I'm so excited to write about this!!! Today we participated in a walk for an organization called FAAN...Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. I have been a member for a few years now and am very passionate about the work they do. They hold fund raisers for food allergy research, publish newsletters for their members, and are advocates for educating people about food allergies. Today they held a walk in Santa Monica and it was so much fun!!!! I put a team together and named it Preston Friendly. In just a short amount of time we were able to raise about 200 dollars for FAAN!! I am so grateful to all our friends that supported us...thanks to The Socha's,The Thomas', The Bedrinana's, The Johansson's, Aunt Susan and her co-workers, The Sutton's, Carole Anderson and everyone else who donated anonymously!!!! We love all of you and are so thankful!! I managed to hold myself together today, but I definitely had to hold back the tears. The walk was a 2 mile walk and a lot of people came out!! Our good friends the Bedrinana's and The Johansson's came and walked with us. This was our first year participating so it was kind of a learning experience for me. Next year I'll try to get more people to come out with us because it was so much fun!! My heart JUMPED with joy watching Preston meet other kids with food allergies. He also ate his first chocolate bar!!! A company called Enjoy Life Foods (an allergy free company, I LOVE them) had a booth there and and they now make chocolate bars completely dairy, egg and gluten free!! And they were GOOD!! I was jumping up and down watching my kids eat chocolate...silly, huh?? When you live with food allergies, little things like that just mean so much. Preston met the sweetest girl named Kendall. Kendall also has EXTREMELY severe food allergies and she was so nice. She talked with Preston about what each of them can and can't eat and Preston was in awe of the fact that she too was allergic to many things. He's never met anyone with quite the same allergies (or someone that is as severely allergic as he is). I could go on and on, but in short it was one of the most special days of my life. There are no words to express how much I love my Preston and seeing him "fit in" with other kids was priceless. I will remember it forever and am looking forward to next year!! Thank you Jessie, Christiam, Jamie and Daniel!! To have you guys there today meant more to me than you will ever know!
Us with Kendall. I really hope we get to see her again soon!
My big boy!! He's the reason we walked!!
Preston and I with the Johansson's, Jamie, Daniel and little Jonah!
Yes, that's Preston eating a CHOCOLATE BAR!!!!
Our team Preston Friendly!!
Me and my boys
They had these signs along the walk route. Every time I read one, I had to choke back tears....
Wait....am I seeing double?? =)
Maybe one day....
Me, Jessie and Mike (in the background)
Hey, even Gary Busey came out to join the fun!!
Some of the walkers
Christiam and cute baby Leo
There's Sophie!!
Jessie dancing with the girls after the walk
Jessie and I being silly with the kids after the walk
Holding his little Bro..
I love my silly boy!!!
4 comments:
Tears are streaming down my face as I read your post. It's so wonderful they had the alergy walk and you were able to go. The smile on Preston's face is priceless. What a blessing from the Lord. You have such a great attitude about it and are such an example and inspiration to us all. What an AWESOME mommy you are!!!
Really enjoyed the photos and what a great event ! Hopefully next year we can participate also - please keep us in mind. Also enjoyed the Halloween picts. What a great idea to substitute prizes for the "inedible" candy !
Thanks for sharing the pictures and details about this walk. It was so great to see. We would have loved to have gone...but I stumbled upon your email the day before the walk. Oh well maybe next year.
I know the feeling of allergies...although Isaiah doesn't have as many as Preston. But it is so hard to always tell them no you cant eat that. So seeing him eat that chocolate had to be a great feeling of finally being able to say YES!
Hope to see you guys soon!
HI FROM KIM (KENDALL'S MOM) AND KENDALL. I MUST SAY THAT KENDALL AND I JUST RAN ACROSS YOUR POST TOGETHER. SHE WAS SO HAPPY TO MEET PRESTON TOO.THE KIND THINGS YOU SAID ABOUT KENDALL BROUGHT TEARS TO OUR EYES.KENDALL WANTS PRESTON TO KNOW EVEN THOUGH HE IS LITTLE, HIS ALLERGIES WON'T HOLD HIM BACK IN LIFE.SHE SAYS THAT ALL HIS DREAMS CAN COME TRUE.SHE WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY HIM AS WELL. IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THE CAR RIDE HOME.IF YOU EVER NEED TO TALK OR ANY HELP PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. MY EMAIL IS IBTAXI2ICE@AOL.COM. TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS ! KIM AND KENDALL HOLLINGER
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