a big day at fenway.

Last Thursday, my little brother was invited to sing The National Anthem at a Red Sox Game at Fenway Park! It was incredible getting to share this very special experience with him... just as he has shared in mine + my sister's momentous occassions(graduation after graduation after graduation)... It was a perfect summer night for celebrating his gift, the voice of an angel... and feeling its effects through the energy on the field as he moved every person in that stadium...
It was one of those moments in life that you will never forget... the day of the week {It was a Thursday night in July}, what you were wearing {Kara and I had tried on every red shirt with a pair of socks embellishment in the souvenir shop}, the people surrounding you {the whole family got to be there and they arrived in a limo}... this will be one of those stories you tell over and over again recalling every last detail!


As we walked out on to the field, I tried to take it all in... the men painting the lines freshly around the diamonds, the smell of fresh cut grass intermixed with wafts of hotdogs and cracker jacks, the way it felt when the dirt crumbled between my toes, the vibrations of the fans stomping on the metal stadium as every seat was filled... every game has been sold out since 2003, you know?

If you are wondering where Christopher gets his {angel} wings, you're looking at the two most amazing parents responsible for who he has grown to be... not to mention, his two brothers and two sisters that love and support him and have helped shape him in to the loving, gentle ten-year-old boy he is with the utmost hilarious sense of humor and an intelligence that's almost too impressive to believe!

He had a huge fan base there to support him, too... nearly fifty people including his school principal and special education teacher were in attendance! It was very apparent how much he has touched the lives of the people in his hometown sitting in a section with rows and rows filled with people there just to see him sing. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world!"
It was disability awareness night. Legally blind and autistic, Christopher is doing his part, one octave at a time, to not just raise awareness but raise an incredible amount of hope for people living {and superceding every obstable you face} with a disability.

The boy who sang before he could talk received a standing ovation the entire way off the field... and under the stadium... and up through our section... and in to our seats! It was such an incredible night with the entire Duffley family and all their friends rejoicing with the tens of thousands of people who instantly became fans of Christopher!

Christopher Sings National Anthem from Jocelyn Kirk on Vimeo.

My Dear Christopher,
I'm not sure if there will ever come a day that I don't cry when I hear your voice. Singing Open the Eyes of My Heart, reciting The Polar Bear Express from memory, naming all the fifty states... Although we live miles a part, I carry you with me always.
You are constantly, unknowingly encouraging me to strive forward. I hear your voice in moments of weakness. I hear your voice every day at my job, reminding me to have patience with the extra-fussy babies and be calm in the emergent situations. You were here once too, remember? 
You have taught me a lot in the decade that you have been a part of my life. You have taught me about perserverance. You have shown me the power of prayer. You have inspired me to never give up. You are a reminder that everything happens for a reason, even the unfairest of outcomes. They, too have a purpose... whether to teach us a lesson, make us stronger, inspire those around us...
You are loved beyond measure.
... although that measurement was almost tangible last Thursday when nearly 40,000 people cheered for you and clapped for you and cried for you and loved you!