Warrior of the Heart: Meeting other WS families

It wasn't until I started talking about Abby's diagnosis on Facebook that I started to meet other people - and I was introduced to Kelley Buckner Bedore, who is one of the best people I have ever met and she started the WSFOH to help WS families and individuals. From there my world exploded with WS families, I started getting friend requests from other parents with WS children and even some WS adults! It was great and it did help a lot, although they were all pretty far away and we still didn't know anyone in our area.

Then around 2010 we were invited to our first WS event - a picnic held in Indy, so my mom and Chris and I took Abby down and got to meet several families and other WS children. It was awesome! But it wasn't until 2012 when I was asked to join the WSFOH that we became part of a SUPER family :) The foundation that Kelley started had taken off like crazy due to their tireless efforts and love, and I was just happy to be a part of it. Then in June 2012 my mom and I took Abby to Nashville TN so that Abby could take part in a country music song and video for the Family of Hope. So all of these mothers and a few fathers that I had only spoken to online we got to finally meet in person and it was the most wonderful time I have ever had! Williams Syndrome children are adorable, sweet, loving, gifted, caring, compassionate and on and on. The health problems that they have were compensated 100 times over by God with their wonderful personalities and natures. It was amazing to meet Kelley and her son Dawson and all the other moms and dads! And now we know there are several people close to us in Indiana! Tricia and Kendal, Becki and Jacob, Sondra and Codie :D I love them all so much! Abby had a fabulous time, even though she didn't sing in the studio, she had fun! It was just like you see on tv, a real recording studio - OmniSound Studios on Music Row! Brandon Giddens sang the song with the WS families in the background.

I went in to sing with Abby and the other parents and kids, and Abby goes right up under the microphone and says "Okay, let's sing Hope is An Open Heart!" That was the name of the song, and we had been practicing for a few weeks. Then in between each chorus Abby kept saying "WOW" - it was so funny! So we finished the song recording and all the families went out for lunch and we had a great time together. Then we went to the Percy Priest Dam to shoot the video. The kids were all tired, and a lot of them cried through the video, but it went pretty well. We were out in a beautiful field and they put out a wicker couch and Brandon Giddens sat and sang with his guitar with all the kids on a blanket in front of him and pictures of the kids who couldn't make it to Nashville all around. It was so fun and cool to see them having that once-in-a-lifetime experience! It was a week of those experiences and we met such wonderful families :D