Run for a Wish 2013 {make the days count}

Last Saturday was the third annual Make-A-Wish fun run at Aurora Stadium. I love that I have done it every year even though it is only the third one. I want to one day be an old timer proudly saying I have never missed a year. 

A photo with Hawka before race time. (thanks to Gillian for the pic)

The day was so beautiful and sunny and calm after many days of cold wet and windy weather that had started to make me think we were skipping Spring and Summer and moving straight into Autumn.

I had asked Lisa if I could organise the balloons to release for Aaron and Noah and the day before I had gone into Spotlight to pick up the order. Spotlight has just recently set up a helium balloon section in their store for just $1 a balloon (although they don't have the colour brown  - which I told the lady was not good for a hometown to the Hawks) so I picked the order up Friday afternoon but by the next morning half the balloons had gone down.

The brown ones I picked up at an actual balloon shop were still nice and full but the Spotlight ones had reduced in size as well as not floating very well. I was a bit cross with Spotlight. (note to self - if you want Spotlight balloons get them on the day you need them ;))

Alison raised $1100 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by getting people to sponsor her for running. She was the top fundraiser and I think overall the day raised nearly $30,000 with over 500 entrants in the race.

When the siren sounded we let the balloons go, a mixture of nice bright ones and brown and gold for Aaron and Noah.

But I was still cross!

We had got there late and missed the kids race, the balloons didn't work out how I imagined, Sarra thought she left her shoe tag at home which she needed to cross the line so they could get her time and if it wasn't returned a $25 fee, Hallie left her "Noah" top at home, the DSLR ran out of battery after 2 photos and Hallie was nursing a kidney infection so on double antibiotics but still wanting to race. ALL these little things made me into one big crabby bum when the day was supposed to be anything but.

And the race began...

Simon headed off with Sarra, Hallie and Oliver.

Flynn wanted to walk...

It wasn't long before we were near the end of the pack.

Jonty would wait a little for us and then run a bit and then stop and wait. Neither of them wanted to hop in the pram.

Before I knew it, it was just me taking the pram for a walk!! lol.

And I was stil cross! Cross now that the kids didn't want to get in the pram so I could set a brisk pace and I didn't want to spend the next 6.4 kms arguing with them to stay in the pram.

And then all of a sudden, even though there was no-one around, someone told me to "look up". It was clear and quiet. I looked up into the beautiful warm blue sky. All my crabbiness disappeared as I looked, really looked.

I let Flynn stop and pick flowers (weeds) for me.

I let Jonty stream ahead feeling confident and powerful in his run.

We were coming second last and all of a sudden it didn't matter. None of it mattered as I felt calm and peaceful and I know it was Aaron saying that none of it mattered and to remember what was written on my top. 

To not just KNOW what Aaron tried to do when he was here, but to LIVE it! Live it out there on that beautiful Saturday morning, walking for such a great cause, raising money for children like Noah who have serious illnesses. To not worry about the hiccups of that morning, that we were out there, blessed to be able to walk or run in this beautiful part of the world and to enjoy the company of other people walking the same path, maybe different stories - but the same path all the same.

This was what Aaron was gently trying to remind me and so when I crossed the  line... with my empty pram. :) in 1 hours and 32 minutes, I really felt like I was the winner.

Hallie was such a trooper. I can't believe she ran the race but I knew it was important to her. She loved catching up with her teacher from school, Miss Woolley, who she simply adores.

And Flynn walked about 5kms of the 6.4 km race... in his gum boots, so I was really proud of him.

It was nice at the end of the race, seeing the organisers and sponsors get recognised and the excitement of prizes being handed out. Jay had been given a helicopter ride prize the first year and Kobe last year and this year, the man in the wheelchair in my pic belowwas awarded the prize. 

I had been talking to them along the way as we kept passing each other and chatting and when we were near the finish, just before turning into Aurora Stadium, I heard the MC, Casey, on the megaphone saying - "we are just waiting on a few stragglers before we start the prizes" and I turned to the wheelchair company and put my fist in the air as a sign of victory and we laughed.

I didn't get a photo on the day of all of us in our tops so I took some at home.

This year Lisa had organised new tops. My kids wore Jay and Harri and Kobe's Noah tops from our first year , on race day, while the rest of the team wore the new tops. I loved seeing the blend of the two. I also loved wearing my top to Maccas (the tradition after the big race (Aaron's fav place)) and then to Shiploads and the Reject Shop. I suppose I just didn't want to take it off.

I put Flynn in my new top today with Aaron and Noah on the front. The cutest model ever.