Madison Jo Gecho

I LOVE this picture, it is so Maddie :)
For those of you who didn't know, I was a nanny for a family for about 6 years and these are my, what I liked to call, children :). I got very lucky and didn't have to have my first real job until about a month and a half ago, because I got set up with this family as just a summer job when I was younger...but it ended up lasting a lot longer than that!
Maddie & Max were my job and the fact that they're so cute was just a perk :)
About a year and a half ago, I got a phone call from a close friend to this family, and she told me that Maddie had passed away the night before. She was being pulled on an innertube in the snow by her dads truck, and she was slammed into a brick bench. The trauma to her head was so severe she didn't even make it to the hospital.

Now it's already been a year and a half, and its so weird to think she would have been turning 11 this summer.
My reason for writing about all this is because her mom Jill has been putting so much effort into helping Maddie be remembered. Everything from fundraisers & foundations, to a new park being built in her memory, and her latest idea, a day to celebrate Maddie and everything she loved.

She had a whole carnival type thing planned out, with different booths with everything that Maddie loved, from learning about rocks and bugs, to costumes & dress up, art, etc.
I was able to help her out and take care of the Foundation table to collect donations and decorate with lots of pictures and everything that was Maddies.

"Love is locked inside you...and that is your heart, and this is how much you love" -Maddie age 6
(what our shirts said)






























That is the booth we had set up, I wish I had close ups of all the pictures because they are SO so cute. It was a really fun day that wasn't a sad memorial day type thing to miss maddie, but a totally kid friendly day to remember her how she was when she was here and what she would have loved. Dave was so sweet to help out so much, he came with me early this morning to help my mom and I set up and then he had plans to leave and do his own thing the rest of the day, but he ended up staying the whole day :) He was so sweet and get me & Emily food whenever we wanted, and he would be the handyman when anything broke or wasnt working. I love him so much!:)


Sporting our Maddie bracelets :) Me & Max (he obviously wasnt in the mood for a picture...)














And when things got slow we just had to entertain ourselves and play a little dress up ourselves :) (Dave wins, he looks the best!)































my little brother Matthew & Little sister Emily!


Dave pointed out that when he was walking behind me & Emily he couldn't tell who was who. He was about to tackle me but he didn't because he didn't want it to be Emily....why he was wanting to tackle me? I dont know.
We do kinda look alike huh?




Overall we had a VERY LONG, but very good day! It always feels good to help out with things like that, especially when its for people you love and care about so much :) We ended the day by throwing on our swimsuits and trying to catch the last of the sun, but right when we made it to the pool the clouds came :( So we enjoyed the hot tub for a little bit & have been trying to work on our talks we have to give in church tomorrow...BLAH.