I wouldn't change anything about it, because facing all of those experiences and feelings are what has brought me to where I am today. 

This year, we dove in head first and took a more active role.  I made 5 baskets to add to the raffle baskets. 

Two coffee baskets that had coffee donated from the Furnace Hills Coffee Company.  Check them out.  You'll love it, I promise.

An Orioles basket, because we have plenty of O's stuff around here.

We also did a date night basket with gift certificates from a local restaurant, movie tickets, and a dessert/coffee shop; and a kid's basket with miniature golf and bounce house certificates.  Everything was donated.  The only things I bought were the baskets from a thrift store for 99 cents each and the white mugs from the dollar store that I wrote on with permanent marker. 

We arrived a little after 7:00 am.

It warmed up to about 80 degrees later that day, but it was COLD at 7 in the morning.  Panera Bread donated pastries and coffee for our volunteers, and there was plenty to go around.

Not only has Kamdyn grown since last year, but our team also grew.

Uncle Mike flew in from North Carolina,

NanNan (Brad's mom),

RaRa (my mom), Brad's Uncle Steve and Aunt Dot, Pop Pop (Brad's Dad), Mom Mom (Brad's step mom), our friend Jodi and her kids, and our friend Jenn, who brought her friend Tamara, who has Down syndrome.

Thanks, Team Kamdyn.

Madison spent most of the time with the petting zoo, because she was IN LOVE with this kitten.  She could not get enough of it.  And, no, we will not be getting any kittens, cats, or any other animals of the feline persuasion around here. 

And the girl we were all there for............................................

..................................... zonked out for the actual walk part, but she caught her second wind, and she was ready to party again.

Back to the petting zoo.  We found out that Kamdyn is not an animal fan.  We have a dog, so she is used big, hairy animals slobbering all over her.  But she wanted nothing to do with the animals at the petting zoo. 

This picture was right after she had pushed the kitten away from her.  She was probably going for a second push here:

She surrendered to the fact that we were putting the kitten in front of her, but she was NOT going to touch it.

I thought we'd give some of the other animals a try, but she made it pretty clear she wanted no part of it. 

We had a great day, and our kids had a blast.  Everyone fought over who would hold Kamdyn, so she got plenty of love and attention. 

A day like this is the kind of day that I would have wanted a crystal ball to see the day that the doctor told us Kamdyn has Down syndrome.  She was surrounded by people who adore her.  This is the kind of day that gets stored in the memory bank. 

It was a day that was not only about Kamdyn, but all of our new friends with Down syndrome.  We celebrated each of them and what they have added to our lives.