GiGi’s Playhouse 5k – Team Alaina

If you were at the 2014 GiGi’s Playhouse 5k then chances are you remember a beautiful mother running with her daughters picture. Her daughter was not yet here, she was waiting to coming home, from Bulgaria.  Most of us felt a deep pull in our hearts and we waited very excited for her to come home.  We quietly celebrated her arrival 7 months ago (can’t scare little kids ya know)

We have followed along as her daddy, mommy, sister and brother fall in love with her and she with them on their families BLOG. Do yourself a favor, grab a cup of coffee (or your favorite drink) and read this beautiful story.

Alaina’s mom Ashley was kind enough to take some time out of her day and answer some questions for us!

1. Which team are you representing and what is your relationship to the team?

The team that we represent is “TEAM ALAINA”. Alaina is a beautiful 2 ½ year old girl with designer genes, who was born in Bulgaria. After spending the first 2 years of her life in an orphanage setting, we welcomed Alaina into our family, through the incredible journey of adoption! Since her arrival in November, we have become her strongest cheerleaders and cannot begin to describe all the things that she has already taught us.

2. Is this or your team’s first time in the GiGi’s Playhouse 5K? What made you want to join?

This is our team’s second year to run in the GiGi’s Playhouse 5K. For those of you who participated last year, you may remember a crazy family with a double jogging stroller and a teary-eyed mama bearing a picture frame through every step of the rainy race. We are that family! The determined mama beating the pavement that day was a woman anxiously waiting for her daughter to come home. When our family registered last year, we knew Alaina would be our daughter. We had already travelled to meet her and we were waiting for the red -tape of government paperwork to be finalized, so that we could bring her home. The race ironically fell on her birthday week and I knew that we should participate as a family. We needed a tangible way to boldly proclaim that our hearts were already cheering her on! We needed to be around other families who would understand the journey that we were about to begin. We all wanted to run for our baby girl, who could not even bear weight on her own legs at that time.

3. Why is the GiGi’s Playhouse 5K important to you and your loved one, or what does it represent for you?

Our family desires to show our physical and financial support to an organization that openly reached out to us, even during our adoption process. GiGi’s Playhouse provided us with personal testimony, literature resources, and encouragement even before Alaina became a U.S. citizen! We quickly met other families with children that had Down syndrome. For our family, GiGi’s Playhouse represents hope. Every time we are there, I am reminded that there are other people in this world who will love and treasure our daughter as much as we do. It is a safe place to learn, grow, and be accepted. It is a loving community that offers ideas and support to every family in need.

4. Why do you think that GiGi’s Playhouse is important to the Syracuse community?

We believe GiGi’s playhouse is a phenomenal resource to the Syracuse community because it provides free resources, therapies, tutoring, and other support for families of children with Down syndrome. It provides a place of active awareness to the community. It is a gift to the community and an immediate support network for families that might be receiving a new diagnosis for their child.

5. What’s your teams fundraising goal and how are you achieving it?

To be honest, we did not set a specific goal for fundraising! However, the race has provided awareness for our family and friends. We have actually had people ask us how they can get involved!

6. Is your team planning anything unique to show your team spirit?

We will have to wait and see 😉

7. Is there anything else you want people to know about the playhouse or about Down syndrome awareness?

There is incredible joy in not taking every moment of life for granted. We hope that Alaina will do everything that she dreams! Watching how hard she works to accomplish something makes it a total treasure to our family. We want people to know that getting to know her has been extraordinary.

How awesome is the Pratt family! We are so glad they are a part of the GiGi’s Family and we look forward to a bright future!

You can join and/or support Team Alaina HERE

To get more details about our fun filled Day on August 22nd visit HERE