Where There's a WILL, There's a WAY! Part 2

Thank you to all of you who supported our team this year, "Where There's a WILL, There's a Way!"

Thank you for giving to Scottish Rite in Will's honor.  Thank you for praying for our family.  Thank you for coming to Dallas and supporting us at the race.  Thank you for running in the marathon for Will.  Thank you for wearing your shirt wherever you are and spreading awareness about limb differences, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, & Will's story.

Pre-party on Saturday at the park at Scottish Rite

Will playing with his friend Kate from soccertots at the park during the pre-party

(& the hospital sent a photographer to the party - kind of like paparazzi for Will! :))

Megan & Rachel - dear friends from the frontier... and also my team members on the relay

Lots of my parents' friends from MO came for the weekend (of course, now they live all over the US)

They could tell some fun stories to Will & Ellie about growing up with their Cookie & Lovie ;)

Megan:  a self-portrait

Ellie getting some love

My cousin Ryan & his wife Laura & their new baby, Soren, joined us for dinner

Will had fun with Natalie & Nicki

He also said his super cute "superman" prayer before our dinner - in front of lots of people.  I'll post a video of this prayer soon. He learned it at preschool and it's precious.

Ellie taking a nap with Susan & Sandi

After the race & hanging out with friends

At the start line.

22,000 people!!!

I was in corral D & it took 14 minutes for me to get from my spot to the start line.  I heard that people in the last corrals walked for an HOUR to get to the start.

So fun!  Nothing like it

R & I with our favorite "bag lady" - Susan from MN

(The Ferrells met my parents in Greece in 2007 & have come to 3 of the last 4 marathon races to support Will!  How cool is that?)

R & Megan 

Shari & Levi - his first half!  Way to go!

Ellie cuddling with her Cookie at the finish line

Will & Steve C - friend of my parents from their days in MO

now the main corporate sponsor of White Rock

Thanks, Steve, for supporting the race, our hospital, & our family!

My mom & her best friends from high school

Becky (MO), Tracey (IL), CeCe (MO)

Will & his Lovie doing eskimo kisses

It was COLD!

R & I

R ran the half this year.  I ran a 5 mile segment of the marathon on a relay team... had to feed a baby before & after which isn't really conducive to long runs!

A blog reader, Paula, who sent me this picture today
Paula, so hope to meet you someday!  Thanks for running & for including Will & Ellie on your sign!
Way to go beating Oprah's time!!!

Will, Aunt Lili, & Lovie

wrestling with Daddy at the finish

Fam

Steven & Elizabeth -

the half!

Way to go!

at the relay exchange point with Megan

our team was called "Willie (for Will & Ellie) Slow"

It included me (postpartum & I'll use that excuse as long as possible), Megan (baby is 6 mts old?), Rachel (6 mts preggo) & M & R's husbands.  I was a 5th wheel.

We were actually not that slow... 5 hours, 10 minutes - could have been much slower! :)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE White Rock weekend every year.  I'm always on a high for weeks following it.  It is such an intense weekend of support for us.  So many people give of their money to the hospital in honor of Will.  We are so humbled.  So many give of their time and money to travel to Dallas for the weekend.  Others give incredible amounts of time to train to run - a half or full marathon is a serious time commitment to train for!  (Paula - how have you done 13?  I've done 1 full - pre-babies- & don't know how to find time to do the training!)

It is such a weekend of celebrating.  Our children are celebrated for who they are.  The marathon does such a great job of generating awareness about Scottish Rite and physical differences.  

We see other families who have become friends and have children who are patients as well.  Race weekends sometimes feel like reunions as it is often the only time in any given year that we will see many of these families.  I love that my children are getting to know kids with all kinds of various differences.

So, thank you.  Thank you for giving your time & money to support Scottish Rite and our family.  Thank you for your presence - both in the race, on the sidelines cheering, or via texts & phone calls while we were running.  

Will loves to run.  I am so thankful he can run.  I run to clear my mind.  I run to pray and think.  I run to get energy to face my day.  I run to give back.  I run for fun.  I run because I can.  I run so that Will can someday run.  

And you had better believe the day he runs White Rock I will be right beside him (or possibly way behind him when he passes me...)

Thank you.