A friend of mine called me not long after we decided to raise money for Carson's dog and said that she wanted to put on a softball game to raise money for Snoop. After thanking her, I said that I knew NOTHING about softball, like so little that I didn't even know how much I didn't know. She told me "Don't worry. I am going to take care of this. You just show up, okay?" And wow, did she ever take care of it! We had 14 teams (about 10 people on each team) plus I would say at least 150 spectators. So many people helped by working the event, or donating, or playing, or just coming out to support. Another friend of mine and her mom (who helped raise me, and is kind of like my mom) had a raffle for an amazing basket, plus they sold baked goods and ran my table selling bracelets and crosses and t-shirts. An awe inspiring man who owns a local pediatric dentist office made an incredible donation. My mom took Carson home early when he got tired. One of the greatest family's I know had t-shirts made and gave them to us to sell. My dad took admission for a while. Matt's parents helped me keep an eye on Annelise. My friend who was coordinating the event ran around like a chicken and somehow got everyone where they needed to be, doing what they were supposed to do. Everyone helped.


 

Matt put together a team and had t-shirts made that said "Hotrod's Hustlers." (For some reason he calls Carson "Hotrod.") He even had shirts made for both sets of grandparents, plus Annelise, Carson, and me! It was so cool, a whole cluster of our friends and family played on the team, Matt had a blast! Matt's work even came up with a team and came out to play. We also have some wonderful friends that put together a team called the Blizards! Plus there were two dentist office teams and a bunch of other teams. It was so much fun, and Matt and I are so grateful to everyone for playing and supporting our family.
Before any of the games started, I knew there were a lot of people there, but I didn't really know how many. Before the start of the first game, my friend who organized the event had all the teams come out onto one of the fields so that she could explain the rules. Then it was time for Carson to throw out the first pitch so the games could begin. Matt stood behind Carson and helped him toss a softball towards home plate. Everyone there was clapping and taking pictures and cheering. I got chills and tears in my eyes as I realized that there was a whole community of love and support there, for my son. Many people we did not know came. Everyone smiled at Carson, and encouraged him. He gave high fives and smiled it up. He was a little off because he had a seizure earlier in the day, but he did very well. When he got tired, my mom took him home. About an hour later, Annelise got tired, so I took her home to my mom and went back to watch the games.

Teams slowly got eliminated. The crowds and teams that had lost headed home. Just before the championship game, I started talking to one of the teams that was playing to "win it all." (Winning it all consisted of a GIANT trophy that my friend got donated, and getting your $150.00 registration fee back.) I was thanking them for coming out, and I started talking to one of the guys. Turns out, he's a fireman. I thanked him for what he does for a living. I started telling him about the night Carson had his first seizure, and how the first responder was a fire truck and there was a young guy on there and I just ran to him and handed him my tiny minimally responsive baby and begged him to make Carson all right. As we were talking, color drained from his face. He asked me where we were when it happened. I told him the name of Matt's parent's neighborhood, (which is where we were when Carson had his first seizure) and he said, "I thought you looked familiar." I was standing there talking to the young fireman who first took Carson from my arms on the worst night of my life. What are the odds? I tried really hard not to cry, I really tried. I hugged him and thanked him and made him take a picture with me. I still cannot believe that I got to meet him and thank him. He kept saying he didn't do anything, that it was no big deal. I told him it was the world's biggest deal to me. I cried a little. And said thank you one thousand times. As it turned out his team won the championship...At 1:00am!! They took the trophy, but would not accept their registration fee back. I am telling you, that's the kind of night it was. For all the bad in the world, people are so good.

It was a night I will, for so many reasons, remember for the rest of my life. We raised $3200.00 last night. That is enough to pay for our two week trip to Ohio to get Carson's dog. Amazed, shocked, totally humbled, completely blown away. We are undeserving of all of this, but Carson deserves every bit. Thank you so much