~a following Norman update/Norm comes to school (kind of/sort of)~

     He made it to Indiana this week.  Norman Horn, the young man that Mike and I encountered back in the early part of June this year as he was walking east on Highway 50 near our home in south western Colorado, crossed over from the "Land of Lincoln" state into "Hoosier land".  He is alive and well, a little tired perhaps but in probably the best of spirits that one could imagine for a guy who will have walked over 3,000 miles when his journey is complete come this October 11th in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  I cannot imagine what it would be like to do so and even the thought of doing it brings phantom pain to my feet :) 

     I was very determined that when school began in earnest this week, that I would tell my class of little people about him and the mission he is undertaking one step at a time to bring about awareness of childhood cancer.  Wednesday of this week we did just that during our morning meeting ritual that takes place before anything else can each school day.  I told them about meeting Norman as he pushed his cart, filled with things he needed to survive on the road, emblazoned with a then hand-written sign proclaiming the words "Fight Childhood Cancer FTK".  I showed them his picture, the one alongside me as we stood near the border of Colorado and Kansas, even playing the video that Norm and I made that day as we walked along the highway in the hot and humid air.  We put stickers on the United States map on each of the states that Norman will pass through on his journey towards home.  Their eyes got big when they realized that he had indeed walked right by our town of Olathe, Colorado in the early part of June. 

     Each day, for as long as it takes for us all to do so, the kids are going to think of an appropriate question for Norm and I will post it for them on the Coast 2 Coast Facebook page that he has.  Norm has graciously agreed to answer their questions for them and for that, I am most happy.  "The 21" (soon to be the 22) will not have the chance to ever meet him in person more than likely, but they will know who Norman is regardless and just like with the other adults who have encountered him, he will be a stranger to them no more.

     I wasn't sure what the kids would remember on day 2 of our conversation about him.  I was afraid, in a way, that I had put them on "information overload" with too much going on in those first few days this week.  But bless their tender and kind 6 and 7-year old hearts, they remembered nearly everything and what information they had misunderstood was quickly cleared up by others who were around them.  It was the sweetest of things to hear a tiny little boy look up to me with a smile on his face and say,

"Mrs. Renfro, do you think he is REALLY going to get to Jersey?  I just can't believe it!"

     Before we stopped our conversation about him on Wednesday, I passed out the blue and yellow bracelets that Norm had given me back when we stopped for dinner with him in Gunnison only two days after we had originally come across him as we were on our way back to Kansas for a weekend stay.  I told them that the letters "FTK" stamped in yellow actually stood for them.  That  what Norman is doing by hiking across America will benefit kids that are like them only they have a disease called cancer.  I wasn't sure what they would say, if they would even know what I meant by that word.  But sadly, so many of them already knew even at the  young age of 6.  Stories spewed from their hearts of grandparents or uncles or aunts and a host of others who had already lived and died from the dreaded "C" word.  Once again I was reminded that children know way more than we could ever hope to give them credit for.  It's hard to "pull anything over on them" because, well because they DO know. 

      Well, the day has begun here along the Western Slopes of the state of Colorado.  It's time to get a "move on" and get dressed, pack up my things and begin this day anew.  The first week absolutely has flown by and as I have said many times along the way, I don't even know how that happens.  We are welcoming a new student to our classroom community this morning and for that, I am very happy.  Now the count will be even at 11 boys and 11 girls.  I am most blessed to be called "teacher" by each of them every single day.  I will never lose sight of that and forever hold them close to my heart.  It is a little bit on the crowded side in there but we are just going to skoosh ourselves over and make more room.  The human heart~forever expandable.

     It has been so much fun to follow Norman.  Wishing you well our friend as you enter the last leg of an incredible journey.  Godspeed your way towards "Jersey".

    
Remembering all of the loved ones and friends who have left us after being stricken with cancer.  They were important to each of us.  All of us.