After breakfast, we headed over to the Monona Terrace to check out the view and the architecture. We took the above photo of the capital building (Ben loves to identify the building in photos now!). The photo below is taken of our hotel from the Terrace. Our room is four floors from the top, immediately to the left of the part that juts out at the front.
Andy and I in our donor family tee shirts.
While we were on the Terrace, the donor families from Team Philadelphia had just finished doing a butterfly release. Butterflies are one of the symbols chosen by the National Donor Family Council to represent their cause, representing change, hope and new life. We met a lot of great people on the Philly team, and one couple we met gave Ben some of the bubbles they used with the butterfly release. He immediately began blowing bubbles and said, pricelessly, "I'm blowing bubbles up to Jake." One of the most precious moments of the entire games.
Monday afternoon was the Donor Recognition Ceremony, in which I was scheduled to sing "There You'll Be," as recorded by Faith Hill for the movie Pearl Harbor. When I rehearsed it, Ben and Alex joined me on stage. This was not at all distracting, until Alex decided to treat me like a tunnel! Then it was off on two shuttles to get to the track and field events. Beckham was signed up to run the 25 m. at 12:45. I was hoping things would run on time, because the Donor Recognition Ceremony started at 2pm, and I would need time to take those same two shuttles (which don't always run in a timely fashion!) back to the ceremony...
Alex spent some time bonding with Riley over goldfish. A member of Team St. Louis, Riley was the youngest competitor in the Games, and won multiple medals! Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to talk to her parents, because Riley had to get ready to go run in the 25 m. with Beckham!
The boys had fun playing with members of Upstate NY, including Christen (photographed above) and Karen, who helped keep them out of trouble!
Beckham was very tired before his run, and it took him a bit to realize what he was being asked to do. Once he realized where Kim was, he took off and ran his heart out!! Take a look at the video below... Unfortunately about halfway through his run a bunch of people crowded around the race winner, so the video gets a little hectic.
I love this photo of Beck and Kim. He was so worn out, but did such a great job in the end!!!So then it was time for me to rush off to the ceremony. Andy, the boys and I high-tailed it toward the shuttle stop, because it was already nearly 2pm. Luckily I was able to get a hold of the organizer and she switched me with another woman who was singing later in the program. But as we were standing and waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the shuttle, I began to worry that I wouldn't make it in time. So when a member of Team Upstate came by who had a rental car, I asked if she would run me to the ceremony. Andy, Ben and Alex stayed behind with Karen who helped them get from shuttle to shuttle.
I arrived just before I would have performed, had we not switched the schedule, and ended up sitting way off to one side since the place was packed. I was there in time to hear another performance, and listen to the story of a kidney recipient who has one of the longest lasting transplant organs - 40 years! He was an inspiration to listen to. Then they handed our medals to all the donor families, along with matching pins, representing the gift of life a donor provides. It was at this point that the boys and Karen finally arrived - just before I performed! Ben asked to join me on stage, and was so well behaved while I sang. He stood and held my hand, looking alternately at me and the audience. Then, as we were leaving the stage, he turns, looks at the audience, and says, "Rawr!!" at the top of his voice. Everyone broke out in laughter, myself included, and it helped put everyone at ease.
So then a woman named Lynn Baudo who founded a group called Threads of Compassion spoke. She is a donor mom, and after her son passed away she revisited an old hobby to seek comfort -- knitting. Many others joined her. Some time later, she saw a donor presented with a "prayer shawl" at a ceremony, and Threads of Compassion began. Lynn's group grew to well over 100 members, and they came to the Donor Recognition Ceremony with over 900 shawls to hand out to the donor families who attended the ceremony. 
I got to scoop Beck after the ceremony, when he attempted to take off. By making him into an airplane, he didn't complain too much!
The four of us went to dinner at a microbrew called Great Dane, just a few blocks away from the hotel. It was a GREAT meal, and very reasonable. We were surrounded by other Games participants (mostly from Team Philly - they were EVERYWHERE!). Several people came over and spoke to us. I wish I could remember all the amazing conversations we had over the course of the Games! We also got to speak to another one of the performers from the ceremony, Jay, whose father was a donor. He wrote an amazing song, which I will post the lyrics to in another entry.
After dinner we headed over to the basketball courts, where there were several 3 on 3 games going simultaneously. To be honest, we spent more time watching the kids play and speaking with other people than watching the games! It was nice to spend some more time with the Scadlocks, too, who we left after the ceremony. Ben got to meet Team Philly's "Heart Man" (above)...
Alex and Beck shared some snacks (I just missed getting a photo of Beckham handing a chip to Alex!)...
And at the end of the day, when we headed home, Alex was exhausted, and passed out on the shuttle back to the hotel. When the day came to a close, it meant only one more full day left before we would have to say good bye to the Games for this year...
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