It was that time of year again...Special Olympics. Joshua looks forward to it all year! Opening Ceremonies is always on the Thursday night before the competition, and so I brought Joshua and Clark with me up to Searcy. For the past 17 years, Special Olympics has been held at Harding University. It is a beautiful campus, and the community, and the town of Searcy, are always so welcoming to the athletes and their families. Clark took off with the Sanders' first thing, and I took Joshua to find his group.
How it works is that the state is divided up into "Areas." Each area has a leader/director of Special O, and each group has matching shirts and whatever other kinds of decorations they want to match their "theme." Each Area is announced over the speaker and the whole group walks behind their banner around the entire track. They start on the far side, but the best part is when they walk in front of the bleachers where the crowd is waving and cheering. I love it.
So, while we are on the way to Searcy, in the car, Joshua informs me that he does not want to walk with our Area. He wants to walk with Area 6, which is Searcy...where we used to live...the group he used to walk with when he was in school and we lived there. (sigh) Nothing against our Area...he has friends and he cheers for them. Who knows why he gets these things in his mind. He said, "I have more friends in Area 6." I said, "Joshua...no, you don't! Not anymore. Everyone has graduated and moved on...who are you going to walk with?" He said, "Anna Katherine and Carla."
Well, there ya go.
I asked Sally Paine, the director of the Area 6 Special O., if he could walk in with their group. She said, "well, I don't know...I don't have a shirt for him." I said, "OH...he doesn't have to have a shirt...he will be fine in what he has on." She said, "No, he won't. He has to have a shirt. I have made a HUGE deal about all the athletes having matching shirts, because so many people want their siblings or other family members or friends to walk in with them on the track, and it's just not fair to the athletes on THEIR special day."
Not gonna lie. I was disappointed...but I totally understood. I talked to Joshua and he said he would be fine to go sit in the stands and watch them all walk in.
What.a.trooper.
We walked allllllll the way back around and were just getting ready to walk up into the stands when Carla called and said, "get Joshua back over here...Sally has a shirt for him!"
WOW! Thank you, Lord!
Joshua was in ALL his glory. He loved walked with AK and Carla. He gets such a rush from the crowd. I'm convinced he thinks all the cheering is for him. :)
I watched him as he walked around the track. He is so cute. Cute little walk...big, ol' smile...his hat falling down on his little Downsy ears. Sometimes I think my heart is going to burst when I look at him. I love him so much. I love all my kids so much.
He saw Mr. Bob standing on the far side. I saw Joshua wave at him. As they rounded the turn and headed to the front of the stands, I watched him. His face was grinning from ear to ear. He had his hat off...waving. Periodically, he would do the "sign" for "I love you" or he would pump his right fist up in the air.
It was a great night. They played some great songs and I love seeing all the athletes dancing and happy. The motorcycles came in and it was amazing to see...over 400 bikes, lights on and engines revved to support the athletes. So cool! My favorite part is the torch run, and they did such a great job this year, celebrating 25 years of Special O in Arkansas. Loved seeing some friends. Got to see Bob White...Joshua just loves him half-to-death. And got to visit with the Featherston's and Carla, and that is always fun. Jerry, Stacy, Aaron and Tori were there...they are always so sweet to support Joshua. He was thrilled to see them.
And to quote Jim Garland, "A good time was had by all..."
"Do not let kindness and truth leave you..." (Proverbs 3:3a)
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