We made it! With the exception of the lack of sleep and the hours upon hours in the car, it was an amazing trip! We got to meet some wonderful families, got a little sunshine, and got to see tons of cities we’ve never been to before (my 4-year-old’s favorite part…did I mention he was obsessed with buildings?!)
I was going to try and squeeze everything about the trip into one post, but I’ve decided to dedicate this one just to the Walk….which was the main reason we took the trip to Alabama.
The adorable boy you see above is Walker. The Walker and Willis Birthday Walk to Fight TTTS was his idea, and his mom, Brooke, made it happen. They did a beautiful job of honoring his twin, Willis, who Brooke lost to Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome over 7 years ago. Their family truly amazes me with the way they keep Willis’ memory alive, and with the impact he makes on fighting this horrible Syndrome that takes more lives than SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) every year. To learn more about TTTS, please visit www.tttsfoundation.org
The day of the walk we had some beautiful weather. The sun was shining and it was in the 60’s. To me, it felt like 80 degrees since we’ve been below zero for months at home. The walk took place at a park in St. Joseph, Tennessee, which was gorgeous. There was a playground for the kids (and this was the first time my twins got to play at one….they LOVED it,) a stream that ran through, and trees everywhere.
Not only did we walk around the park, but there was a silent auction and a balloon release to honor the babies that have been lost. We also sang Happy Birthday to Walker and Willis, and enjoyed cupcakes from 2 local bakeries, Yummies and Hot Mamma’s, and many of Brooke’s friends. Overall, this fundraiser raised well over $2000 for the Foundation. I’m so proud I got to be a part of it.
I think the best part for me was meeting the other moms. Even though I felt like I knew them before even meeting from our support group on Facebook, I have to admit, I was pretty nervous to meet them face-to-face. I guess that’s because I look up to so many of them, and they really inspired me when I was pregnant….and continue to do so. We all have been through TTTS and traumatic pregnancies, which is a bond no one would ever ask for, yet the way it brought us all together is something I will forever be grateful for.
It was wonderful meeting you Shann and everyone else that made it to the walk. Hope to meet up with you again soon.
Yes! This summer!