Image courtesy of Christa!

I feel like I’m walking on a cloud.  This weekend was amazing.  And Sunday was the best day of all.  Check out this video made by Tim of the Tim and Willy show (on Camel Country 107.9fm)

If you look real hard, you can see Christa and me walking behind Jimmy.  It was very cool.

And a photographer at the Arizona Republic created a great slideshow of pictures that you can view here and….Brett is quoted in the article!!  The reason I tell you that is because if you take a peek at picture #5, you’ll see yours truly givin’ Jimmy a hug and chattin’ him up!

Wanna see more?  Click here for a great story and slideshow on the Tune In Music City online publication.  Okay, this is weird…there’s another article I read with my picture and I can’t find it.  So I googled myself with Jimmy Wayne and this picture is in a bunch of online publications across the nation!  Crazy!

But that’s beside the point.  Sunday was the walk that took Jimmy 1/2 mile more to HomeBase Youth Services where he was greeted by the staff and residents.  Supporters, members of the Basha Highschool Band, and MMH Street Crew Members all gathered at Indian Steele Park to help him finish his journey.  Barrel Boy from KNIX was there pumping up the crowd.  Pictures were taken, stories were told.  We were all there with anticipation building.  Waiting for the final moment when Jimmy would arrive and we would start the final let of his journey.

I had my family there.  Christa had her family there as well. The guys stayed in the back with the kids (and our strollers) while Christa and I headed up towards the front.  Little did we know we’d be walking just feet away from Jimmy the whole time.  During that walk, he was talking to lots of different people.  Barrel Boy was right up there, various fans and supporters, Tim (from Tim and Willy) was up there and shot the video above.  And I told Christa that if there was a break in his interactions, and if I felt like I wasn’t going to intrude on his moment, then I’d go up and chat with him.  There was a break and so I walked over to him. I put my arm around him and reintroduced myself as the “ma’am that found him on the 87 and brought him Mountain Dew and strawberries along with my kids.”  He remembered me, put his arm around me, and thanked me for being there.  I told him I was so proud of this major accomplishment and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.  It was quite a moment…thanks Christa and the guy in the green beret, for capturing the moment for me!

We got there…and if you look through the photo slideshow, you can see the moment where he crossed the banner that was made for him.  It was a moment in time.  We all made our way to the courtyard at the Nicholas Center of HomeBase Youth Services.  A few people spoke words and then Jimmy came up.  He had an amazing speech.  You could tell he had so much to say, and I’m sure he felt overwhelmed by all of it.  I felt overwhelmed by it!  He spoke of his childhood.  He mentioned the kind couple who took him in when he was 16.  He talked about his own passion in life and what really matters most.  It was awesome.  He said one thing in particular that struck me (he said a few things, actually).  These kids…these kids without homes, are good kids.  They need a chance.  They need someone to give them a break.  Why do they get a bad rap?  Why does the media and the news focus on mostly the negative stories regarding homeless?  How do we change our attitude towards them?

How do I change my attitude towards them?

This is how.  Jimmy has started this ball rolling.  He has brought some major attention to this cause.  And it is up to us to keep that momentum rolling.  There were a few signs on Sunday that said “The journey doesn’t end in Phoenix”.  It’s true.  Jimmy started this…and we will keep it going.  I am so excited to be a part of the MMH Street Crew.  Cheryl, the team leader in Phoenix, has some fun opportunities coming our way.  Things that will make a difference.  Events that will break down the stereotypes that I have. I can’t wait to keep giving.

Another thing Jimmy said that stuck with me was something to this effect.  We don’t mind giving and donating to worldwide causes, because they are important.  But so are the causes in our own nation.  And perhaps they need more from us.  And this is how we can start.

Thank you, Christa, for the awesome photos!

I had such a great weekend!  Can I tell you about it?  It was filled with lots of smiles and laughs.  Great conversations with good friends. Pictures.  Awesome music.  Goosebumps.  Lumps in the throat.  Oh yeah, and some bar food.  This weekend celebrated the end of Jimmy Wayne’s journey halfway across America. Over 1700 miles in 7 months.  A-Mazing.

And if you remember this post, then I won’t need to remind you about how I met Jimmy on the side of the highway literally in the middle of nowhere.  So much fun.  So spontaneous.  Reminded me a bit of when I was in college and my roommate and I (and 2 guy friends, one of whom I had a crush on, but whatever) were bored on a Friday night so we drove to San Diego at 10:00pm. We got there at 4 am to see the sunrise (which wasn’t over the ocean but we weren’t thinking logically at that point), ate at an IHOP, or something, and then headed home. Lame.  But at the time totally fun and not like us.  We (my roommate and I) were pretty reserved and conservative back then. Okay.  So now that you know that little piece of useless information about moi, then you can see how this venture is a bit “risky”, if you will.

Okay…back to the point.  This weekend. All about Meet Me Halfway.  I met some cool people that I had been tweeting. So much fun to meet people that I only know online!  And a little surreal. I was a bit overwhelmed. I was trying to keep their twitter names straight with their real names straight with their tiny little thumbnail pictures. And I’m really bad with names.  Anyway, Friday night we had a little meet and greet at Aunt Chilada’s in Tempe.  There was some yummy Mexican food going on there!  I had a great time meeting and getting to know these wonderful ladies who have a special place in their heart for MMH.  It was great to hear their stories and reasons for getting involved!

Saturday was the concert.  But before the concert, Jimmy had to walk the last 5 miles.  My friend, Christa, and I decided to go out and find him early Saturday morning and help him walk those last 5 miles.  We were so excited!  It was a beautiful morning…drizzly and cloudy…just how I like it!  We drove around.  We decided to wait to hear from him.  We found a farmer’s market and poked around.  We drove some more.  We decided to wait some more.  We had a Starbucks.  Then we drove some more.  Then we decided something must be wrong.  He wasn’t out by 10.  So we went to Nordstrom’s Rack.  Poor guy…about 30 minutes after I got home I got a tweet from him that he was on his way to the doctor.  And then we found out he had broken his foot.  Seriously!  But, in true Jimmy fashion, he went right back out there and finished the last 5 miles in a boot.  And with some “serious pain meds” (his words not mine).  We were so bummed we couldn’t get back out there to walk with him.  But since we live in the sticks, there wouldn’t have been enough time to get ready for the concert that night. (You can see some pictures that KNIX Country took right here).

Sunday was the walk.  The last 1/2 mile to HomeBase Youth Services.  And for me, the best part of the weekend!

Sorry, but you’ll have to come back tomorrow to find out why it was the best!

Please follow and support Jimmy Wayne through the last leg of his journey!  He’ll be reaching Phoenix any day now and he’s traveled a VERY long road!  I am still so inspired by his story…not a day goes by that I don’t think of him or his campaign to end teenage homelessness.  I often wonder what more can I do? I will be celebrating with him on Saturday at a free concert he’s giving at Toby Keith’s in Mesa.  If his story inspires you, come on out and show your support!  There are so many ways to help out:

Click here to donate!

Click here to follow him on twitter and leave a few words of encouragement

Click here for his Facebook page.

And finally, click here to read his whole story.  It’s truly amazing.

I think this might be my second charity, after Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Oh, and his music?  Amazing.  The songs are so inspiring, especially knowing that he’s written this music, and knowing about his journey.