walking for babies.

A little over a month ago, I posted about our commitment to walking for the March of Dimes. Saturday was the big day, and our team was so dedicated to the cause that we braved the cool, rainy weather with our best walking shoes on! Hundreds of people were standing at the starting line proudly holding their umbrellas + anxiously awaiting the nine o'clock walk time, and no one seemed to mind the puddles at all. It was beyond humbling to support this cause with my newly-born baby boy as a member of our team, and I look forward to making this an annual event. Walking for babies + their families with Team Oaks of Righteousness provided the sunshine that was lacking that morning, and God was faithful to answer our prayers to stop the downpour that had been predicted the entire week leading up to the event. About five minutes into the walk, the rain was no longer falling + all the umbrellas were put away. Not even dreary weather can hold us down, y'all!

Our team raised a total of $580 for the March of Dimes, and our goal is going to be even higher next year. We, also, hope to have more people step up + join our team next year, too! This organization helps both mommies + babies remain as healthy as possible both during pregnancy + after the birth of a child/children, specifically babies who are born prematurely. I, personally, know many families who have kiddos who were born before their due dates, and I'm sure you do, too. We're going to do this each year for them. We want them to know that they are not alone + that this community grows in love and support of them each year. On top of the meaningful aspect of the event, it's also a lot of fun! Not only will Braxton be walking next year (say whaaaat?), but he will also be much more capable of understanding more about the world around him. Teesh + I want to introduce him to events like this, to explain why so many people are gathered together, and to help create a deep compassion for others within him. As parents, teaching our kiddos about love -  not just as a word or feeling, but as an action - is one of the most important things we can do.

We wear green to point towards growth, we donate to support research + healthy, full-term pregnancies, and we walk so that they may be called oaks of righteousness (via Isaiah 61:3). Won't you join us next year?