Raising Liam George: First Buddy Walk

Saturday was our first Buddy Walk with the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia. Lauren's father and his girlfriend came. Lauren's sister, her husband and their daugher came. And my brother and his family came. Together, we were 12 walkers! Having eight family members there gave us a feeling of comfort. Going into the walk we were a bit unsure of what it would be like and how we would feel emotionally while there. Would we find the event encouraging or discouraging? All of us who came to the Buddy Walk with us felt that the event was very encouraging for our family. The weather could not have been better - a high of 70 and almost no clouds in the sky. I won't get into the details of what the Buddy Walk is in this post. You can read about that on numerous other blogs such as the Bates Motel and My Stubborn Little Miss.

We actually felt that the entire day was a celebration of those with Down Syndrome and their families, and the possibilities available today for those with an extra chromosome. There were some emotional moments, mainly toward the beginning of the event, but overall it was a happy, fun-filled day. As he did at his Healthy Heart Party, Master Liam slept through most of the Buddy Walk snug in his stroller. Shockingly enough, of all the photos that we have from the Buddy Walk, none are of Liam! But we were concentrating on just taking everything in, and besides, how many photos can you take of a sleeping four month-old? So, to give you an idea of how the day went, here are some pictures.

We want to thank everyone who supported Team Liam George at our first Buddy Walk. We're looking forward to next year...when we promise to take more pictures.