Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2007. We took Mattie to the National Arboretum. Something we did every year around Mattie's birthday. My joke was that the azaleas were timed to bloom in celebration of Mattie's birthday. He seemed to like that notion and I must admit to this day, whenever I see an azalea bush, I think of the conversations Mattie and I used to have about them being gifts timed with his birthday.


Quote of the day: I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back. ~ Abraham Lincoln


Today was another busy Walk planning day. I had a walk meeting with a few of my core team members who are helping me with promoting the walk team concept and encouraging our supporters withing the community to sign up to walk as part of a team. I even have our postal employee (Darryl) who works at our Mattie Miracle PO Box office interested in the Foundation and wanting to know how he can help out. Darryl has helped me throughout the years with my December mass mailings and then he was transferred to another post office. I literally lost his help for two years. When that happened I was devastated. But now he is back and he says he isn't leaving! Needless to say, in his spare time he has chosen to distribute walk flyers for me. Got to love him, no??? This is what makes him so special. The post office needs to clone him. 

Later in the day I returned to Mattie's school to set up for the second kindergarten art session, which will take place tomorrow. But of course the rest of the day, I was dealing with walk registrations, walk team questions, permitting issues, and other plans. I thought I was done with permits, but as is typical with the permitting office.... I AM NOT done. I even went down to City Hall and paid the permitting fees on Monday. However, now they tell me that I have to file a BUILDING PERMIT for moon bounces! I don't know if you find this has hysterical as I do, but I have learned to stop asking and just comply. I knew in the past that I had to file such a permit for a rock climbing wall, but for a moon bounce..... well that is a new one to me! 

I end tonight's posting with this wonderful photo of Ellie's Mattie Miracle themed flower pots. Each year Ellie, who went to preschool with Mattie, comes to the Walk with one of the crafts she brainstorms, creates and sells to attendees. Ellie donates 100% of her proceeds to the Foundation. For the past three years Ellie has been our top teen vendor at the Walk! These flower pots are the crafts Ellie will be featuring at this year's Walk! My good friend and colleague, Nancy, is already the proud recipient of an Ellie flower pot and has bought two additional ones for her grandchildren! I agree with Nancy, they make beautiful and meaningful gifts, especially when you read the little note Ellie created with the Forget me Not seeds attached.