Max's Wine Dive, Riding for Friedreich's Ataxia && Fort Worth Adventures
Ever since I was 17 community service became something I was crazy about; giving time to others seemed to be fulfilling in a way that wasn't comparable to other activities. With the idea of community service came selfless habits. I started to pick up litter on the sidewalk if I was walking by it; if I was passing it anyway shouldn't I just pick it up? As I got older I tried to focus on being less selfish and more giving to others. Maybe I couldn't always give money or tangible goods but I knew my time was something valuable I could give. In college I did community service every month and couldn't picture my life without it.
Once I started working full time community service was put on the back burner- for one moving to Houston was difficult in the sense that I wasn't quite sure how to get involved and two I was crazy busy with work. I addressed the first issue by joining the Junior League of Houston and actively looking for getting involved in movements/causes that personally touch me. One of our college friends actually got diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia last year and so Joe and I decided to drive up to Denton to ride and raise awareness for the cause.
Every year my husband and I make lists of what is important for us to accomplish in that year and this year's list contained : giving more, seeing more of our friends and spending more time with family. This trip to Denton (we actually stayed in Fort Worth though) accomplished ALL three.
First let's talk about staying in Fort Worth with Joe's Aunt and Uncle. It was my first time in Fort Worth and it was amazing! Even though it is a pretty large city, the downtown area gives it a little bit of a small town feel. We went to dinner at Max's Wine Dive and the best thing about this place for me was that they had GLITEN FREE FRIED CHICKEN. I never thought I could have fried chicken again given my allergy and I certainly thought that if I did it would be subpar. Max's Wine Dive blew me away. If you haven't been, I suggest looking them up to see if you can go! The food was reasonably priced, ridiculously delicious and they were more than happy to accomodate allergies. If you are interested in looking at the incredible menu go to : www.maxswinedive.com
There was also an art festival in Fort Worth the weekend we were up there so we walked around for hours exploring the different types of art, eating turkey legs and having mojitos. It was a pleasant day of family time as well as doing something we normally wouldn't. There was so much beautiful art that maybe 5 years ago I wouldn't have appreciated but now I am totally obsessed with decorating our home. Going to something like this made me want to explore the Houston culture a bit more and find local artists to be friends with and get discounts on their cool art.
Now on to the most meaningful part of the weekend: the bike ride. We signed up for the 6 mile ride due to my slow recovery from my broken foot. My physical therapist really didn't want me riding more than 6 miles at a time, and honestly I am glad I didn't! The ride itself was fun and the weather was perfect; nice breezy winds and cloudy skies without a drop of rain. The cause was what really touched me. Our dear friend Kendall is such a strong woman. There is still a lot of unknown about her condition and future yet she was the most positive person at the ride! Her 6 month old son was there to cheer her on as well as her family. To see the people that FA affects and what our money went to, and why we raised awareness was truly humbling. Sometimes I get caught up in things that in the long run are so insignificant and this ride reminded me that what is most important in life is being the best you can be and hopefully that best version of yourself does great things for others. After the ride I decided that next year I was going to sign up for the 50 mile ride and try to raise $2,000 for the research. I felt a little sad to be honest, because I saw people who the disease has affected at such a young age, but I felt hopeful to because everyone at that ride shared the same values as us and also had such a positive outlook. So even though I felt a little bummed seeing people with a struggle that is pretty tough, I also felt uplifted because I knew that I was meant to be at that ride to reimmerse myself back into the spirit of helping the world. If you are interested in finding out more about FA and our lovely Kendall, please visit www.teamkendall.org
Also please enjoy the pictures below of our wonderful day !
