Gimme All the Pillowcases

I do most of my best blog writing in my head while rocking and nursing my boob addicted almost two year old to sleep each night. The problem is that since each of my children was born without the go to/stay asleep sleep gene, it oftentimes takes me nearly an hour to get this maniacal breast-is-best beast to sleep. And after rocking in the dark for hours on end, holding a human heating pad across my chest, as soon as he nods off I typically grab a blanket, throw that rocker into recline and spend the rest of the night swatting at little hands and feet.

So the stories...they stay in my head. They roll around as words or a few sentences, occasionally a loosely formed paragraph. But come morning when I hobble out of bed (the recliner) and am faced with the morning routing (pleas to not go to school and screaming down the street to make the bus), followed by errands, laundry, groceries, Instagram, Facebook, Target and more Instagram, dinner prep, lunch, laundry, homework, afternoon snack, laundry, the pre-witching hour, the witching hour, the bitching hour, and the post witching hour...and finally bedtime; those paragraphs, sentences, and words have been drowned out by the minutia of my everyday life. The minutia of my everyday life basically sums up my bloggy absence.

You may remember that it was about this time last year that I tried to force myself to be a better blogger by giving myself something meaningful to write about every month. I donned my goody-two-shoes and was going to stick to my plan of researching and then highlighting here a non profit organization. 

That lasted until November.  And even then I cheated and tried to get two months out of one post. Shameful.  With Springs come rebirth. So I'm renewing my promise to myself and hope to round things out over the next 3 or so months so I can at least pat myself on the back for making it a year....albeit not a contiguous one (don't even get me started on the pathetic-ness that was my 2015 52 Project).

Since I tend to get my news from Facebook and msn.com headlines and sometimes a Tweeter these days, I feel like sometimes I show up a little behind the times with these amazing organizations. But oh well...we can't all be cutting edge trend setters now can we?

That being said, I think it was Facebook that first led me to look up this month's organization; it's likely that some of you saw the same story that I did. A story about a very old (turning 100 in May!), beautiful woman who has sewn nearly 1000 pillow case dresses for an organization called Little Dresses for Africa.

Little Dresses for Africa: “We’re not just sending dresses, we’re sending HOPE!”

Little Dresses for Africa was founded by one woman,  Rachel O’Neill, (LOVE THAT, and IT CAN BE DONE!) in 2008 and is a registered  non-profit 501c3 Christian organization. The mission of this organization is to "provide relief to children throughout the Continent of Africa and beyond." (all ldfa information from the Little Dresses for Africa blog).

They currently have a volunteer base spanning all 50 US States, as well as international sewing/donation volunteers. "Little Dresses for Africa makes all the arrangements, through missions teams, mailing directly to verified communities and we take them ourselves with a team at least once a year."

Through their delivery of the dresses (as well as shorts for boys) the dresses are distributed via orphanages, schools and churches. (Dresses have been donated to numerous countries including Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and some have even been donated here in the United States).

Little Dresses for Africa is a Christian organization. They go in the name of Jesus (and will distribute Bibles via their "Buckets of Hope" and will also hold informal Bible classes. However, every little girl or boy they come into contact with at distribution receives a dress/britches, regardless of their religious affiliation.

What Else:

Not only is Little Dresses for Africa able to clothe young girls and boys hoping to instill the idea that these kiddos are worthy, they also work to increase each child's knowledge of good nutrition, clean water and sanitation to name a few areas. Through the distribution of these dresses and britches they are also able to identify other special financial projects...they have helped build a primary school!

 

How You Can Help:

1. You can sew little dresses!! So the pillowcases are used because they are ridiculously easy to use. The bottom hem is already sewn, as are the sides. Simply cut off the sewn edge, cut some arm holes and sew rough edges making a spot for the elastic at the top front and back, and then use double sided bias tape (where have YOU been all my life!!??) to finish off the arm holes and make a tie at the top. Done. If I weren't interrupted fifty-billion times, I think they'd each take me (a well below average seamstress!) less than 30 minutes. Pillowcases are also relatively inexpensive to purchase, though gently used ones are acceptable to use as well.  Here is a link to the pattern (they accept any simple dress pattern if pillowcases aren't your jam) Pillowcase Pattern They also need boys shorts desperately.
2. You can make a donation to help cover shipping costs ensuring these little dresses get to the little girls that so desperately need them! You can also make donations to help fund other special projects.(Donate Here)
3. If you have mad sewing skills, there is a special need for something called sani-panties. The issue of menstruation, and the rate at which these older girls drop out of school and are sexually harassed is heartbreaking. (From Little Dresses for Africa site): "According to UNICEF, one in ten schoolgirls in Africa miss classes or drop out completely due to their period, and substitute pads or tampons for less safe and less absorbent materials such as rags, newspaper or bark." If you think you might be able to tackle sewing these sani-panties, please click Sani-panties instructions Even if you don't think you could tackle this project, please take a moment to read about what other menstruating girls and women face in rural Africa.

I hope you consider trying to sew one of these dresses. Or at least get your older kid to do it. I'm going to try a few more myself, and then hand over the reigns to my almost 12 year old. This is right up her ally. Well...if we were sewing dresses for dolphins...THAT would be right up her ally, but she'll dig this too! Here are two I have made so far. One last night, and one this morning. Not too bad for a complete mess such as myself. Also...gimme all the pillowcases.

To find Little Dresses for Africa on Instagram, click HERE. Little Dresses for Africa is also on Facebook, click HERE.

This dress will not be shipped to Little Dresses for Africa. Because I would have to pry it off of her cold, dead body in order to do so.

 

This one's not going either...cause once she sees it...same dead body situation as above.

So here's a funny thing that has NOTHING to do with this post. I have no fricking idea how I did this. Went to upload a picture from my phone and I found this instead....

And Sweet Calico Cats there's this too....drives me batty when people say "I can't even"...but seriously....I can't even with this one...

Two For One...Like Cheating

                                                                                                                                         
The 52 Project:
I've missed a few 52 Project weeks lately. But ya know what? Oh well. I’m finding that sometimes it’s just easier to shove the camera phone back into my pocket, or leave the DSLR home altogether and just be present. I’ve learned being behind the camera can sometimes take away from being in front of my kids, or whatever else is going on. Halloween is a great example. All of the pictures that I did take suck. They are blurry and dimly lit and the faces are all squinty and shadowy and creepy! It was so aggravating to try and take a good picture of the baby as he toddled up to and right past many a front door. But it was so fun to just watch him do it. I became far less frustrated with the whole damned exhausting affair when I just gave up and burned the most important images into my soggy brain.

That being said…there are one or two pictures that I did salvage this week and while they are not perfect they’ll do for week Forty-Four of Fifty-Two...the week of increased and increasingly hilarious temper tantrums. The never ending squishy face. Wearing the wonky hat and walking with his eyes closed. His happy feet, rapid foot fire marching dance move. The best. I mean at this stage in the game even the temper tantrums are the best. This little guy has so much personality...

Monthly Non-Profit Highlight:

So the conundrum here is that these next couple of months are all about extreme giving and gratitude. There are so many tremendous and meaningful ways that we each can give back to our local, national or global communities and the months of November and December seem to be the months where we are most interested in giving, volunteering, donating, helping…generally doing good {I may be way off here, but I suspect this is a relatively true statement}.

So, given the extra generosity that permeates the air, one would think that I could come up with a really phenomenal post about a spectacular non-profit that so deserves and needs help. However. The months of November and December, on the heels of that hellish holiday Halloween, are also when I tend to turn inward to my family. I become far more interested in, and maybe even a bit obsessed with, baking and decorating and memory making and crappy holiday movie watching and shopping and visiting and traveling and list making and crafting. Holy shit with the crafting. Anyway, each of these elements is amped up a bit for me and I tend to neglect other areas. And I can wholeheartedly tell ya that right now this here little blog, and the little {hopefully somewhat impactful} project is going to be at the top of the list of things to neglect in the next few weeks. Third only to laundry and cleaning the house.

Also I kind of feel like with the culture of generosity and giving that flows a little easier around these bigger holidays; the people who are going to give, they kinda have a thing going on already with an organization, or something that has become a tradition for their family. I feel like you all probably have this season of giving all mapped out with who and what and when already.

For example, each year before Thanksgiving we donate a crap load of dry cat and dog food to our local animal shelter and do our part to stuff each and every bus we come across. Those two things happen regardless. And then there are years where we sponsor a family through church. There are years where we hear of a friend struggling to make Christmas happen and buy extra for them. There are years where we pull angel tags off a tree and give that way. There are years that our intent is to wrap our gift giving up with our giving to non-profits {a win-win if you ask me}.

My point is that we have our tried and true giving traditions, and we have our opportunity-arises-might-be-different-each-year giving. And I’m sure you do too. All of this to say…I’ve rounded up a few easy opportunities for giving this month…and holy Christmas Cats I hope to be back with another blog post before the new year.

Stuff the Bus/Buy a Meal/Thanksgiving Baskets via the multitude of local grocery stores, schools, food pantries, churches, Girl Scout or Boy Scout troops, media outlets or businesses who participate in these drives. Click HERE for a link to a Portland, Maine area Stuff the Bus Food Drive happening later this month.  

Donate Blood via The American Red Cross. To find a blood drive in your area click HERE and follow instructions.

Sponsoring a Family via your church/religious organization. For us, while the opportunity to do so is plentiful each year, it requires actually GOING to church. We are pathetic when it comes to attending Mass on weekends.

Donating goods/supplies/food to local animal shelters via your local Humane Society, Animal Refuge League or the ASPCA (click HERE to find local ASPCA chapters). Don’t forget the large animal shelters in your area as well…nothing is more fun than bringing carrots to rescued horses at this time of year!

Toys, toys and more toys via local Santa funds, toy drives or the Marine's Toys for Tots (click HERE to visit the Toys for Tots website and find links to local drop off locations)

Save a Life via Be The Match or Donate Life America! Join extensive Be The Match Bone Marrow Registry and truly make a difference in someone's life! Click HERE to learn about the match program and how you can help! Also, take a minute to register as an organ donor at Donate Life America (click HERE for link); indicating to family or via a driver's license your wish to donate your organs is often not enough!

Simply Shoes

Sole Hope
 

I don’t even know how to begin this post, other than to say that I stumbled upon the Sole Hope organization via Instagram. I stumble upon a lot of stuff via Instagram, and while I cannot remember how I found this organization, I’m sure the path was convoluted. Ultimately I’m thrilled that I came upon this group, doing such amazing work in such a beautiful and far off (for me at least!) land.

While poking around the Sole Hope website (click here) I was immediately drawn to the simplicity of their Core Purpose: "To effectively put in place preventive methods to combat diseases that enter through the feet and to create a positive physical and spiritual difference in the lives of individuals in impoverished communities". Yet I had no idea what “diseases entering through the feet” implied, what it might look like, or how such diseases could impart such horrifying physical and emotional conditions upon a person, but I had a term…Jiggers.

So in doing a little research on Jiggers (most definitely NOT the same as Chiggers, found here in the US), I leaned on Google (a gamble for sure). And I saw some pretty horrifying and sad and heartbreaking images. I have a pretty strong stomach, and can handle my share of blood, gaping wounds and broken bones (please, just don’t vomit on me or show me your abscessed tooth), but these pictures of children, adults, the elderly infested with Jiggers were more than upsetting.

If you are curious and interested, by all means look. You can either Google “jiggers” or you can visit the Sole Hope website (click here) and follow the “What are Jiggers” link. But you can also take my word for it because Jiggers are no joke. And what they do to a person’s feet (and body) is serious. The images are difficult to look at.

A Jigger (chigoe flea) is a parasitic arthropod; essentially a sand flea, that is native to Central and South America, but has been inadvertently introduced by humans to sub-Saharan Africa. Jiggers are most prominent in the dry season and live in the dust that covers the dirt floors that are found in the homes and schools of families living in places like Uganda (and those with similar climates).*

At best having Jiggers causes severe pain and limits daily activities such as walking, playing, attending school or work. From there, Jiggers can be debilitating, and if left untreated and not removed can leave victims with infection, paralysis and even lead to amputation. Secondary infections like tetanus or gangrene to name a couple can be fatal.*

While Jiggers can be transferred into homes via livestock in rural areas, they exist primarily on the ground, and therefore the natural and most logical way for a Jigger to embed itself in a person is via the feet.

Sole Hope’s Core Values are admirable and focus on: (from the Sole Hope website)

Relief: We believe in addressing the very real and present problems associated with the feet through medical intervention as well as taking preventative physical measures.

Education: We believe that education of the youth and their caretakers is essential for long-term solutions.

Sustainability: We believe in supporting communities and teaching the trade of shoe making. We innovate and demonstrate solutions that combine the best of indigenous and contemporary practice to create sustainable skills and employment.

And their solution to the problem of Jiggers is basic and beautifully simple. And this is where each of us can help. Of course donations are always welcome, but Sole Hope is also amazing in that there is something for every kind of volunteer, and via their website, under the Get Involved tab, you will find ways to truly make a difference.

Some of us may recognize the importance of monetary donations, but Sole Hope offers everything from interning with the organization, to volunteering in Uganda, to using the Sole Hope Guest House for accommodations if you happen to find yourself in Uganda, to inviting speakers to visit your group or organization, to sending them supplies via Amazon to becoming an advocate via social media. Truly, no matter what your preference or ability, there is something for you to do on behalf of Sole Hope.

But one of the coolest and most important (I feel) facets of this non-profit are cutting shoes. One of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent Jiggers from burrowing into feet is to simply wear close-toed shoes. Sole Hope works to provide those shoes. Quite simply there is a Shoe Cutting Party kit for purchase ($15.00) and through the kit there are very specific and easy steps to follow.  Invite some friends, watch the DVD, and get cutting. Materials needed are basically old denim clothing, pins, fabric scissors and pinking shears, a black sharpie marker and some plastic milk or soda containers. Party guests are generally asked for a $10 donation (and while not required, the donation helps offset Sole Hope’s cost in shipping the uppers to Uganda, helps provide a fair wage to shoe makers and helps purchase the soles for the shoes etc.). Then there is chatting with friends, tracing, snacking, cutting, wine-drinking, pinning, dessert and quality control, and that’s it (once the party is over, the hostess ships the completed uppers to Sole Hope’s office in North Carolina). Voila, a fun party for an amazing cause.

*From both Wikipedia and Sole Hope.

So again, please visit Sole Hope for a more in-depth look at their beginnings, their work, and the beautiful difference they are making in Jinja, Uganda. You can also find Sole Hope on Instagram @solehope  (Click Here for Sole Hope on Instagram); on Facebook at Sole Hope (Click Here for Sole Hope on Facebook); and on Twitter @SoleHope (Click Here for Sole Hope on Twitter)

(These are my feet. safe from Jiggers)

 

The Way of the Lazy (Christmas Program, and Maybe More Shaving)

Holy shit I napped today. Straight smack dab in the middle of the day. Straight smack dab in the almost middle of the week. The three bigs were at school (hallelujah), and the baby was napping for more than 30 minutes (more and more hallelujah). So I started to knit. And think about what I should be doing besides knitting a scratchy yellow blanket-scarf-type-thing that will spend the rest of its days on a shelf in my closet.

So I was thinking, and knitting and thinking about how I was, according to me, supposed to be writing this month's blog post about a non-profit organization that could use some help. And naturally I had to lay down on the couch and close my eyes to think better.  But great geese it is September. And for the love of tempura paint and textbooks I'm tired. Like tired since 2003 tired. And so because September, and because I'm 2003 tired, I fell asleep.

And now I am here. At 11:00 PM, listening to my husband snore through the baby monitor, which incidentally has got to be one of the most annoying sounds in the Universe. Yet because my thoughts about blogging never made it very far today, and once I have one mid-day, almost mid-week nap, it's likely it'll happen again, I'm calling a truce with myself this month (and again) and taking the quick and easy way out. For now.

I have hope that in the next couple of weeks I'll find another organization to post about. Although in the spirit of my laziness, I may just try to talk said husband into reintroducing our St. Baldrick's campaign (read posts about that HERE and HERE). After all, September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, and my hair is getting really long, so maybe...

Regardless. This amazing organization (which I wrote about HERE) came across my Facebook feed earlier today, with some very tangible Christmas Program needs. So I thought I would revisit and repost about the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers again, with the hopes that some of you may take a peek at their Christmas Program needs and maybe make Christmas for one of the 1,700 recipients a little brighter this year. For a complete listing please click HERE

All the naps, all the thanks and all the thoughts of Christmas to you!

ALSA in August

Holy August. Wait, holy middle of August. Crap.

I made a promise to myself that I would find a charitable organization to highlight each month on this here little blog. And I’m starting to suck at it. I am notorious for shifting self-imposed deadlines. I am a procrastinator. And I tend to start things and oftentimes never follow through. But this lack of regularity is simply due to a lack of time. In no way is it a reflection of my waning interest in my initial undertaking. In fact, I am having fun and learning so much about various non-profits and I love sharing them with you. Unfortunately, where I feel like I should have all sorts of extra time, honestly…as summer draws to a close and the chaos of football and back to school preparations and squeezing the last bits of summer out of summer ramps up…time is something I just don’t seem to have enough of.

With the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge sweeping the nation, and specifically my family’s participation in both donating money and dumping ice cold water on our heads while subsequently challenging fifteen people to do the same, not to mention my monumentally annoying constant pleads to donate to our personal St. Baldrick’s fundraiser…I feel asked out. I feel as though if I even suggest making a donation to a new organization this month, whether monetary or otherwise, I’d be overstepping. To be truthful, I feel as though I need a break from making the ask. Even though these monthly posts aren’t really me making the ask; for some reason I feel nervous each time I ask you to consider helping, or encourage you to take a peek and see what each organization is all about.

So this month I’m taking the easy road and will jump on the coattails of some pretty ingenious people and simply encourage each of you to allow yourselves to be swept up in the Ice Bucket Challenge craze. This particular viral challenge started when a Massachusetts resident diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) started posting about it on social media. He was diagnosed in 2012. He is twenty nine. He was an athlete. He is someone’s husband, son, brother, friend; ALS can strike anyone. This disease is presently incurable and at diagnosis there is a 2-5 year life expectancy. So please, donate what you can. Donate if you dump water on your head and donate if you don’t. And if you can’t or don’t want to donate, you can still do good and raise awareness (the ALSA contends that only about half of the general population knows of ALS), by hopping on over to www.alsa.org and read about cutting edge research, learn the personal stories, and acknowledge those who have succumb to this incurable disease.

And watch the videos. You can scroll by, but you should watch them. Cause they’re cute. And funny sometimes. And creative sometimes. And at most take what, two minutes out of your day? They’re a feel-good kinda thing. And they do serve a purpose. Admittedly at first I was confused by them because I had no idea what was going on, sadly something that tends to happen often (I blame my children). But I asked. And I researched and read. And thanks to our daughters' being nominated, we got on board. And it was awesome.

Again, please visit www.alsa.org to find out more about ALS, to donate, or to read about the great Ice Bucket Challenge. It’s a pretty cool story. With a pretty cool outcome, both for awareness and funds raised.

 





 

This poor guy. We had strapped him in to keep track of him as the sisters completed their IBC. But one sister decided to jump out of the way, and all the ice and water landed in his lap.

He was...not happy.



I Love Being Bald

On any one of the bazillion bad hair days I've endured in my lifetime, I’ve threatened to “shave it all off.” I’ve also almost always been a short hair/pixie cut kinda girl who reveled in being different and experimenting with my hair. I have never loved my hair, and I’ve always taken the “it will grow back” approach. I’ve been everything from a gorgeous plum color to a hideous blond. And I was secretly in love with my ever increasing natural highlights (most would refer to it as gray hair) while my hair was simultaneously sucking more energy and time out of my life than should be allowed. So when a link to a local St. Baldrick’s event popped up in my Facebook feed…I thought hell yes. Hell to the Y-E-S. And of course because my life’s mantra is most always “a day late and a dollar short” I quickly realized that we couldn’t feasibly join the local event…but we could become Virtual Shavee’s. Long story short, on June 6^th I created a fundraising page and off we went.

I will admit that there were a few good hair days when I thought “holy flark, what the fruit have I done?” I sometimes met the question “are you really going to shave your head?” with a loud and proud “damn straight!” Other times I answered the same question with a sheepish…”yup…but do ya think anyone will notice if we don’t?”

Like everything in life the three or so weeks leading up to Shave Day was the proverbial roller coaster ride. (By the way, have I told you about the mother-fricking hellcat ride the bigs and I went on at Hershey Park?) Regardless, part of the roller coaster ride included dealing with the kids’ reaction to the fact that their parents would soon be bald. I was most concerned with my oldest son, who has been dealing with some anxiety (read his story HERE). But I have to say that he proudly shaved off most of his father’s hair, and a good half of mine. That little boy took what was to him a very stressful situation and faced it head on, clippers in hand. I am so proud of him. I was also worried about my baby’s reaction, but let’s be honest; I didn’t shave off my boobs…so he never batted an eyelash at his Mom’s new hairdo.

Reaction to my bald head has been so positive. People seem to really like it. I am not stared at (although more than once when I’ve been in a women’s restroom, bent over the sink washing my hands, an unsuspecting lady comes through the door and does a double take…uncertain of whether or not she is in the right bathroom momentarily crossing her face). And in just over two weeks, two people have asked about my head. The first was our pediatrician who said “so tell me about your hair,” and I did. Since I was wearing my St. Baldrick’s t-shirt he said he suspected that’s why I was bald. The second was the woman who did Gillian’s nails before vacation. From two chairs away I heard the woman ask her “why is your Mom’s hair so short?” Gillian answered, “because she shaved it for a fundraiser.” And the lady said “well that is very nice of her” to which Gillian retorted…”well thank you for saying that.”

Admittedly I occasionally catch a tween boy staring, or a couple of teen girls giggling, and little kids sometimes look at me wide-eyed and a bit confused. But in all fairness, I stare at tween boys, giggle at teen girls, and look at little kids with wide-eyed confusion too.  (And for the sake of clarity…when I’m staring at tween boys it is not because I’m a pervert, it is because I’m thinking…how will you survive in this world with your pants hanging off your ass, or holy crud will you want to date my daughters, or shit…I’m raising one of these smelly freaks of nature!)

Thanks to friends, family and coworkers, we met, raised, met, and surpassed our fundraising goal (the total stands at $2295.00, but it will drive me crazy that we are at an odd number…so I’ll kick in the last $5.00 to get us to an even $2300.00). Shaving for St. Baldrick’s was amazing. I love my bald head. It makes me feel extra-badass. It reminds me that even the little people in this world can work to make a difference. It reminds my children that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, lengths and colors, and no matter how I look, I’m still their Mom. A Mom hoping to instill the importance of volunteerism and doing good for others in them. My bald head reminds me that while I may be having a shitty day, I CHOSE this bald head, while so many others, young and old, male and female, don’t have a choice. And for these reasons (and more) I wear my bald head proudly and IF I grow my hair back…I’ll be eager to shave it all off again.

Finally, given that it is mid-July, and the beginning of this month was spent on the road vacationing, I realize that I will not have time to post about another non-profit organization that needs your help. So I’ll just recap the organizations that we have helped thus far…and again, thank you from the tips of my toes, to the top of my bald head for your support.

March: Every Mother Counts (Link to original post HERE )

April: Pajama Program (Link to original post HERE )

May: The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers (Link to original post HERE )

June: St. Baldrick’s (Link to original post HERE )

Those Who Shave Together, Stay Together....

For the past few months I have been sharing non-profit organizations encouraging you to perhaps donate or learn about some amazing organizations that could use all kinds of help.  And I am so thankful to those of you who have donated or learned more about the organizations I have shared. This month, I'm asking you to jump on board and donate to my husband and I as we prepare to shave our heads!!

My husband I are committed to fundraising for St. Baldrick’s for several reasons. While we have four very healthy children, we have seen our share of tragedy at the hands of cancer. We’ve also seen some very strong people whom we love very much battle the disease and survive. We realize that research is at the core of finding a cure for all types of cancer. Yet what is astonishing to us both is the lack of funding some types of cancer receive, including many childhood cancers. In an effort to help make a difference in the life of a child facing a cancer diagnosis, we fundraise. Kids' cancers are different from adult cancers and childhood cancer research is extremely underfunded. So we decided to do something about it by raising money for research with the hope of finding a cure. Now we need your help!

But let’s also be honest. We’re kinda lazy. We’re not the kind to run marathons, or participate in triathlons, or even walk really, in order to fundraise. In fact with four kids ten years old and under, we do much of our community service work behind a computer. We’re okay with that for now. There was a time when we were more actively involved in volunteering, but we are so actively involved in raising our kids and simply staying afloat that we find the extra time we have dedicated to sleep.

Community service, fundraising, volunteering and bringing light to issues that matter to us is important to Marc and I. And so it is with great pride, and a little bit of nervousness, we both dedicate the next 25 or so days to fundraising for St. Baldrick’s, culminating with a spectacular head shaving event on June 30th. Please join us in memory of Marc’s mother (pancreatic cancer) and my grandfather (liver cancer), and in honor of my father (prostate cancer), one of my best friends (cervical cancer), a lifetime family friend (breast cancer), my cousin (breast cancer) and many other family and friends, but most importantly the children faced with a cancer diagnosis today, tomorrow and all the days after until we find a cure. Through our fundraising and head shaving we will honor and remember those we have lost, as well as champion those who have survived. We will also honor three children from Maine who lost their battle with various childhood cancers.

Please consider a small (or really, really large) donation to help us reach our goal. We promise not to disappoint when it comes to pictures and videos when the time comes to shave it all off. Lets work together to make a difference…these kids deserve it! Every dollar makes a difference for the thousands of infants, children, teens, and young adults fighting childhood cancers.

 

VISIT OUR FUNDRAISING WEB PAGE HERE

 

 xoxo Martie and Marc
 

A Freaking Day Early--Yay Me!

May

 

Parenting is hard. So. Very. Hard. I can't even fathom doing it as a teen, because I'm barely able to do it in my twenties. Oh fine...my thirties. I imagine the frame of reference for hardness is intensified a bazillion-fold if you are a teen mom or dad.
 
(Mom, Dad, judgy people...look away now): To be honest, it was by the grace of God I escaped my teen years childless. There was (at least one) "holy sweet sausage on a stick I think I might be pregnant" scare during my increasingly distant youth.
 
I'm relatively sure that if I had been a teen mother I would have had the support of family, and hopefully some friends. But if I didn't and was faced with a teen pregnancy and motherhood, I would have undoubtedly needed the support services provided by such organizations as The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers.
 
This month I have chosen another baby/child/parenting organization to highlight because, well...baby/child/parenting is my place right now. April was a crazy month for so many uncool reasons, and May is going to be just as hellishly hectic. So when this baby registry popped into my Facebook feed a day or so ago, I thought BLAMMO. Perfect. Making a difference from the comfort of an online baby registry. During the month of Mother's Day. Thank. You.
 
So please take a moment to read about them below (all information from their Facebook page...like 'em, you'll love 'em!) If you feel so inclined to make a tangible difference in the life of a teen parent (and child) in northern Maine this month, kindly consider clicking the link to their baby registry and sending some much needed, and very basic, supplies their way. I know they'll love you for it. Hell, I love you for it! (While the organization currently reaches out to approximately 2,000 families and children throughout the state annually, these supplies will be used by the Teen Parent School Program)
 
Here is the link to the registry! Thank you so much for your help!
 

The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers:

About

Founded in 1899, The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers features a full Hague-accredited adoption program, outpatient counseling, Teen Parent School Program, Early Care and Education Center, plus Camp Scholarship and Christmas Programs

 

Mission

"The Maine Children's Home builds and strengthens families and their children, instilling hope for the future and a better quality of life."

We are able to achieve this mission thanks to our experienced and caring staff as well as the support of our many donors and volunteers. All exemplify our belief that giving of oneself to help others is the greatest gift a person can give.

Company Overview

At the Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, we believe every child deserves the right to reach his or her full potential. Since the inception of our agency in 1899, we have made a difference in the lives of many children and families throughout the State of Maine.

The Maine Children’s Home is a very special place. Couples eager to add to their families come to us for our extensive international and domestic adoption experience. Parents entrust our early care and education facility with the nurturing of their children. Teen parents count on us to provide positive mentoring and the practical life skills they need to become good parents. Youth, families, and individuals come to the Maine Children’s Home for compassionate counseling services in a nurturing environment. 

This picture really has nothing to do with this month's organization.

Other than the mounds of April snow in Maine.

But I have discovered that if I don't include a picture in each post, Blogger picks completely random ones from prior posts, which irritates me.

 Because control. I like control.

 

Jammies are my Jam

New(ish) month, new nonprofit to help! Since I wanted to post this on the first of the month, and here it is the sixth I put this together quickly. And the baby is pissed. And tired. And I'm tired. And kinda pissed. So, please forgive any typos, misspellings and general lack of clarity!

I stumbled upon the organization I've chosen for April simply out of laziness...though Facebook to be exact. I've been tossing a few different nonprofits around in my head and doing a bit of research, but then this one popped up in my feed and I thought yes. Yes a million times over...plus one...because I'm a total pajama addict, especially for babies and toddlers. I love little kid jammies, but bonus for me because I love to wear my jammies. All. Day. Long. So this...this is going to be especially fun!

Please take a minute to read about the Pajama Program (the following information is from the Pajama Program website...please read more about their organization and work here ) You can also "like" them on Facebook. Find them at Pajama Program - Official.
 

 "For the millions of children living in poverty in America, a good night is a luxury they do not often experience."

Pajama Program's Mission:

Pajama Program provides new pajamas and new books to children in need, many of whom are waiting and hoping to be adopted. These children live in various situations including group homes, shelters and temporary housing facilities and are shuffled often from one place to another. Many of them have been abandoned, abused or neglected. Most of these children have never enjoyed the simple comfort of having a mother or father tuck them in at bedtime with warm, clean pajamas and a bedtime story. Some of the children we serve are living with their families below the poverty level, in
desperate need of food, clothing and shelter.

 

About Pajama Program:

Pajama Program (founded in 2001) serves children throughout the nation with 62 Chapters in 32 States. Thousands of pajamas and books are being provided to children in desperate need of comfort and care. The pajamas have come to represent people who care and they offer security and love for a child abandoned in a shelter or waiting for a foster home. The books complete a nighttime ritual that so many of us took for granted… when Mom or Dad said, “okay get your pajamas on and I’ll be right in to read you a story.” Children in transition seldom hear these comforting words.

In order for us to expand our current programs, we need your support.

Here's How We Can Help:
The organization recently launched the nationwide One Million Good Nights initiative to collect one million new pajamas and books for children in need by the end of 2015. Snuggling up in cozy new pajamas with their very own new book gives these children a secure and nurturing 'Good Night' at bedtime. You can help by joining our campaign to deliver One Million Good Nights to children who need them most.
 

 What to do:

• If you are local please feel free to drop off (lacrosse practice, Girl Scouts, preschool etc, or contact me to arrange a pick-up) NEW, UNUSED pajamas (pajamas should be a complete set or nightgown). I will be collecting for all ages, infant-18 years old (up to adult size XXXL).
• Please choose an age appropriate (new) bedtime book to include with your pajama donation.
• If you are not local, but would like to contribute to the PJ/Book Drive please look here for Pajama and Book Drive Resources. You can easily find a local chapter, download the PJ Drive Toolkit and get to work!
• If you would like to make a financial contribution please start here

At the End of the Month:
Once I start the collection process I will contact our local chapter (New Hampshire) and determine where to send all of the books and jammies! The chapter President will get in touch with me and arrangements will be made to get everything to a Receiving Organization in Need. I will most definitely keep you all updated, and thank you so much for your generosity.

 

 

 

Helping out in March

If you are anything like me, first of all…I’m sorry. It has taken me FOUR FIVE days just to write this post. Being me can be a challenge.

On the bright side, if you are anything like me, you are oftentimes inspired to contribute, to do good.

If you are anything like me, more often then not, you look to give a little more meaning to your life. Meaning beyond being a partner, or a parent, or an employee…or whatever. Because yes, being any one of those things, or all of those things, is amazing. But sometimes, sometimes maybe if you’re like me, you want to do, to be, just a little bit more. If you are like me, you are moved by organizations devoted to helping others, and find yourself wishing you could take part in making a difference.

Yet if you are anything like me, you are short on time. Busy with work, with kids, with Scandal, or Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Well not really Pinterest, ‘cause holy depressing. And maybe for you, like me, disposable income is excruciatingly tight. Thankfully being short on time, or even money, doesn’t mean I can’t think about how I contribute to making a difference in this community, this world. At the end of January I wrote a blog post that touched upon reaching out and helping others ( http://gonnabethissideofnormal.blogspot.com/2014/01/sleepless-week-fourfifty-two.html ) and after searching and brainstorming and second guessing and flat out letting myself be scared for trying something new with my tiny little blog, I think I’ve finally worked up the courage to try something out...

That being said, with my limited amount of free time and my limited budget, and my love for writing and sharing, I thought I’d highlight an organization each month that is dedicated to bettering this world; dedicated to helping the disadvantaged. Each month I'd like to share with you an organization that could use our help. Let me be clear, I’m not looking to reinvent the wheel here. I’m looking to jump on someone’s coattails for 30 days and do what I can to help them out!

I’ll try to choose a little something for everyone…organizations that focus on hunger, or maternal-fetal health, or homelessness, or veterans, or animals or adoption or the environment. Some will be local, and some, like this month’s, will be half way across the world. I’ll do my best to provide some quick information on each organization, as well as links to their websites, blogs, Facebook pages etc. But I ask you to do your own research as well. Share what you find with your kids. Share what you find with your friends and family. And if you are anything like me, you’ll take a few minutes, and a few dollars and help out a bit too.

March Organization: Every Mother Counts

I discovered this month’s organization via a convoluted midnight scroll through Instagram. So next time you see the baby you can thank him for bringing forth Every Mother Counts. Please take a moment to visit their website at http://www.everymothercounts.org/. Please also follow Every Mother Counts on Instagram @everymomcounts, on Twitter @everymomcounts, or on Facebook Every Mother Counts.

I have given birth four times and had one miscarriage. I, like many of you, had fantastic prenatal and postpartum care. The thought of dying as a result of pregnancy or birth related complications never entered my mind. At least not in the way that women in some countries are faced with pregnancy or childbirth related deaths: For example: a Zambian woman’s lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy & childbirth is 1 in 37, while an American woman's lifetime risk is 1 in 2,400 (source: Every Mother Counts). Undeniably staggering statistics, and one of the many reasons the work Every Mother Counts does is so vital.

Every Mother Count's Mission: Every Mother Counts is a campaign to end preventable deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth around the world. We inform, engage, and mobilize new audiences to take action to improve the health and well-being of girls and women worldwide.

Indeed "hundreds of thousands of girls & women around the world die every year from complications in pregnancy or childbirth, creating a rippling effect that devastates children, families, and communities. 90% of these deaths are preventable—with your help." (source: Every Mother Counts)

What I’m doing, and what you can do to:

For about $30.00 per kit (+ shipping to New York), you can put together an “Every Mother Kit” through the month of March (and February, but I am, of course, a little Johnny-Come-Lately-ish) Each kit will support moms in Uganda and Zambia. Each kit provides the most basic of supplies for these moms and babies. Find the list of supplies here:  http://everymothercounts.org/blog/201402/we-need-your-help-announcing-emc-s-every-mother-kit-drive

 



 Some of the very basic supplies each kit contains.

 

My kids drive me crazy, but they love to help out! Bring on the assembly line!!

Even the baby got in on the action!



Ready to package and ship!