team elliot

sunday we got to be part of team elliot for the great strides walk in grand haven.  we were honored to get to participate in the walk, as we are blessed to be friends with little elliot and his fam.  the days approaching the event were spent in preparation.  not only was money raised to help fund the research required to discover a cure for cystic fybrosis, but lots of prayers were said as people were made aware of the disease and the adorables it affects.

allow me to set the scene of the great strides event:
temps soared into the 90's as friends and fam and total strangers gathered together at the grand haven middle school.  though the leegwaters had an incredible representation of people who know and love them and their beautiful son, there were hundreds of other folks present.  and we were united, though i had never met and never really did meet most of the walkers, we were together in our passion to see a cure found for cystic fybrosis.  every one getting water bottles and tying their shoelaces before the walk represented a life dramatically impacted by this disease, making us all bonded together.

maxer was a committed walker.  towards the end he did need some wheels to assist, but still so impressed by this big boy!

enthusiastically, the crowd hit the pavement, moving as one huge organism, praying and hoping and working together for breakthroughs in science that will make cystic fybrosis far less devestating.  the route was scenic and the walkers determined and upbeat.  except for ayla jo whose mama accidentally got sunblock in her eye for the 25,000 th time in her little life.  so baby blue was crying. a lot.  and i was feeling real guilty because i was the one that inflicted the pain and isnt this whole walk about cherishing people?  so at last i relented and unstrapped her from the double stroller and held her at my hip.  that was really difficult and really hot.  but i did it.  until bear started crying.

bear riding in the klein's wagon with emma.  team elliot def had the cutest peeps.

he also had sunblock in his eye.  so i strapped cupcake back into the stroller and carried bear on my hip in the heat.  thankfully i was distracted by great friends and hardly noticed the hysterical boy hanging off me. bear finally found relief when i took his team elliot shirt off and soaked it with water for him to use to wipe at his very stingy eye.   at one point the peeps behind us had mercy on my soul and offered us one of their strollers to utilize. 


cupcake and her swollen and sunblock filled eye.  my parenting fail


we were close.  i am terrible at estimating distances, but at maybe 2/10ths of a mile left and maxer was dragging.  we settled the big boy into the double stroller just in time for a wheel to fall off the back.  the very same wheel jessica klein pointed out to me at the start of the race in concern.  her concerns were very valid.  moments later, the second wheel fell off.  max got out, brad lifted and pushed the stroller while i did everything i could to not pee my pants i was laughing so hard.  and really hot.

at last we made it to the tahoe, ditched the broken equipment and cut our goodbyes short as bear kept complaining his legs were falling asleep which, translated, means he was really really tired. 

so there we go.  we made an impact with our fundraising, drama, and presence yesterday at the cf walk.

love you elliot leegwater!  daily i pray for your miraculous healing, all the while thanking the lord for his faithfulness and his promises to be intercessing on your behalf always.  may you be blessed by his unfailing love, transcendent peace and unending grace as you walk this journey before you.