Walking With Angels

Utah county has an incredible organization called United Angels Foundation that gives support to children of all disabilities and their families. We were able to attend their "Walk with Angels" fundraiser today and are so glad that we could. Some of our extended family members were able to come do it with us which made it even more special. Before the actual walk began the announcer said, "we call this our walk with angels because we truly believe that all these children with different disabilities are angels." I had just been begging and pleading and dragging my very stubborn Nash man to get off the bouncy house and come join the walk. I looked around and saw several parents dealing with the same thing. Kids not wanting to comply or be interrupted in their fun. Some parents were struggling to push wheelchairs through the grass. Others were trying to keep all of their other children from running off. Some of the kids had to be carried, pulled in wagons or pushed in strollers. Everyone started lining up behind the start line but not us because Nash wanted to be up by all of the cool characters. So we sat in the shade and watched the parade of "angels" and their families walk by. At first appearance they didn't look like angels, at least not the cherubic, glowing, always pleasant, well behaved kind of angels. But they are angels. They are angels because they come here in imperfect bodies (which can't be an easy thing) to teach us, their families and friends how to give and how we need to live. These kids have a way of reminding us who we really are, what is truly important and who we have the potential to become. Raising children, even if they don't have "special needs" is a challenging and life changing experience. (In my mind everyone has "special needs" or ways they could use a little extra love. Some needs are just more apparent than others.) I am amazed at what my kids have taught me about myself. Nash is an especially great teacher, he knows just how to get me outside of my comfort zone. Some days he can really push me to my limit but as I look back on struggles we've had and continue to have I can actually see the growth and feel the joy and satisfaction that come with that growth. It is true, they are angels. We really walked with a lot of angels today and it was awesome!

 Nash meet his dream girl..."Snowflake" a.k.a. SnowWhite