DARE Graduation

Walker's school participated in the 

Drug Awareness program called DARE.

Last week they had their "graduation"!

Obviously any awareness on the dangers

of drugs and alcohol is very dear to my heart.  

And even more importantly, the importance

of making GOOD choices.

That's what DARE teaches.  

Walker did great:)

Troy hi-fived all our faves as they walked by...

especially this one!!!

Kate was one of the finalists on the ESSAY

competition!  So proud of her!!!

There are a group of 11 fifth grade mamas

who stick together on any and all things

boy mom related;) plus we've all become

dear friends along the way.

We had our normal group texting on 

overdrive the night before banning together

on what our guys should wear for 

the graduation.  We decided jeans

and TUCKED in button downs. 

It helps to have support when trying

to force an 11 year old boy to wear

a button down to school...much less

TUCKED in!  Thankful for my mama friends:)

Plus we pretend they are all our 

own especially when some moms 

can't be at a function.  

It's our own sort of "faith/school families"!

Mike, Jonah, Walker

Oh how I pray these guys will "get it"!!!

They are only in fifth grade right now and it's

pretty easy to make the pact not to do

drugs or abuse alcohol at this point.

PRaYiNG they try to make good choices

all the days of their lives...

I love this group of kids so much!!!

So many of them have SUCH a special

place in my heart.  Like precious Jillian...

 And of course my Sweet Kate Kate!

And her precious friends whom I adore!

Great guy friends, too!

BUT we couldn't love our favorite

fifth grader more!

(He was in the BIGGEST rush

to go change out of his shirt

and get to gym class!!!  ha!) 

The night Walker showed me his 

DARE essay I was really upset 

that he had not written about Travis.

He told me if he wrote about 

Travis then he knew he would win

and he did NOT want to read 

his essay at the graduation ceremony.

He told me this with tears

wailing in his eyes.

I really had to take a step back

and understand.  Walker isn't ready

to share Trav's story in a public

way and that's okay.  He may never be. 

Trav's situation hasn't just broken

my heart...but it has broken this 

sweet, sensitive little guy's

heart, too.  I've always known that:(

My prayer will continue that what happened

to Travis WILL always stick with 

Walker and his friends and help 

them to make the right choices. 

AND that someday Walker

will be able to share this story from

our lives...but it will be when HE 

is ready ~ not mama!  ;)

Amanda and I keep showing up 

everywhere in our matching 

hot pink coats!!!  

We are DARE Graduates, too! :)