Danil's Birthday Party (To my most amazing DSAC mommies)

Have I told you lately how much I love my Roots and Shoots sisters?

First- for those of you not in my loop, Roots and Shoots is the birth-three group of our Down syndrome Association of Charlotte.  When Chase was born, I became involved as soon as possible...honestly, I was desperately in need to see what my new life would look like.  I needed to meet other moms, needed to see their kids...needed to know what I was in for.

I had no idea.  I had no idea that I would end up co-leading the group, welcoming new moms in, playing matchmaker with moms, forming amazing friendships with strong, amazing women.

And when I announced our plans to adopt Danil, I had a tidal wave of support coming from them.

Honestly, we announced our crazy plan to a small group of T21-friends at dinner one evening...and instead of telling us that we were lunatics, they bought dinner for us!

SO.  In the tradition of being some of the most awesome people that I know, the North End moms (we got so big that we have a North End and a Southside group- I was Southside) told me that they wanted to throw a birthday party fund raiser for Danil.  I told you they were amazing.

I said that I would bake cupcakes and host.  They told me not to do anything.

And my North End mommies and my Southside partners gathered together and threw the.most.awesome.party for us.  I didn't have to lift a finger (which is good, because I have so many fingers lifted right now, I don't know what I'd do if I had to lift any more...)

Not just cupcakes at the park.  Oh, no.  There were cupcakes.  And Super Man capes.  And giant bowls of candy that Gavin kept eating out of every time that he could sneak away.  There were squirt guns and tricycles with giant wheels.  There were kids with blue stained lips from the frosting overload, and empty Capri Sun packages all over the ground.  And I haven't even said anything about the cheesy poof dust covering everyone's fingertips.

Oh.  And there was a box for donations to our fund.  By the end of the party, it was full of checks and cash and cards with well wishes.

AND 2 journals to use for when we travel, where I will record every moment of our time abroad as we jump through every hoop that they throw our way to bring home our boy.

AND there was a brand new Nook Color for us to auction/sell/etc...to use as we choose to raise MORE money.

Could I ask for anything more?  Probably not.

Well, maybe a brand new banner announcing our new addition to use at our next Buddy Walk courtesy of the Miller Davis Agency (thanks, Jill!!!).

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  We never wanted to be part of this club.  But I am so very happy to be here now.  I hate to think of what my life would have looked like without Chase's extra chromosome. I am so honored to call these ladies (and their fabulous husbands) friends. Isn't it amazing that one little genetic anomaly could bring such incredible people like them into my life? Life is so rich sometimes that I can hardly believe it.

(Can I tell you how much I love this picture of Super Cooper?)