Night to Shine 2017

I've been wanting to post about Night to Shine for over a week...but, my mind is mush. Seriously, I cannot even focus right now. Even trying to remember that night feels like SO MUCH WORK.

But I don't want to forget, so here I go.

If you don't know, Night to Shine is an event put on by the Tim Tebow Foundation every year. It's like a "prom" for teens and adults who have special needs.

It is seriously the sweetest, most wonderful thing.

This is Joshua's 3rd year to go...I think? And it just gets better every year.

It was at a church one year, and then moved to a community center for a couple of years...and this year, it was at a BEAUTIFUL venue in downtown. Seriously, it was beautiful. The building is beautiful, and the decorations were gorgeous. The meal was catered by one of my friends who owns her own catering business...and she ROCKED it.

Everything is FREE to the participants. You have to sign up in advance, but it's all free. If you need a prom dress or a suit or your hair and make-up done...you check that on your sign-up card, and someone will get in touch with you to provide everything you need.

FREE.

There is food. There is dancing. There are limo rides.

FREE.

Every participant is crowned king or queen of the prom, and they are all treated like royalty. WHY?

Because that's how Jesus sees them.

Perfect, beautiful, worthy.

Because of the parking situation downtown, Jim dropped me and Joshua off, and then went to park. We walked to the front of the building. The marble columns and the steps leading up to the door, made everything look so royal. There was a red carpet leading into the door. Volunteer "paparazzi" stood on each side of the "runway," cheering and snapping pictures.

Just like the red carpet at the Oscars...ONLY BETTER.

Joshua went by himself this year. Once he got there, he met up with Jenni-the-girlfriend, and many of the FRIENDS from his Therapeutic Recreation. Jim and I stayed for a minute and visited with some of the parents, and we took pictures of all the FRIENDS. When we looked for Joshua to tell him "bye," he was already out on the dance floor.

He looked so sharp! He wore a navy and white checked sports coat. He calls it a "man-coat." I found some pants for him at Dillard's, They were a bright "melon" color, and they had navy blue starfish on them. HE LOVED THEM! I only had to cut off 4 or 7 inches, and then hem them up. Did I mention I was a seamstress? Because I'M NOT. But I got it done, and he looked great! He told me he wanted to look, "fly," whatever that means. I think he nailed it.

While Joshua was dancin' the night away, or until 8:30 (ha!)...Jim and I went out on a date. AN ACTUAL DATE.

It was weird.

We had fun, tho!

We came to pick up Joshua at the end of the night. We found him on the dance floor. His "man-coat" had long since been taken off, and hung on the back of a chair. Most of the girls were in bare feet. Their group was kind of in the same general area, so once I found one of them...I found most of them. And I found Joshua.

He danced one more slow-dance with Jenni, and then we left. He had such a great time.

On the way out, each participant was given a nylon backpack full of goodies: a water bottle, a engraved, silver frame...and some other things I can't remember.

If you have the opportunity to volunteer at this wonderful event, please do. It's a blessing for the ones who attend...and it's a blessing for the parents/care-givers.

If Tim Tebow never does another thing the world deems as "noteworthy," he made my kid and his friends feel celebrated and valued tonight...and that.is.enough.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9