(These are my own personal “Toms” shoes. Don’t worry, you’ll get the connection. Read on)
When you are the mother of 4 boys you tend to have friends that have all boys. Usually, they have 3-6 boys. You tend to spend a lot of time with each other because, frankly, no one else will have you over to their house. Mothers of boys are not surprised when you arrive at a friend’s house (another mother of boys) & find : a. a baseball-sized hole in the living room wall
b. someone who is about to get or recently got stitches
c. a full-sized wrestling mat
d. a new dent in a car
e. a request for a good attorney
I could go on but I digress from the real issue here.
When the Russo’s relocated from Prince William County to Fauquier County we were naturally concerned about how our younger boys would adjust in their new school. After their first day in their respective 1st & 3rd grade classes, I asked Eric and Darren if they had met any kids. Eric responded that he did, indeed, make a new friend. A boy named, T. J. came up to him and introduced himself and they both hit it off. Darren, too, met a new friend. A boy named Tyler spoke to him. Every day the boys would come home with new tales of T. J. & Tyler. I was extremely excited for them! It wasn’t until later that I discovered that T.J. & Tyler were brothers. I thought this was providence. Two random brothers becoming friends with 2 random brothers.
Through the years, the Russo & Marable boys shared many adventures. Baseball teams & wrestling tournaments, ski trips & concerts, hospital visits & fund raisers. Halloween costumes & Harry Potter midnight book sales. You get the picture. It was like the 4 musketeers.
Then there was Trevor.
T. J. & Tyler had a little brother. He was 3 yrs old when we met. He liked to run naked into and out of the hot tub in the Marable’s back yard. He became little brother to all 4 bigger boys. The older ones would often have him do things that would amuse them. He learned a lot from those 4 big brothers. He still holds the record for acquiring the most girl’s phone numbers in one trip to the mall. Trevor also inherited his sense of style from his “big brothers”. T J. & Eric are shoe whores. Between them they own enough pairs of athletic shoes to open a store. Trevor comes by his love of shoes honestly. He had no choice, really.
Trevor is my unofficial youngest son. I have pledged to have his high school graduation party at Rancho Russo because when he was a little guy we would hold joint parties for graduations & such so naturally he expected his graduation to be held here as well. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Trevor is trying to embark on a meaningful travel journey.
He started a blog to help get the word out.
He named his blog “Shoemageddon” (I LOVE THIS)
He wants to get votes so he can join the company, “toms” & help distribute shoes to needy kids.
For every pair of “toms” purchased, a pair goes to a child in need. (see my “toms” in the photo above)
Read Trevor’s blog. Encourage a kid to write & travel. Vote for Trevor.
(Thank You, Carmageddites!)
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