Saturday

Saturday was the 6th Annual Make 'em Smile event. What a blessing!! The boys and I were really excited about going and were on the road by 8 (it took a little longer than I had planned to get moving Saturday morning). When we got there we signed in and went through the "Buddy Orientation" and picked up our t-shirts. Last year they did not have the orientation and you got the t-shirt 1/2 way through the stroll. The orientation was basically a 3-5 minute talk to remind us that our buddy may have certain types of disabilities and what we should and should not do. For example if a child get down to their level to speak to them, if in a wheel chair it is a part of them do not touch it, push them unless offered and so on.

We soon met our buddy and his family, and our stroll around the lake began. We had a wonderful time talking, taking photo's and hanging out with our buddy. Micah thought it was real cool that they were the same age and both of their birthday's are in September. We made it around the lake just in time to hear Matthew West sing his last song. While the boys were a little disappointed they didn't get to see his entire concert they were happy to be having a great time hanging out with "buddy" and seeing what the vendors had brought this year. Unfortunately, I do not think they had as many vendors this year as last but that was okay. There was a wonderful time to be had regardless.

At the end of the day we were saying good by to everyone and one of the VIP's came up (VIP's are the children/individual's that are disabled) to Micah pointing at a map he was holding. Micah offered him the map. The VIP looked at it and gave it back, his family asked where we got it and Micah willingly was giving up his map for the 2nd time. 4 or 5 times Micah and the VIP passed this map back and forth each time the VIP looking at it and pointing to it. Well this map contained the park maps for Sea World, Aquatica, and Busch Gardens. After careful consideration the VIP decided which one it was he was interested in and kept pointing to it. UH-HA! Sea World it is, he wanted to go to Sea World and he wanted to go NOW! Once this realization was voiced he handed Micah the map and walked off. The boys and I had to giggle as his family explained they would not be going to Sea World right now but maybe soon.

Like always my camera is not charged for the big events but I did manage to get a couple of pictures before the battery totally died.

Isaac waiting for our buddy


Micah talking with a Roman Soldier from the Holy Land Experience


Xavier hoping that neck cooler starts working


My Boys


Aunt Kimmy, Uncle Mike, Micah, Xavier & Jake hanging with our buddies