March For Babies

Today Katie and I walked in the March of Dimes Walk in Abilene called the March For Babies. A fellow MOP and her husband created a team called Team Jeffrey M in honor of their son whom died last December in the 18th week of pregnancy. It was important to me to show support via the walk because of Sarah and Chris' loss, but also because walking today was my personal thank you to the March of Dimes.

I started walking when I was 10 months old; however, my brother David noted, "Something's wrong with Brenda-Ann. She constantly falls on her face." The something wrong was that I was severely pigeon-toed. The only way to correct this condition was to put me in full leg braces that would slowly rotate both my femurs in the hip joints, as well as align my knee joints and ankle joints.

The braces were comprised of a thick belt that encircled my waist. From the belt and down each side of my leg was a flat metal bar. The bar was attached to little burgundy leather lace-up shoes. I recall wearing the braces, but don't remember feeling weird or different. I definitely wasn't traumatized by the year that I wore them 24/7. Actually I think my sister Maryel suffered worse than I. Maryel and I shared a bed at the time and I was required to wear the braces even at night. While I slept I would thrash around and for a year Maryel had permanently bruised shins from my hard little shoes. Also, there was one neighborhood bully that made fun of me, but my sister Maryel set him straight--she didn't punch him but annihilated him with words.

Anyway, the March of Dimes was the organization that supplied the very expensive braces and helped with the visits to the specialist 2 1/2 hours from my childhood home. It is because of the March of Dimes that I was finally able to walk without falling on my face and was able to go on to become a gymnast and a cheerleader. And it is because of the March of Dimes that I was able to walk three miles today with my daughter. Today, with each step I took around Red Bud Park, I said to myself "I am grateful." So thank you March of Dimes.

I was a bit concerned that the walk would be a little too long for Katie, as well as for me. However, surprisingly the walk went quickly and easily--a sure result of good company. The only hiccup was when one of the tires on Katie's stroller came off of its rim, but it was easily repaired. After the walk we had a picnic lunch with the food provided free of charge for all walkers. I choose a hamburger for Katie and I, but it wasn't long before she removed the beef patty from the bun and proceeded to eat the bun with just her beloved tomatoes on it.

On second thought there actually was a second hiccup. When I got home I looked in the mirror and realized that I had my tank top on backwards. I was wondering why the neck opening seemed too high in the front. Oh well....

Here are a few pictures that took today at the walk.

Katie holding on to her stroller before the start of the walk. Katie actually rode in her stroller for the majority of the walk. The last 100' we let our children out of their rides and so they could cross the finish line on foot.

Katie waiting while we stopped at Jeffrey's memorial placard along the walk route. I took a few pictures of the placard, but I found the little placard personal and precious and posting them on this blog would seem to violate that preciousness. I did email them to Sarah.

Katie didn't want her picture taken---a true first--and I was taking pictures which explains both of our absences from this photo of Team Jeffrey M.