A following Norman and following life update~

     Norman Horn, the young man that Mike and I encountered along the roadway east of our home here in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado this past June, is nearly home.  Just a few days away from entering his native state of Pennsylvania, he has made the journey from the Pacific Ocean in the state of California, across the desert, mountains, plains and hills of America on foot.  According to his September 4th website, he has walked over 2,700 miles and taken over 5.5 million steps along the way.  In my wildest of dreams, I could never imagine doing so but Norman can because he has.  I remember asking him once if he had ever entertained the notion of quitting, of giving up because the task at hand was too formidable.  His answer was given pretty quickly~

"No.  Never."
And he kept his word.  He did not.

Gunnison, Colorado (early June of 2014)

Norm's "original" sign, the sign we saw on TV when he was interviewed by the television station in Grand Junction, Colorado.  Had we not been watching the news that evening, we probably would have missed this whole wonderful experience :)

     We have been following Norm ever since that day, now nearly 3 months ago.  It seemed strange to think of him in Kansas and to watch his progress there as he moved across my home state in the Great Plains area of the country.  Every day I would read of his trek along Highway 50, the very same one I traverse in a car as I go back and forth between here and my old home in Hutchinson, Kansas.  After leaving Kansas he headed towards Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and now Ohio and I sit here this morning thinking~

"How in the world does he do that?"
But he does.  Through rain, wind, heat, cold, and just about any other meteorological term one could think of.  Every day.

Mike and I decided to "tent" out one night in late June to show our solidarity with Norm as he from time to time had to sleep outside on the journey.  I lasted 3 hours before I gave up and went in.
     
     Following Norman's journey has been fun and has offered me the opportunity to learn to meet a lot of new people.  It's been a pleasure to help  a small group of women from back in the eastern part of the country who find places for Norm to have shelter and food for the night.  I have been glad to be able to assist them where I could, especially in my home state of Kansas.  Rachel, Sara and Sylvia work each day at their own jobs but have managed to always use their marvelously magical networking skills to find places along the way for him.  I've been able to help them in each of the states after Kansas with a few of the stopping off points on Norm's route.  For that opportunity, I am grateful.  Doing so has taught me so much about people as well as about myself.  Just the other day as I tried to find a place for Norm to rest in the city of Newark (Ohio), I found myself discouraged~

"I've tried a thousand places here.  Nothing is working out!  Surely in a place over 20,000 people there has got to be someone who would help out." And as the "Good Book" would say, 'Oh yea of little faith.'  Right before giving in.  Right before throwing in the towel and saying I couldn't find anything.  Just at the right time after all, an email came to my inbox from a man named Mike Morris that said he and his wife would be so happy to have Norm stay with them.

  "The 22" have been learning about Norman's 3,000+ mile adventure as well.  I knew all along this summer that I had to tell them of his journey and that the journey was one for kids just like them.  Only difference?  They were children who were very ill with cancer.  So each morning we talk about him during our morning classroom community meetings.  We look at the map and determine where he is, how many states he had to go through to get there, and how long it will be until he sees the Atlantic Ocean when he finally arrives in the state of New Jersey.  They are writing about him, drawing pictures and talking about what it might be like, and building their vocabulary with words like shelter, expedition, journey, pediatric cancer, survival, chemotherapy and many more. They know that there is going to be a big party for Norman in Atlantic City, N.J. and we will celebrate with our own version of that party on the 10th of October.  We may not be able to be there in person but that won't stop us from enjoying a cupcake and punch in our classroom!  

Day 1~introducing him.  We have added all kinds of data to our board now.  It looks very different than this.

22 six-year olds that live west of the Rocky Mountains believe in his cause and they show their support with FTK wristbands.

      I remember the first day I introduced them to Norm that I was concerned how they would respond to the subject of children living with and dying from cancer.  I need not have been~

"How many of you understand what the word cancer means?  Do you know that people can become very sick with it, even little children like you?"  So many of their tiny hands shot up in the air as they all wanted to tell of grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles who had lived with and also died from cancer.  They already knew.  It was no secret. 
     
     It will surely seem strange when Norman Horn's journey finds its completion, now only a few weeks away towards the middle of October.  What he set out to do will have come to pass and there are many people across this country of ours who have been touched by meeting him along the way.  When it is all said and done, it will always and forever have been accomplished with one ending goal in mind.  

It was done F.T.K.
For the kids.
For kids who are living and dying with cancer and for those who thankfully are not.