A weekend of walking

Last weekend our gathered together and walked. We walked for my gramma, for my mother-in-law and for Nate.

Saturday night was Light the Night for cancer in Chicago. We've been doing this for a few years now in support of my mother-in-law, a cancer survivor, and in memory of my gramma. It was a very fall-ish night, cool and windy, but we made the best of it.





No matter what the temperature is, Chicago is beautiful. Especially at night.












(Some of these photos have too much "noise" or look grainy-I had my ISO cranked waaaaay up. I'm still learning!)

It was a great night walking for a good cause. And Nate was a rock star, as usual. We just bundled him up, put him in the double stroller with his cousin and a blanket and he was good to go. The band and echoing tunnel didn't even bother him this year! Yea, progress there!

Sunday was our second Walk and Roll for Spina Bifida. We were fortunate to meet some other families from our babycenter chat group there. It was wonderful to finally meet some of these ladies (and their cute kiddos) in person! We had another chilly, overcast day but the sun did come out for a little while and we avoided rain.

As I wrote about in a previous post, we were very successful in raising money for the SBAI. Words simply can not express our gratitude. Team Nate really rocked it out this year! Here are some pictures from our day.













October is a big month for us. Stay tuned...I have a few things up my sleeve!

A weekend of walking

This past weekend we participated in two walks. Saturday night we headed downtown for the Light the Night walk. My mother-in-law is a survivor of cancer. This is the third year she has participated in the walk and the 23rd year she has been cancer free! We also walked in memory of my Gramma, who died from complications from stomach cancer. It's really a beautiful walk-takes you right by Soldier Field and the Field Museum and down along the lake. You see hundreds of lit-up balloons bobbing against the backdrop of Chicago at night. Truly a beautiful sight. We were happy to be a part of it.

Sunday we took part in our first Walk and Roll for SB. We had a perfect day! The weather was beautiful, 75 and sunny, and our immediate family was there to support us. The walk was held on a farm, and the walk took us around the farm with some stops to pet the horses. We walked. We ate. Nate slept. We petted animals and rode on a tractor filled with hay. We picked out pumpkins and took a ton of pictures. The day was amazing.

This also marked our first efforts at raising money for the Spina Bifida Association of Illinois. When we started, we set our goal at $500, which I actually thought was high but I wanted to challenge ourselves. The donations that continued (and STILL continue) to pour in put our original goal to shame. Our family, friends and co-workers have been so generous in giving to help those living with SB that we have now raised over $2,000. No, that is not a typo. You do not need to adjust your screen. Because you are AMAZING and we are so grateful for you all! We truly feel that this walk was a huge success and it has motivated me more than ever to start getting involved in spreading the word about SB awareness. Through other blogs I discovered a mom who has a little girl with SB who makes bracelets about SB awareness. 25% of all proceeds go to various SB charities. I have one on the way. I also went out and purchased some materials today for another little project I am working on (stay tuned...) My big goal (I joke) is to get Ellen DeGeneres to be the celebrity spokesperson for SB awareness. Ha! I won't hold my breath on that one. By the way, does anyone happen to know Ellen? :) Enjoy the pictures from our walks!

Walk and Roll

I had read/heard about these Walk and Rolls from another mom and anxiously searched and waited for one to come around in our area. I am so happy that we can partake in this fundraising event! While Spina Bifida is one of the most common birth defects in the US, not many people even know of its existence. And whats worse, despite the impact of Spina Bifida on individuals, families, society, and the nation, little research has been conducted on the many components of this complex birth defect. For some, treatment options are limited and for others, they are practically nonexistent. Ryan and I feel so blessed that we are able to get Nathan the kind of care that he needs. We see an array of specialists at one of the best hospitals around, and take part in a wonderful Early Intervention program that allows therapists to work with him right in our home. And as much as I can go on and on about how I dislike my job (or at least where I work), I believe that God put me there for one specific reason: my awesome health insurance! Again, a huge blessing. Can't rave enough about how much has been covered for Nathan through my insurance. I know that even though the school I work at can be tough and challenging, it is THE RIGHT CHOICE for my family and that is what is most important.

I know there are others living with SB that were not as fortunate as Nathan has been. The medical advances that have been made in the past 10 years alone have given people with SB a much better chance at living normal lives. And yet there is still SO MUCH MORE that needs to be learned and discovered about it. There is NO KNOWN CAUSE. As much as I break myself down thinking about what I may have done while I was pregnant to cause Nathan's spine to form incorectly, the hard facts are that the cause is still a mystery. Please help us in our efforts to find a prevention and a cure by checking out our fundraising page and considering making a donation to the Spina Bifida Association of Illinois. It would mean so much to our family and could make a big difference in the lives of those living with Spina Bifida!

www.firstgiving.com/teamburnett