Carrying on... & Camping. Sunday 27th May

Carrying on....

Since the "televised" walk to school, Ev has completed a couple morewalks to school. There have been no cameras, no radio, no press, no paparrazzi and not even any Olympic bound paralympians waiting for him. Yet, they have been as important and one thing has been the same, the good wishes from passers by and those who pass us on their own school run. And Ev, he's still been there battling away - as it is a battle for him and our job is simply to walk alongside and to cajole, motivate and try to inspire Ev to make it there (as well as arrange people who will very kindly take Sam and Maya to school for us - it's no fun for them taking an hour to get to school). The walks haven't been easy for him, and one a week is still about the most he can do. However, he's getting there and it's having a great impact on his walking in general.

and camping...

As I write this now, I'm sat, fairly tired, slightly sunburnt, but having had a great weekend away with the Yummy Mummies and Desperadoes (aka a number of close friends who forged an even greater friendship around the fundraising we did). My reticence at wanting to go camping is well documented across that group of friends and while there are a couple of reasons for that, the main one for me is it being slightly more difficult to do camping with Ev and how easy/difficult it is to get around. Now, for Loup, that's more of a reason to do it. So do it we did.

We've been lucky with the weather and that has really helped - we were also really lucky that we had a great location and so many people to help out. However, a couple of things really stand out and show Ev's challenges but also how lucky we are with who we have around us.

On Saturday afternoon we had a massive game of rounders and split into two teams. Loup joined in with Ev - which took the form of carrying him round from base-to-base, which was no mean feat in the weather, but as he stood to face his first ball all of the kids shouted, unprompted, "come on, Ev!!". Afterwards, in the glow of joining in (and Ev goes one of two ways when faced with joining in - all-in or all-out), Ev asked if he could have a go in the goals. "ok,...." I said, and even Loup was a little bit nervous of this, but there was little need to worry.

The kids split into two teams and one them shouted, "ok, Ev's in the goals - you can still score but dont shoot hard.". I was still a bit apprehensive but it was amazing - having watched a day full of 5 - 9 year olds and associated argy-bargy - the ensuing, and again umprompted, tenderness was really heart-warming. Ev saved a couple, missed a couple but really enjoyed it and then one of the kids from another camp who had joined in didnt realise and shot a bit too hard. Ev saved it, but took one to the stomach.

Tears.

Not a problem. Kids play football, kids get hurt, kids have a great time.....