Congenital Heart Walk - Pittsburgh 2014

June 29, 2014 .. that was the date of the annual Congenital Heart Walk in Pittsburgh (North Park).  Last year was the first one I had ever attended, and the first since losing Ashlee to a congenital heart defect 6 months before.  It was a hard day.  I cried a few times yet didn't let on that I was (thank GOD for sunglasses!).  This past year, however, was a lot easier and I was actually able to enjoy the day some.  It was on a Sunday morning, though, so I didn't even get to go to the cemetery.  To date I haven't been in a year, I think?  It's been too long, I NEED to go.  :(  Anyway, we had to pretty much bail as soon as the walk was over so we could on the road to get home at a decent time.

I was so happy to get to hang out with my cousins, though.  I'm always happy when I get to see them!

This year we changed our team name to "Ashlee's Angels" and had matching t-shirts made for everyone on our team.  I kind of came up with the design, but Dawn took care of the ordering of them.  They turned out so great!!

The walk was held in North Park which is actually really close to where Ashlee and Mike lived before they got married and for a little while afterwards, too.  It's such a pretty park!!

OH!  I almost forgot ... this year I was able to actually raise the minimum $100 they like everyone to try to raise before the walk, so I earned a free t-shirt.  It's not about that, though. :)  I'm just glad we could be together to walk and raise awareness for all the people living with or who were taken too soon due to a congenital heart defect.