I haven't posted much this season. That's obvious.
I keep meaning to. I keep meaning to do all kinds of things.
I posted before that I've been busy, and that's true. But I realized today that it's not why I haven't been posting. It's not why I've been quieter than usual on facebook, in groups and on my own page, it's not why I didn't choose my own Angel Tree child this year instead of teaming up with someone else. Being busy has little, if anything, to do with 'where I've been'.
This is the blunt and honest part.
I'll tell you what DOES have to do with where I've been.
I'm discouraged. More than discouraged. I feel sad, depressed and hopeless. When I think about writing a blog post or launching a fundraiser, the next thought in my mind is "Why bother?"
And I wish I could say I was alone. Spoken or unspoken, I am not the only advocate who feels this way right now - not to mention the families, trying desperately to raise ransoms for their children.
Christmastime is usually a hot-bed of activity for orphan advocates. Reece's Rainbow does the Angel Tree. Everybody has an auction and everyone tries to do their shopping at auctions. There are daily blog posts trying to get those kids on the bottom tier of the Angel Tree to the next step. There are people who do their Christmas giving in ways that help families get one step closer to their children.
This year has been different.
Sure, there has been fundraising for Angel Tree... but honestly, when I look at the page it just makes me sad. Some children have raised thousands in the past six weeks, while others sit with meager amounts barely over two digits. I'm not saying the advocates for the children who've raised thousands have done anything wrong - in fact, they've done everything right... but Angel Tree has always been a team effort more than anything... and this year I just haven't seen as many people rallying for the kiddos with the least, and I can't help thinking that we could be sharing the wealth more than we are.
There have been families doing auctions, selling items from companies like usborne and thirty-one that make perfect gifts... but instead of doing a brisk Christmas business, this year they've been shouting themselves hoarse to no avail. Others have given up entirely, preferring to take a break and re-energize their efforts over the holidays.
And there have been advocates, like me... countless advocates... who blog less, shout less, help less, and maybe even pray less... because after watching fundraiser after fundraiser fall flat on its face, we can't honestly imagine how anything we do could make a difference. How our fundraiser would be any different. How our blog post would make any more of an impression. How anyone will notice us screaming when it seems like everyone's got ear plugs in.
But worse, there are the children. Both children with families coming and those without... it is they who truly suffer when we fall short.
How many times, I ask those of you in the advocacy community, have you or someone else begged, screamed, and shouted for a child to find a family, for just someone to say "yes" to that child? Even this year with fundraising stalled for many of us, that's one type of post that hasn't decreased in number. But how can we expect families to step up and offer that "yes" we're so desperately pleading for, if this is how we support them after they do it? Remember, they're seeing the same things that you're seeing. Fundraisers fizzling. Absent advocates. What used to be a team effort turning into people taking sides over everything. The ones who HAVE stepped up and said "Yes, we will offer a home to one of the least of these", have not had the kind of support they deserve from the rest of us. Other potential families SEE that! They SEE families begging and pleading for every dollar, sometimes right from the start and sometimes right up until they board the plane home. How can they say "yes" when they know they will likely be signing up for the same sort of stress, the same lack of support, the same frustrations?
We've created a difficult environment in which to have the faith to step out onto the water.
I'm not saying we're doing nothing. I'm not saying people aren't trying. They are. They're trying so hard, in fact, that they're becoming exhausted and disheartened, like I am. It's not enough to try for 'your' child or your 'favorite' family. If we all only advocate for ourselves, who then is left to hear our voices? At one point in the last year I wrote about how touched I was to see a family currently in the process of adopting giving to another adopting family. It was actually something I saw all the time. This year, not as much. So many of us, myself included, have gotten sucked into our own little world, our worries about having enough to support 'our' family or 'our' orphan, that we forget to help others in their efforts. As if we haven't learned already that when you give selflessly, the Lord multiplies your offering to bless many. Or maybe we've just forgotten.
This is my call to action. Tonight, I'm going to STOP focusing so much on what I'm NOT doing for the families I promised to help or the orphans I promised to shout for. I'm going to look around at everybody else's efforts. And I'm going to see who I can help... because helping others is the only way I can really expect anybody to help me. I challenge the rest of you to do the same. Don't hesitate to give because you're not close with a family, or because you never noticed a child before. Listen to the cries of the families and warriors, and let your heart tell you where to give. I promise you, it will be multiplied back upon you. And above all? PRAY. PRAY that the Lord would lift the burdens of those we love. We have taken too much upon ourselves. It's time to put things back where they belong: in His hands.
Showing posts with label angel tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label angel tree. Show all posts
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Reece's Rainbow Families & Children | I'm failing.
This is one of those 'being honest' posts.
I've been advocating for international orphans with special needs for almost exactly two years now. It was right around Thanksgiving when I saw Katie Musser's picture and read her Mama's blog and watched the videos and visited Reece's Rainbow and the entire weight of the orphan crisis hit me like a ton of bricks. Two years ago, I couldn't even sleep because no matter what I did to help, it wasn't ENOUGH.
One year ago, with Angel Tree in full swing, helping to raise $1000 each for TWO boys, I was preparing to shave my head if they met their goal... which I did, and I'll have you know it was actually kind of fun! Not that I want to do it again. I miss ponytails.
This year I'm failing.
I didn't officially sign up for Angel Tree because I wanted to devote my efforts to helping my friend Laura raise Brett's Angel Tree money. I was also committed to helping a family raise the money they need to progress with the adoption of their daughter.
All the well-laid plans I had in the past year fell apart in a haze of hospital stays, heartbreak, frustration, and being overwhelmed.
Now it's nearly halfway through Angel Tree... and Brett's total for this year sits at $44.55. The very bottom tier. There are some kids already up to $5,000 raised in the past month alone!
I'm failing. I'm failing Brett. Brett, who has sat on Reece's Rainbow for at least four years. Brett, who has been overlooked for too long. Brett, whose grant was under $100 when I started advocating for him. Brett, who has been sitting in an orphanage, no family ever coming for him, for TWELVE YEARS.
And I'm failing Annie. Annie, and her Mama and Daddy to be, who I promised to help. Annie, who reminds me so much of my precious A, who I would do anything to bring home. The Enemy has waged war on the Jones family, whose nest-egg for adoption was eaten away literally as soon as they announced their intention to adopt. Now they are left scrambling to come up with money urgently needed for agency fees. Money that has to be paid before they even get that invitation to travel. I'm failing my friend Amanda, who has tried literally EVERYTHING to raise the money to bring her girl home. Seriously, look at the blog post here where I listed all the ways we were trying to raise this child's ransom!
I feel a tremendous amount of guilt.
Sure, I could say that I've been overwhelmed. I started a new job in October which is exhausting and takes up 45 hours per week of the time I used to use for advocacy and fundraising. When my best friend had to go out and get two jobs to support her family, I took on caring for her kids when she works and I don't, so she doesn't spend all she makes trying to pay a babysitter. I do that happily, because I love her and I love her children - but it's usually another 20 hours a week of my time. When I do get some downtime, I'm emotionally and physically exhausted and just want to zone out.
I could say that. But that's an excuse, to me. And not a good one. Because you see, while I moan and groan over losing 65 hours per week of free time, while I feel desperate just for some time to zone out... Brett and Annie have nothing to do but zone out. They have waited too long for a family. They have far too few people to advocate for them and even fewer willing to step up and change their worlds. No one, so far, has come forward and said "That is my son," for Brett. Not in two years of me advocating for him. Not in four years or more of being listed. Not in twelve years of life. ONE family did step up and say "This is our daughter" for Annie - and yet, even among those of us who spend all our time begging for families for children, begging to save them from life in an institution, asking why someone doesn't step up, they have not received the support they need to complete her adoption!
And I'm as guilty as anyone else. New job or not. Exhausted or not. I'm failing them.
To Brett, and Annie, and my friend Laura, and my friend Amanda and her husband Collin: I am sorry. I should be doing more. I should be doing better.
To everyone else: I can't do better without you. Please. Help me. See these kids. See this family. DO SOMETHING about their need. Many of the fundraisers I was talking about in the previous post for the Jones family are still going on. Check out the new shirts (and the old ones, which I got one of and they're AWESOME) at their blog here. I plan to add a couple more fundraisers to my blog that are currently only on facebook very soon. My friend Laura is working on a fundraiser via facebook for Brett, which I will also announce here very soon. Until then, you can support the Jones via paypal, or via their Reece's Rainbow FSP (please note that paypal donations are not tax deductible, but are available for the immediately needed fees, whereas FSP donations are tax deductible but not accessible until travel invitation). You can support Brett by buying his Angel Tree ornament, or just plain donating to his grant at Reece's Rainbow.
Tomorrow is the day we are supposed to give thanks for what we have. What better way to show our gratitude than to bless someone else? And truly, it isn't even only the children or families you will be blessing... there are many advocates cheering along the sidelines who would be so thankful to see these kids a little closer to home.
As for me... I'm making the decision to stop failing NOW! Get ready to hear from me a lot more often - because I won't rest until these kids are HOME!
I've been advocating for international orphans with special needs for almost exactly two years now. It was right around Thanksgiving when I saw Katie Musser's picture and read her Mama's blog and watched the videos and visited Reece's Rainbow and the entire weight of the orphan crisis hit me like a ton of bricks. Two years ago, I couldn't even sleep because no matter what I did to help, it wasn't ENOUGH.
One year ago, with Angel Tree in full swing, helping to raise $1000 each for TWO boys, I was preparing to shave my head if they met their goal... which I did, and I'll have you know it was actually kind of fun! Not that I want to do it again. I miss ponytails.
This year I'm failing.
I didn't officially sign up for Angel Tree because I wanted to devote my efforts to helping my friend Laura raise Brett's Angel Tree money. I was also committed to helping a family raise the money they need to progress with the adoption of their daughter.
All the well-laid plans I had in the past year fell apart in a haze of hospital stays, heartbreak, frustration, and being overwhelmed.
Now it's nearly halfway through Angel Tree... and Brett's total for this year sits at $44.55. The very bottom tier. There are some kids already up to $5,000 raised in the past month alone!
I'm failing. I'm failing Brett. Brett, who has sat on Reece's Rainbow for at least four years. Brett, who has been overlooked for too long. Brett, whose grant was under $100 when I started advocating for him. Brett, who has been sitting in an orphanage, no family ever coming for him, for TWELVE YEARS.
And I'm failing Annie. Annie, and her Mama and Daddy to be, who I promised to help. Annie, who reminds me so much of my precious A, who I would do anything to bring home. The Enemy has waged war on the Jones family, whose nest-egg for adoption was eaten away literally as soon as they announced their intention to adopt. Now they are left scrambling to come up with money urgently needed for agency fees. Money that has to be paid before they even get that invitation to travel. I'm failing my friend Amanda, who has tried literally EVERYTHING to raise the money to bring her girl home. Seriously, look at the blog post here where I listed all the ways we were trying to raise this child's ransom!
I feel a tremendous amount of guilt.
Sure, I could say that I've been overwhelmed. I started a new job in October which is exhausting and takes up 45 hours per week of the time I used to use for advocacy and fundraising. When my best friend had to go out and get two jobs to support her family, I took on caring for her kids when she works and I don't, so she doesn't spend all she makes trying to pay a babysitter. I do that happily, because I love her and I love her children - but it's usually another 20 hours a week of my time. When I do get some downtime, I'm emotionally and physically exhausted and just want to zone out.
I could say that. But that's an excuse, to me. And not a good one. Because you see, while I moan and groan over losing 65 hours per week of free time, while I feel desperate just for some time to zone out... Brett and Annie have nothing to do but zone out. They have waited too long for a family. They have far too few people to advocate for them and even fewer willing to step up and change their worlds. No one, so far, has come forward and said "That is my son," for Brett. Not in two years of me advocating for him. Not in four years or more of being listed. Not in twelve years of life. ONE family did step up and say "This is our daughter" for Annie - and yet, even among those of us who spend all our time begging for families for children, begging to save them from life in an institution, asking why someone doesn't step up, they have not received the support they need to complete her adoption!
And I'm as guilty as anyone else. New job or not. Exhausted or not. I'm failing them.
To Brett, and Annie, and my friend Laura, and my friend Amanda and her husband Collin: I am sorry. I should be doing more. I should be doing better.
To everyone else: I can't do better without you. Please. Help me. See these kids. See this family. DO SOMETHING about their need. Many of the fundraisers I was talking about in the previous post for the Jones family are still going on. Check out the new shirts (and the old ones, which I got one of and they're AWESOME) at their blog here. I plan to add a couple more fundraisers to my blog that are currently only on facebook very soon. My friend Laura is working on a fundraiser via facebook for Brett, which I will also announce here very soon. Until then, you can support the Jones via paypal, or via their Reece's Rainbow FSP (please note that paypal donations are not tax deductible, but are available for the immediately needed fees, whereas FSP donations are tax deductible but not accessible until travel invitation). You can support Brett by buying his Angel Tree ornament, or just plain donating to his grant at Reece's Rainbow.
Tomorrow is the day we are supposed to give thanks for what we have. What better way to show our gratitude than to bless someone else? And truly, it isn't even only the children or families you will be blessing... there are many advocates cheering along the sidelines who would be so thankful to see these kids a little closer to home.
As for me... I'm making the decision to stop failing NOW! Get ready to hear from me a lot more often - because I won't rest until these kids are HOME!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
The Deed is Done - With Video Finally!
I have officially been balded, and after a fair amount of irritation with youtube, the video has been edited and uploaded! The first time I tried to upload it, my 18 year old brother decided to 'fix' the internet when it was about 50% done... needless to say, he didn't 'fix' anything, more like broke it, and interrupted my (hours long) upload! Grr! So a couple days later I tried again (while he was not home) and a good three, four hours later, success!
I should note that the video is small because we shot it with my iPhone vertical instead of horizontal - I need to remember not to do that anymore... but here it is - thanks to everyone - donors, friends, Reece's Rainbow, etc. for helping me get to this point!
And I'm still enjoying it, crazy as it may be. Here's a picture I took the other night, about 10 days post-balding - I have a fuzzy head now, haha!
I still have to order cards from Vistaprint to explain why I did this (waiting on my first paycheck at my new job!), but for now a friend gave me some Reece's Rainbow magnets to carry around and give to people who ask. This is honestly the part I was most excited about - continuing to advocate for 'our' kids by being a walking advertisement! Every person who asks will be one more person made aware of the orphan crisis!
And, true to my word, I'll continue to be crazy (it is in the name of both my blogs) until they ALL come home!
I should note that the video is small because we shot it with my iPhone vertical instead of horizontal - I need to remember not to do that anymore... but here it is - thanks to everyone - donors, friends, Reece's Rainbow, etc. for helping me get to this point!
And I'm still enjoying it, crazy as it may be. Here's a picture I took the other night, about 10 days post-balding - I have a fuzzy head now, haha!
 |
| Pardon how red I look in this picture, not sure what was going on with that. I think it was the camera, because that shirt is not red, it's hot pink. |
I still have to order cards from Vistaprint to explain why I did this (waiting on my first paycheck at my new job!), but for now a friend gave me some Reece's Rainbow magnets to carry around and give to people who ask. This is honestly the part I was most excited about - continuing to advocate for 'our' kids by being a walking advertisement! Every person who asks will be one more person made aware of the orphan crisis!
And, true to my word, I'll continue to be crazy (it is in the name of both my blogs) until they ALL come home!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Video Coming Soon!
If you haven't yet, please go back and read this post so you'll understand this one!
There. Now that that's done and you know the reason for my hair's sudden disappearance, I shall post the rest of this update.
So apparently my college-learned Windows Movie Maker skills are a little rusty and videos over thirty seconds take a good bit to come off an iPhone, not to mention how slow youtube has been lately, so I'm still working on the final product head shaving video, planning to put some serious time into it tonight that I haven't been able to devote until now because I've been busy at my awesome new job!
But as not to deprive you of amusement at my expense (really not at my expense at all, this was actually really fun and I love having an opportunity to talk about the orphan crisis), until that time I'll post a picture of me just after the shaving, which was by the way, definitely hilarious.
According to my friend's three year old, I am now "a bald" (we were previously unaware of this demographic - thank goodness she enlightened us to my new status!). I've also managed to freak out a couple other friends' kids, and strike up a few conversations about orphans, so I'm considering this project a success! When I have the money I've got some cards designed on vistaprint to order and share with anyone who asks, about why I did it and who these kids are and how you can help. I hope to have an impact that goes on far longer than the two months of angel tree.
Please feel free to share for the amusement of others - and hopefully awareness too! And if you read something and want to know more, I'll just leave this handy link right here...
Reece's Rainbow Adoption Ministry
There. Now that that's done and you know the reason for my hair's sudden disappearance, I shall post the rest of this update.
So apparently my college-learned Windows Movie Maker skills are a little rusty and videos over thirty seconds take a good bit to come off an iPhone, not to mention how slow youtube has been lately, so I'm still working on the final product head shaving video, planning to put some serious time into it tonight that I haven't been able to devote until now because I've been busy at my awesome new job!
But as not to deprive you of amusement at my expense (really not at my expense at all, this was actually really fun and I love having an opportunity to talk about the orphan crisis), until that time I'll post a picture of me just after the shaving, which was by the way, definitely hilarious.
According to my friend's three year old, I am now "a bald" (we were previously unaware of this demographic - thank goodness she enlightened us to my new status!). I've also managed to freak out a couple other friends' kids, and strike up a few conversations about orphans, so I'm considering this project a success! When I have the money I've got some cards designed on vistaprint to order and share with anyone who asks, about why I did it and who these kids are and how you can help. I hope to have an impact that goes on far longer than the two months of angel tree.
Please feel free to share for the amusement of others - and hopefully awareness too! And if you read something and want to know more, I'll just leave this handy link right here...
Reece's Rainbow Adoption Ministry
Monday, December 31, 2012
We Did It!
Elden and Brett have both reached their goals! WE DID IT! Elden is at $1,000 and Brett is holding steady at $1,607.50, which means my boys have a total of $2,607.50! Yay!
I'll be balded soon - as soon as my dear friend shaves me, and then there'll be video and fun 'after' pictures!
As for tonight - I let my mom give me bangs and straighten my hair just for fun... I'm going to try out various eyebrows throughout the night, so I'll post again later or in the morning with a collection of eyebrow arrangements - four more for each $100 past $600 raised for Elden! For now, here's me with bangs! I like them!
Another post with my crazy brows will be up soon! Thanks to everyone who has has helped us get to this point! Now let's get the rest of those babes over the wall on Angel Tree!
I'll be balded soon - as soon as my dear friend shaves me, and then there'll be video and fun 'after' pictures!
As for tonight - I let my mom give me bangs and straighten my hair just for fun... I'm going to try out various eyebrows throughout the night, so I'll post again later or in the morning with a collection of eyebrow arrangements - four more for each $100 past $600 raised for Elden! For now, here's me with bangs! I like them!
Another post with my crazy brows will be up soon! Thanks to everyone who has has helped us get to this point! Now let's get the rest of those babes over the wall on Angel Tree!
LAST DAY!
And we have just under $400 to raise for Elden! We hit $600 raised through Angel Tree early this morning, and as promised, I am sharing a fun surprise...
These are my new eyebrows. I will be wearing them until we hit $700. At that point, a new (similarly fun) set will be drawn on. I have plenty of fun ideas.
And I have to go to the store today. It's up to you all what kind of eyebrows I'm wearing when I do it...
You know what to do. No amount is too small! We will chip away at that last $400 and reach our goal yet!
I want to start the new year off with no hair!
Donate to Elden here
These are my new eyebrows. I will be wearing them until we hit $700. At that point, a new (similarly fun) set will be drawn on. I have plenty of fun ideas.
And I have to go to the store today. It's up to you all what kind of eyebrows I'm wearing when I do it...
You know what to do. No amount is too small! We will chip away at that last $400 and reach our goal yet!
I want to start the new year off with no hair!
Donate to Elden here
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Heartbreak
There is no other word to describe how I feel right now.
Heartbreak.
I'm sitting here sobbing as I write this, for the little boy who I could not love more if he were my own flesh and blood.
I know you all remember Brett - one of the boys I've been screaming for for months. Maybe you can even call his face to mind, remember the one picture I've posted of him, the only picture I ever had... this one.
Maybe you remember his story... born in the open country and abandoned in a field by his mother, before he was found and taken to the hospital... and from there to the orphanage. Other than that we had so very little information about him. No one had been to his institution. No one had met him. He was hidden away... precious buried treasure.
Today, this picture was posted to his profile with an update. Someone has seen him, met him, been to where he is, heard his story, and taken new photos and video of him.
This is Brett today.
My boy. My sweet boy! Oh, how my heart absolutely breaks, to see what years of institutionalization have done to him.
Yes, he's still beautiful. Precious. I want to take his little hand in mine. I want to fold him into a big hug, the kind mommies and aunts and families give.
What we knew before about his history was sad. What we know now is absolutely heartwrenching. There are just no words. Read his new description from Reece's Rainbow:
Poor sweet boy! He was freezing, struggling for survival, covered in bug bites! He was left, all alone, defenseless, and even when he was 'rescued', he only had spending the rest of his life in an institution to look forward to! Oh, sweet boy, how you deserve to know the love of a family.
And now... now he's not even in an orphanage. He's in a mental institution. For adults. If the orphanages in Eastern Europe are bad, the mental institutions are filled with untold horror. Mogilino, the place featured in Bulgaria's Abandoned Children was a mental institution. The place my friend's sweet, loving, beautiful 8 year old son came from, where he regressed from the skills he learned in the orphanage and boarding school, was a mental institution. The place the men lived, young and old, with nothing but the clothes on their backs - not even an old TV to watch in a day room.
Brett DOES NOT BELONG in a mental institution. He needs out.
I'm begging for him. Please, someone. Take a leap of faith and say yes to Brett. His country is a wonderful one to adopt from. Easy travel, no upper age limit for parents, single moms are allowed, large families are welcome, relatively relaxed requirements, a well established adoption protocol (it is a Hague country)... and the costs for adopting from his country are relatively modest - and he already has $1,700 in his Reece's Rainbow grant! In addition, I promise that whomever commits to him will have the full support of myself and a few other advocates - and when I say that, I mean I will move mountains. If you think I'm crazy for shaving for Angel Tree, just wait until you see what I'd do to get this boy home. I'll move across the country and be your live in nanny, for free. I'll travel with you if you want. I'll put on fundraiser after fundraiser after fundraiser to get you funded. Seriously. I love this boy. I would go get him myself if I could.
In the past people have shied away from older boys like him because they are afraid they will be aggressive or have behaviors that are 'too difficult' to deal with. From the new description, we know that Brett is NOT aggressive and it sounds like he would do absolutely wonderful in a family. Some therapy, lots of love, and I can see him being the kind of amazing blessing my friend's son, who was adopted this year at 8 years old, is today (and he's only been home for four months!)
Look at him again. Are you looking at your son?
Please see his full profile and inquire here at Reece's Rainbow.
Heartbreak.
I'm sitting here sobbing as I write this, for the little boy who I could not love more if he were my own flesh and blood.
I know you all remember Brett - one of the boys I've been screaming for for months. Maybe you can even call his face to mind, remember the one picture I've posted of him, the only picture I ever had... this one.
Maybe you remember his story... born in the open country and abandoned in a field by his mother, before he was found and taken to the hospital... and from there to the orphanage. Other than that we had so very little information about him. No one had been to his institution. No one had met him. He was hidden away... precious buried treasure.
Today, this picture was posted to his profile with an update. Someone has seen him, met him, been to where he is, heard his story, and taken new photos and video of him.
This is Brett today.
My boy. My sweet boy! Oh, how my heart absolutely breaks, to see what years of institutionalization have done to him.
Yes, he's still beautiful. Precious. I want to take his little hand in mine. I want to fold him into a big hug, the kind mommies and aunts and families give.
What we knew before about his history was sad. What we know now is absolutely heartwrenching. There are just no words. Read his new description from Reece's Rainbow:
"Brett was born premature at home and taken to an open field, where he was abandoned. He was there for 6 hours before being rescued and taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for shock, hypothermia, bug bites all over his body and difficulty breathing. Once released from the hospital, he was placed in an orphanage and later transferred to a mental institution, where he lives today. From a physical standpoint, he suffered several bouts of bronchitis and other sicknesses as a young child. He does have alopecia (hair loss), but does not have any other health problems at this time. Based on one of the video clips, it appears that Brett is able to pop his hip out of socket, as his can turn his leg at an unnatural angle. He can walk and move freely around in his environment.Brett suffers from many delays as a result of spending over 10 years in an institutionalized setting. He walks, plays with toys, communicates using gestures and interact with adults at will. He is NOT aggressive. The staff cares for all his basic needs and he is not receiving any academic instruction or any noted therapies at this time.Several photos and videos of Brett from December 2012 are available."
Poor sweet boy! He was freezing, struggling for survival, covered in bug bites! He was left, all alone, defenseless, and even when he was 'rescued', he only had spending the rest of his life in an institution to look forward to! Oh, sweet boy, how you deserve to know the love of a family.
And now... now he's not even in an orphanage. He's in a mental institution. For adults. If the orphanages in Eastern Europe are bad, the mental institutions are filled with untold horror. Mogilino, the place featured in Bulgaria's Abandoned Children was a mental institution. The place my friend's sweet, loving, beautiful 8 year old son came from, where he regressed from the skills he learned in the orphanage and boarding school, was a mental institution. The place the men lived, young and old, with nothing but the clothes on their backs - not even an old TV to watch in a day room.
Brett DOES NOT BELONG in a mental institution. He needs out.
I'm begging for him. Please, someone. Take a leap of faith and say yes to Brett. His country is a wonderful one to adopt from. Easy travel, no upper age limit for parents, single moms are allowed, large families are welcome, relatively relaxed requirements, a well established adoption protocol (it is a Hague country)... and the costs for adopting from his country are relatively modest - and he already has $1,700 in his Reece's Rainbow grant! In addition, I promise that whomever commits to him will have the full support of myself and a few other advocates - and when I say that, I mean I will move mountains. If you think I'm crazy for shaving for Angel Tree, just wait until you see what I'd do to get this boy home. I'll move across the country and be your live in nanny, for free. I'll travel with you if you want. I'll put on fundraiser after fundraiser after fundraiser to get you funded. Seriously. I love this boy. I would go get him myself if I could.
In the past people have shied away from older boys like him because they are afraid they will be aggressive or have behaviors that are 'too difficult' to deal with. From the new description, we know that Brett is NOT aggressive and it sounds like he would do absolutely wonderful in a family. Some therapy, lots of love, and I can see him being the kind of amazing blessing my friend's son, who was adopted this year at 8 years old, is today (and he's only been home for four months!)
Look at him again. Are you looking at your son?
Please see his full profile and inquire here at Reece's Rainbow.
Losing the Other Eyebrow... and Being Down to the Wire
I'd have had this up sooner if I hadn't slept for the larger part of the last 24 hours, but alas, here it is - I am now an eyebrowless woman!
Thanks to Sevenly, Brett (one of 'my' boys), received $1,000 in his grant account late on Christmas day. When added to what had already been raised for him during Angel Tree, it amounted to $1,607.30! Hooray, Brett!
Elden's grant has been sitting at a pretty steady $529.50 for a few days - and I have been racking my brain trying to think of ways to raise it, but for the most part coming up empty handed - and some complications I will mention later in this post are not helping either.
Regardless, the boys are now WELL over a combined $1,500 - actually at a combined $2,136.80! However - since Elden is still not over the $1,000 wall yet, thus not at HIS goal, this only means one less eyebrow for this girl... in another $470.50, I get to shave my head!
But without further adieu, let me share the final de-eyebrowing with you all.
Here's a picture taken before, me and my one-eyebrowed glory:
And then here's me after The Shaving, no eyebrows left to speak of:
Yes. It is weird.
Now for the HAIR! Come on guys, we are so close and we only have five days left to raise that money! Let's complete the effect and baldify me! Once bald, I'm going to order cards from Vistaprint explaining why I'm bald with a link to Reece's Rainbow - so that every time someone asks, I'm spreading awareness!
Actually, that has started already. Eyebrows aren't usually enough for perfect strangers to ask what happened, but I did get to have an excellent conversation with some family members about orphans and Reece's Rainbow at family Christmas (which I attended one-eyebrowed).
Today, after posting the second eyebrow shaving video (will be seen below), I received two 'follows' on you tube and a private message informing me that I'm crazy, but for a good cause! Why yes, that's the point!
I've never been happier to have no eyebrows.
Wait. Pretty sure I've never done this before.
Now, here's some fun - the video of the second eyebrow's disappearance. In case you're noticing the theme here, yes, I am wearing footie pajamas again, only leopard this time. That's right. I have the most epic footie pajama collection in the world. Be. Jealous. ;)
Let me remind you all that WHEN the final money is raised and Elden is over his goal, the head shaving will be videotaped as well. I promise hilarity.
Now, despite the mostly upbeat and fun nature of this post, I'm feeling compelled to share something a little more serious with you all tonight. If you keep up with international news, you might know that the Russian parliament has passed an act that would ban all adoptions by U.S. citizens. The only obstacle left between this legislation and a legal decree that would essentially be a death sentence to many, many orphans, is President Putin, who can either sign or veto it. He has hinted at support for the legislation, even though it will have serious ramifications not only for the children, but for the Russian economy and US/Russian relations, as there is currently a treaty allowing such adoptions in place which this legislation would essentially be breaking.
For those of us who advocate for adoption, this whole thing is terrifying. Russia is a big country, obviously, and it has literally thousands upon thousands of orphans and not enough families to adopt them. Thousands are adopted by US families every year. Some of our dear sweet Reece's Rainbow babes - indeed, some of our Angel Tree babes - are in Russia - though I can't tell you which ones for their protection - and if this passes... well, think of what could happen to them!
Some of you might recall the post I wrote earlier this year about transfer. About how children are often transferred to adult mental institutions between the ages of 4 and 6. About how few special needs children survive this transfer, and how bleak their future is even if they do - unless they are adopted. Entire lives spent behind the walls of an institution. Do me a favor, go check out my other blog, the post about mental health in America, and imagine sending a five year old with down syndrome to live in a place like that - no - ten, twenty times WORSE than that - for the rest of his life.
Yes, there are other countries, but the vast majority of Russian children who are internationally adopted are adopted by American families. Without adoption to save them, how many more will be forced to live out their lives in bleak, horrible places? Even if the legislation were later revoked, it would be too late for many of them.
It is because of this that I ask you to pray. Pray with everything you have that something will soften Putin's heart and cause him to deny this legislation. Only God can intervene now. Share the plight of these children. Ask your friends to pray. Do not allow governments to use children as pawns in their political agendas without being held accountable for their actions.
It is also because of this that I again beg you to donate. Again, I can't tell you which children are in Russia, or which ones will be available to Canadian families even if the legislation passes, but those children are going to need our help even more. International adoption is even more costly in Canada than it is in the US. Awareness will need to be spread. Comfortable grants will need to be available for children to encourage families to take a leap of faith. And since I can't discuss exactly where kids are, if this moves you to donate, donate to any child. Many of them are in Russia. Many of them are not, and they need funding too. You can do no harm by giving to a child who has nothing.
Might I suggest a certain little boy with down syndrome, whose advocate wants to go bald just like he will?
Donate to Elden here.
Please help me get him over $1,000. Please. I don't really have anything to offer (except, you know, my amusing hair removal on video), but if I'm feeling discouraged right now I can only imagine how he would feel if he were transferred to one of those awful institutions - and he will be six in February - it is a very real danger. Together we can do this.
After the next $100 is raised, I'll post again with a little surprise... ;)
Thanks to Sevenly, Brett (one of 'my' boys), received $1,000 in his grant account late on Christmas day. When added to what had already been raised for him during Angel Tree, it amounted to $1,607.30! Hooray, Brett!
Elden's grant has been sitting at a pretty steady $529.50 for a few days - and I have been racking my brain trying to think of ways to raise it, but for the most part coming up empty handed - and some complications I will mention later in this post are not helping either.
Regardless, the boys are now WELL over a combined $1,500 - actually at a combined $2,136.80! However - since Elden is still not over the $1,000 wall yet, thus not at HIS goal, this only means one less eyebrow for this girl... in another $470.50, I get to shave my head!
But without further adieu, let me share the final de-eyebrowing with you all.
Here's a picture taken before, me and my one-eyebrowed glory:
And then here's me after The Shaving, no eyebrows left to speak of:
Yes. It is weird.
Now for the HAIR! Come on guys, we are so close and we only have five days left to raise that money! Let's complete the effect and baldify me! Once bald, I'm going to order cards from Vistaprint explaining why I'm bald with a link to Reece's Rainbow - so that every time someone asks, I'm spreading awareness!
Actually, that has started already. Eyebrows aren't usually enough for perfect strangers to ask what happened, but I did get to have an excellent conversation with some family members about orphans and Reece's Rainbow at family Christmas (which I attended one-eyebrowed).
Today, after posting the second eyebrow shaving video (will be seen below), I received two 'follows' on you tube and a private message informing me that I'm crazy, but for a good cause! Why yes, that's the point!
I've never been happier to have no eyebrows.
Wait. Pretty sure I've never done this before.
Now, here's some fun - the video of the second eyebrow's disappearance. In case you're noticing the theme here, yes, I am wearing footie pajamas again, only leopard this time. That's right. I have the most epic footie pajama collection in the world. Be. Jealous. ;)
Let me remind you all that WHEN the final money is raised and Elden is over his goal, the head shaving will be videotaped as well. I promise hilarity.
Now, despite the mostly upbeat and fun nature of this post, I'm feeling compelled to share something a little more serious with you all tonight. If you keep up with international news, you might know that the Russian parliament has passed an act that would ban all adoptions by U.S. citizens. The only obstacle left between this legislation and a legal decree that would essentially be a death sentence to many, many orphans, is President Putin, who can either sign or veto it. He has hinted at support for the legislation, even though it will have serious ramifications not only for the children, but for the Russian economy and US/Russian relations, as there is currently a treaty allowing such adoptions in place which this legislation would essentially be breaking.
For those of us who advocate for adoption, this whole thing is terrifying. Russia is a big country, obviously, and it has literally thousands upon thousands of orphans and not enough families to adopt them. Thousands are adopted by US families every year. Some of our dear sweet Reece's Rainbow babes - indeed, some of our Angel Tree babes - are in Russia - though I can't tell you which ones for their protection - and if this passes... well, think of what could happen to them!
Some of you might recall the post I wrote earlier this year about transfer. About how children are often transferred to adult mental institutions between the ages of 4 and 6. About how few special needs children survive this transfer, and how bleak their future is even if they do - unless they are adopted. Entire lives spent behind the walls of an institution. Do me a favor, go check out my other blog, the post about mental health in America, and imagine sending a five year old with down syndrome to live in a place like that - no - ten, twenty times WORSE than that - for the rest of his life.
Yes, there are other countries, but the vast majority of Russian children who are internationally adopted are adopted by American families. Without adoption to save them, how many more will be forced to live out their lives in bleak, horrible places? Even if the legislation were later revoked, it would be too late for many of them.
It is because of this that I ask you to pray. Pray with everything you have that something will soften Putin's heart and cause him to deny this legislation. Only God can intervene now. Share the plight of these children. Ask your friends to pray. Do not allow governments to use children as pawns in their political agendas without being held accountable for their actions.
It is also because of this that I again beg you to donate. Again, I can't tell you which children are in Russia, or which ones will be available to Canadian families even if the legislation passes, but those children are going to need our help even more. International adoption is even more costly in Canada than it is in the US. Awareness will need to be spread. Comfortable grants will need to be available for children to encourage families to take a leap of faith. And since I can't discuss exactly where kids are, if this moves you to donate, donate to any child. Many of them are in Russia. Many of them are not, and they need funding too. You can do no harm by giving to a child who has nothing.
Might I suggest a certain little boy with down syndrome, whose advocate wants to go bald just like he will?
Donate to Elden here.
Please help me get him over $1,000. Please. I don't really have anything to offer (except, you know, my amusing hair removal on video), but if I'm feeling discouraged right now I can only imagine how he would feel if he were transferred to one of those awful institutions - and he will be six in February - it is a very real danger. Together we can do this.
After the next $100 is raised, I'll post again with a little surprise... ;)
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Eyebrowlessness
That's a fun word. Even though it's not a word. It's still fun. I have a habit of inventing words, you know (see other blog) :P
So, I have been sans eyebrow since Monday night.
I've only been out of the house once. I went to McDonald's last night. I didn't even remember my lack of eyebrow until I was home and looking at angel tree. No one said anything. LOL.
Elden's grant is currently at $529.50 raised during Angel Tree.
Brett's grant is currently at $577.30 raised during Angel Tree.
So in total the boys have $1,106.80. When $393.20 more is raised, and they are at a total of at least $1,500, I get to shave the other eyebrow and be symmetrical again!
I miss symmetry. I was always fond of it.
I must confess, I've been feeling a little guilty that more of the things I wanted to do for Angel Tree never came to fruition. I really feel like I haven't done anything but beg, yell and holler, and I meant to do so much more. This has just been such a complicated and difficult year that there never seemed to be time or money to get much of anything started. A friend commented one day that she felt like her Angel Tree child got the 'short straw' because she didn't feel she had much to offer as his Christmas Warrior, and I have to admit that this thought has entered my head more than a few times lately. Yes, Elden is over the $500 wall, which is wonderful, but it was all you guys. All your generosity, your kindness, your love for him and the other kids just like him.
We have just under another $500 left to raise by New Year's. I wish I could say I'd been sitting on some sort of fabulous fundraiser all this time, but I have nothing that I can get off the ground quickly enough to make a difference in Angel Tree, so I suppose, as I've done up until this point, I'll continue to beg, plead, and cry out on his behalf. Over the next year I'm planning to do a lot of legwork on some other fundraising ideas I had so that the kids can still benefit from them - but it would really make my year to see Elden reach his $1,000 goal by New Year's, and he's already over halfway there thanks to you generous people. I'm at a loss. If there is anything I can do for you, anything you can think of, please let me know, obviously I'm willing to go to pretty much any extreme for these little guys, but this fundraising thing doesn't exactly come with an instruction manual, and it being the holiday season during a tough economic climate is certainly no help.
I want to say too that I know there are a lot of other Christmas Warriors out there in the same boat. If you feel a pull to support them and their 'angels', please don't hesitate to do so. There are a lot of kids on the angel tree, and ultimately the Reece's Rainbow community wants to see them ALL meet their goals.
That in mind, I want to share another unique opportunity (which I had nothing to do with, but nevertheless benefits Brett, one of 'my' boys) that you should ALL get in on in the next four days.
An organization called Sevenly has chosen Reece's Rainbow as this week's charity to support. This organization designs awesome clothing and each week, the profits go toward a different charity. From now until December 24, that charity is Reece's Rainbow! As each $1,000 is raised through the shirt sales, another RR child has $1,000 added to their grant. The 15th child on the list is 'our' Brett! Already, $11,522 has been raised - in three days! Isn't that amazing? But our ultimate goal is $25,000 and we want to get ALL THE WAY there.
There is no down side to this opportunity. The Sevenly shirts are *awesome*. Check these out for yourself or someone in your life - the style of these is meant to appeal to teens, young adults, and the young at heart - as well as those of us who just LOVE Reece's Rainbow.
This is just one of the beautiful designs - you can see the rest at sevenly.org! Orders will not arrive by the 25th, but these are perfect as a late Christmas gift, a birthday gift for the upcoming year, or just a random act of awesomeness (kindness is to mild a word - getting someone an awesome gift AND helping orphans with special needs? That's just pure awesome).
Because we are trying to reach out beyond the existing Reece's Rainbow/Down Syndrome community, please share the sevenly link with your friends and family - everyone can love these awesome designs! This is a fun and unique opportunity and we want to make the most of it.
So here ends my longish mish-mash of thoughts, which I thought was going to just be a couple of sentences and a picture to update my blog, but apparently, in case you haven't caught on yet, I'm long-winded and it turned into much more ;) Please keep Reece's Rainbow and Elden and Brett in your thoughts and prayers this holiday!
So, I have been sans eyebrow since Monday night.
I've only been out of the house once. I went to McDonald's last night. I didn't even remember my lack of eyebrow until I was home and looking at angel tree. No one said anything. LOL.
Elden's grant is currently at $529.50 raised during Angel Tree.
Brett's grant is currently at $577.30 raised during Angel Tree.
So in total the boys have $1,106.80. When $393.20 more is raised, and they are at a total of at least $1,500, I get to shave the other eyebrow and be symmetrical again!
I miss symmetry. I was always fond of it.
I must confess, I've been feeling a little guilty that more of the things I wanted to do for Angel Tree never came to fruition. I really feel like I haven't done anything but beg, yell and holler, and I meant to do so much more. This has just been such a complicated and difficult year that there never seemed to be time or money to get much of anything started. A friend commented one day that she felt like her Angel Tree child got the 'short straw' because she didn't feel she had much to offer as his Christmas Warrior, and I have to admit that this thought has entered my head more than a few times lately. Yes, Elden is over the $500 wall, which is wonderful, but it was all you guys. All your generosity, your kindness, your love for him and the other kids just like him.
We have just under another $500 left to raise by New Year's. I wish I could say I'd been sitting on some sort of fabulous fundraiser all this time, but I have nothing that I can get off the ground quickly enough to make a difference in Angel Tree, so I suppose, as I've done up until this point, I'll continue to beg, plead, and cry out on his behalf. Over the next year I'm planning to do a lot of legwork on some other fundraising ideas I had so that the kids can still benefit from them - but it would really make my year to see Elden reach his $1,000 goal by New Year's, and he's already over halfway there thanks to you generous people. I'm at a loss. If there is anything I can do for you, anything you can think of, please let me know, obviously I'm willing to go to pretty much any extreme for these little guys, but this fundraising thing doesn't exactly come with an instruction manual, and it being the holiday season during a tough economic climate is certainly no help.
I want to say too that I know there are a lot of other Christmas Warriors out there in the same boat. If you feel a pull to support them and their 'angels', please don't hesitate to do so. There are a lot of kids on the angel tree, and ultimately the Reece's Rainbow community wants to see them ALL meet their goals.
That in mind, I want to share another unique opportunity (which I had nothing to do with, but nevertheless benefits Brett, one of 'my' boys) that you should ALL get in on in the next four days.
An organization called Sevenly has chosen Reece's Rainbow as this week's charity to support. This organization designs awesome clothing and each week, the profits go toward a different charity. From now until December 24, that charity is Reece's Rainbow! As each $1,000 is raised through the shirt sales, another RR child has $1,000 added to their grant. The 15th child on the list is 'our' Brett! Already, $11,522 has been raised - in three days! Isn't that amazing? But our ultimate goal is $25,000 and we want to get ALL THE WAY there.
There is no down side to this opportunity. The Sevenly shirts are *awesome*. Check these out for yourself or someone in your life - the style of these is meant to appeal to teens, young adults, and the young at heart - as well as those of us who just LOVE Reece's Rainbow.
This is just one of the beautiful designs - you can see the rest at sevenly.org! Orders will not arrive by the 25th, but these are perfect as a late Christmas gift, a birthday gift for the upcoming year, or just a random act of awesomeness (kindness is to mild a word - getting someone an awesome gift AND helping orphans with special needs? That's just pure awesome).
Because we are trying to reach out beyond the existing Reece's Rainbow/Down Syndrome community, please share the sevenly link with your friends and family - everyone can love these awesome designs! This is a fun and unique opportunity and we want to make the most of it.
So here ends my longish mish-mash of thoughts, which I thought was going to just be a couple of sentences and a picture to update my blog, but apparently, in case you haven't caught on yet, I'm long-winded and it turned into much more ;) Please keep Reece's Rainbow and Elden and Brett in your thoughts and prayers this holiday!
Monday, December 17, 2012
One down...
Well, I said in this post that I'd be losing some hair for angel tree this year, starting with my first eyebrow when Brett and Elden hit a combined $1,000. As of today, Brett has $533.12 raised during Angel Tree, and Elden has $507 , for a combined $1,040.12. That means we're over our first goal, and my eyebrow is no longer over my eye! Video of its removal was kindly taken by my young friend M, as well as before and after photos, so without further adieu... enjoy my ridiculously asymmetrical countenance!
Oh, and yes, I AM wearing my fabulous and famed skull and crossbones footie pajamas.
Oh, and yes, I AM wearing my fabulous and famed skull and crossbones footie pajamas.
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| Before... |
 |
| After..... |
I think it looks like the left side of my face has gained weight. ,:-P
Here's the video. We couldn't stop laughing!
Now, for the sake of all things symmetrical, can we PLEASE raise this next $460 FAST? $1,500 combined for both boys and the other one goes with it!
THANK YOU!
Friday, December 7, 2012
A Young Heart for Orphans
A year ago, when I first discovered the plight of orphans with special needs, it consumed me for months. My thoughts, my prayers, my time, my heart... and more than once, my dear M, who was then 12 years old, caught me crying at my computer and asked me why.
I believe in being honest with M, and she's not a little girl anymore, she's a young lady. So I told her.
I told her that sometimes children are born with special needs, just like our A and AJ have special needs, but with some kids, it's really obvious as soon as their born.
I told her that in some countries, people don't believe that these kids can do anything or live normal lives, or they don't feel like they can take care of them properly, so they leave them at the hospital or give them to an orphanage, because they hope they'll have a better life.
I told her that often, at the orphanages, these children don't have a better life. Often, they die. Often, they're starved, neglected, and at very least deprived of the love of a Mom or Dad.
I told her that sometimes these kids can be adopted, but there are so many of them and it costs so much money that many of them wait for a long time.
I told her about the place in Eastern Europe where Katie Musser came from (#11), I showed her the pictures of the children and told her how old they were. I showed her the little girl who is now Amelia Brown, and told her "She's the same age as you."
I showed her the video that changed my life... 'The Dark Side of Serbian Mental Institutions'. If you haven't seen it, watch it now.
I hugged her when she cried and asked me how anyone could do this to children, and what we could do to help.
I told her that yes, I wanted to adopt one of these children - or more - someday. She told me that she would like to do it too.
Over the past year, I have kept M updated on the children we both have a heart for. I especially reveled in showing her photos of the progress that newly adopted children were making. You should have seen the shock on her face when she saw Katie Musser just after she was adopted, versus Katie only two months home. 'All they had to do was just take care of her.' She prayed with me as the Brown family flew home. She mourned with me when families lost newly adopted children, or children they were on their way to adopt. I showed her the photos of new children to pray for. I told her the stories of children redeemed by adoption.
Then, this year, in August when the Reece's Rainbow community began gearing up for this year's Angel Tree, I explained the concept to her and told her that I was going to commit to being a Christmas Warrior and to helping a friend raise funds for her Angel Tree child. She asked me how I was going to do it. I told her we were going to have an auction - we did. By the way, Bids 4 Brett raised $220, including 20% for Ollie! I told her I didn't know what else I was going to do - maybe try to make some things - I introduced her to Pinterest and together, we looked for ideas of things to make. We made anything we had the materials for and anything I already knew how to make.
One night in August we were having a 'Girls Night', and we were trying to stay up late to watch a meteorite shower (it turned out to be cloudy - boo!) While we waited and tried to keep ourselves awake, I taught her to make God's Eyes, a historically based craft made with yarn and popsicle sticks. The next day, when I woke up (late - because we'd stayed up so late), M had already been up for hours and made a pile of crafts! Over the next few days she made them in her spare time until a huge pile had been accumulated, the intention always to sell them to help raise funds for orphans.
I'll never forget one night, we were sitting together making crafts, and she looked up and asked me, "Katie? Do you think people will buy these to help those kids?"
"Yes," I told her. "I think they will, not just because they're fun and pretty, but because you made them with all the love in your heart for orphans, and that's pretty special."
And it is. I know you could make one yourself. Or a dozen. But my precious M has a heart to help, and I will do every single thing I can to support her in that. So I'm announcing McKenzie's God's Eye Sale - which will go from now until December 31. I've taken a photo of all the ones she's made so far, and she's up for more if they sell, so all you have to do is make a small donation to Elden (how much is up to you - we are thankful for ANYTHING we can raise for him!), forward me your donation receipt from RR (these don't state an amount in case you'd like to keep that anonymous, they're just proof of payment) at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com, along with the number and colors/designs you'd like (or I can have M choose her favorites if you'd like), and an address for shipping, and you too can be a part of a little girl's quest to help an orphan.
These crafts are great decorations and kids love them. All the kids we babysit begged to pick colors for one of their own (yes, we absolutely let them). Several hang on my Christmas tree every year from a fundraiser *I* headed up in elementary school. After that fundraiser I spotted them all over the place. On back packs, on rearview mirrors, around belt loops, hanging in various places in people's homes, attached to magnet backing and placed on refridgerators, anywhere you can think of. Each one comes with a hanging loop to make decorating easy. You can affix magnets easily with hot glue if you so choose. Here are a couple pictures I took tonight of M's master stash:
My M has a heart of gold, a heart for orphans and kids of all shapes and sizes. I love her more than life itself and I want nothing more than to help her help an orphan this Christmas. Would you please consider supporting her efforts?
And, because I'm a glutton for punishment, I'm tacking on another fundraiser here. Earlier this week I read about something called "Singing Christmas Cards". It's just what it sounds like - you dress up in some sort of holiday related costume, and for donations, pay the person of the donor's choice a visit and sing them a Christmas carol. Guaranteed to produce some laughs (and I don't mind even if they are at my expense!) I happen to own THE MOST EPIC Christmas costume of all time, hand made by my amazing mother, and I'm prepared to make this happen. For a $10 donation to Elden's grant, I will perform a singing Christmas card with your choice of song for whomever you would like to send it to. For a $20 donation, you can send three carols. I am local to Columbus, Ohio and can deliver these in person in the greater Columbus area. If you would like to send a card carol to someone outside this area, or just prefer this method, I'm happy to record the carol and send them a video. I'll even dance a little. If you make a donation for one or more of M's God's Eyes, I'll knock $2 off the price, in case you'd like to deliver a little gift with your card carol. Again, just make your donation to Elden's grant here, forward me the 'receipt' along with your choice of song(s) and your recipient's address(es) or e-mail address(es) at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com, and I'll get your card out ASAP. If your card is to be delivered in person, please try to include a day/time that you think would be best for delivery. Also, sending one to yourself just for your amusement is totally allowed. Er, just a disclaimer... I was in choir in middle school... but I'm not exactly a vocalist, if you get my point. If my voice is terrible, just consider it a part of the comedic effect ;)
Finally, I just want to share a couple other fundraisers that are on my heart right now.
My friend Laura is launching a new fundraiser (since our auction closed Monday) for Brett called 'With Love From...' - the goal being to obtain a love offering of $5 from at least one person in every state. If you give, please pay directly to Brett's grant (linked above) and let us know via blog, facebook or email where your love offering is coming from so we can add your state to the map! This fundraiser is just starting out, so we don't exactly have a lot of states covered yet... we'd love to add yours to the map!
Also, my friend Jenni, who is raising money to commit to a sweet little boy from Katie Musser's former orphanage (#11), is partnering with another family for a Wii U giveaway! This runs until December 15 and your chances of winning are AWESOME! You can read about their fundraiser at Jenni's blog here. They are in a time crunch to pay some agency fees and desperately need to raise this money, but don't have the benefit of having a Reece's Rainbow FSP yet. If you would like, or know someone who would like a Wii U this Christmas, would you please consider entering to help them out?
So there you are. Lots of fundraising going on, and I know it's a tight time of year for everyone, but I hope you'll pick at least one and give a little bit... maybe as a Christmas present to me? ;)
Oh - and for the sake of updating - $285 has currently been raised for Elden through Angel Tree and $193.30 for Brett (not all auction proceeds are in yet) - so a total of $478.30 has been raised for the two boys - almost halfway to $1,000, and halfway to me losing my first eyebrow! I'm getting excited! (Yes, I realize that I am exceedingly weird). Also, for the record, I've been doing this crazy thing called 'getting up early' lately, and this other crazy thing called 'taking a bath in the morning', which is why there haven't been many bedhead photos (that and they are really exceedingly embarrassing) but I will try to get back on track - if you promise to help me get those grants up so I can stop taking bad pictures of myself!
Finally I just want to send a sincere thank you out to everyone who has supported Elden and Brett so far. If the words existed to tell you what it means to me, I would say them, but there just aren't any words strong enough to express the depth of my gratitude. I grin like an idiot, and sometimes cry a little bit, every time one of them moves up though, if that tells you anything. Thank you so much. You all are truly amazing and none of this - angel tree, fundraising, Reece's Rainbow, over 800 adoptions in six years - would be possible without you.
Oh, and PS: Look who's on My Family Found Me...
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| My M last Christmas. She's artsy, if you can tell by the present. Oh yeah, and that's me in skull footie pajamas in the background. Be jealous. |
I believe in being honest with M, and she's not a little girl anymore, she's a young lady. So I told her.
I told her that sometimes children are born with special needs, just like our A and AJ have special needs, but with some kids, it's really obvious as soon as their born.
I told her that in some countries, people don't believe that these kids can do anything or live normal lives, or they don't feel like they can take care of them properly, so they leave them at the hospital or give them to an orphanage, because they hope they'll have a better life.
I told her that often, at the orphanages, these children don't have a better life. Often, they die. Often, they're starved, neglected, and at very least deprived of the love of a Mom or Dad.
I told her that sometimes these kids can be adopted, but there are so many of them and it costs so much money that many of them wait for a long time.
I told her about the place in Eastern Europe where Katie Musser came from (#11), I showed her the pictures of the children and told her how old they were. I showed her the little girl who is now Amelia Brown, and told her "She's the same age as you."
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| Amelia back in the orphanage (#11) |
I showed her the video that changed my life... 'The Dark Side of Serbian Mental Institutions'. If you haven't seen it, watch it now.
I hugged her when she cried and asked me how anyone could do this to children, and what we could do to help.
I told her that yes, I wanted to adopt one of these children - or more - someday. She told me that she would like to do it too.
Over the past year, I have kept M updated on the children we both have a heart for. I especially reveled in showing her photos of the progress that newly adopted children were making. You should have seen the shock on her face when she saw Katie Musser just after she was adopted, versus Katie only two months home. 'All they had to do was just take care of her.' She prayed with me as the Brown family flew home. She mourned with me when families lost newly adopted children, or children they were on their way to adopt. I showed her the photos of new children to pray for. I told her the stories of children redeemed by adoption.
Then, this year, in August when the Reece's Rainbow community began gearing up for this year's Angel Tree, I explained the concept to her and told her that I was going to commit to being a Christmas Warrior and to helping a friend raise funds for her Angel Tree child. She asked me how I was going to do it. I told her we were going to have an auction - we did. By the way, Bids 4 Brett raised $220, including 20% for Ollie! I told her I didn't know what else I was going to do - maybe try to make some things - I introduced her to Pinterest and together, we looked for ideas of things to make. We made anything we had the materials for and anything I already knew how to make.
One night in August we were having a 'Girls Night', and we were trying to stay up late to watch a meteorite shower (it turned out to be cloudy - boo!) While we waited and tried to keep ourselves awake, I taught her to make God's Eyes, a historically based craft made with yarn and popsicle sticks. The next day, when I woke up (late - because we'd stayed up so late), M had already been up for hours and made a pile of crafts! Over the next few days she made them in her spare time until a huge pile had been accumulated, the intention always to sell them to help raise funds for orphans.
I'll never forget one night, we were sitting together making crafts, and she looked up and asked me, "Katie? Do you think people will buy these to help those kids?"
"Yes," I told her. "I think they will, not just because they're fun and pretty, but because you made them with all the love in your heart for orphans, and that's pretty special."
And it is. I know you could make one yourself. Or a dozen. But my precious M has a heart to help, and I will do every single thing I can to support her in that. So I'm announcing McKenzie's God's Eye Sale - which will go from now until December 31. I've taken a photo of all the ones she's made so far, and she's up for more if they sell, so all you have to do is make a small donation to Elden (how much is up to you - we are thankful for ANYTHING we can raise for him!), forward me your donation receipt from RR (these don't state an amount in case you'd like to keep that anonymous, they're just proof of payment) at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com, along with the number and colors/designs you'd like (or I can have M choose her favorites if you'd like), and an address for shipping, and you too can be a part of a little girl's quest to help an orphan.
These crafts are great decorations and kids love them. All the kids we babysit begged to pick colors for one of their own (yes, we absolutely let them). Several hang on my Christmas tree every year from a fundraiser *I* headed up in elementary school. After that fundraiser I spotted them all over the place. On back packs, on rearview mirrors, around belt loops, hanging in various places in people's homes, attached to magnet backing and placed on refridgerators, anywhere you can think of. Each one comes with a hanging loop to make decorating easy. You can affix magnets easily with hot glue if you so choose. Here are a couple pictures I took tonight of M's master stash:
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| Made with love by McKenzie, 13. |
My M has a heart of gold, a heart for orphans and kids of all shapes and sizes. I love her more than life itself and I want nothing more than to help her help an orphan this Christmas. Would you please consider supporting her efforts?
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| For gratuitous cuteness (and, okay, a brag on how awesome she is - M sharing her cell phone with one of the girls we watch and showing her how to play a game <3 |
And, because I'm a glutton for punishment, I'm tacking on another fundraiser here. Earlier this week I read about something called "Singing Christmas Cards". It's just what it sounds like - you dress up in some sort of holiday related costume, and for donations, pay the person of the donor's choice a visit and sing them a Christmas carol. Guaranteed to produce some laughs (and I don't mind even if they are at my expense!) I happen to own THE MOST EPIC Christmas costume of all time, hand made by my amazing mother, and I'm prepared to make this happen. For a $10 donation to Elden's grant, I will perform a singing Christmas card with your choice of song for whomever you would like to send it to. For a $20 donation, you can send three carols. I am local to Columbus, Ohio and can deliver these in person in the greater Columbus area. If you would like to send a card carol to someone outside this area, or just prefer this method, I'm happy to record the carol and send them a video. I'll even dance a little. If you make a donation for one or more of M's God's Eyes, I'll knock $2 off the price, in case you'd like to deliver a little gift with your card carol. Again, just make your donation to Elden's grant here, forward me the 'receipt' along with your choice of song(s) and your recipient's address(es) or e-mail address(es) at Callmecrazycbus@hotmail.com, and I'll get your card out ASAP. If your card is to be delivered in person, please try to include a day/time that you think would be best for delivery. Also, sending one to yourself just for your amusement is totally allowed. Er, just a disclaimer... I was in choir in middle school... but I'm not exactly a vocalist, if you get my point. If my voice is terrible, just consider it a part of the comedic effect ;)
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| Epic Christmas Costume |
Finally, I just want to share a couple other fundraisers that are on my heart right now.
My friend Laura is launching a new fundraiser (since our auction closed Monday) for Brett called 'With Love From...' - the goal being to obtain a love offering of $5 from at least one person in every state. If you give, please pay directly to Brett's grant (linked above) and let us know via blog, facebook or email where your love offering is coming from so we can add your state to the map! This fundraiser is just starting out, so we don't exactly have a lot of states covered yet... we'd love to add yours to the map!
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| Love from Laura in Missouri so far! |
Also, my friend Jenni, who is raising money to commit to a sweet little boy from Katie Musser's former orphanage (#11), is partnering with another family for a Wii U giveaway! This runs until December 15 and your chances of winning are AWESOME! You can read about their fundraiser at Jenni's blog here. They are in a time crunch to pay some agency fees and desperately need to raise this money, but don't have the benefit of having a Reece's Rainbow FSP yet. If you would like, or know someone who would like a Wii U this Christmas, would you please consider entering to help them out?
So there you are. Lots of fundraising going on, and I know it's a tight time of year for everyone, but I hope you'll pick at least one and give a little bit... maybe as a Christmas present to me? ;)
Oh - and for the sake of updating - $285 has currently been raised for Elden through Angel Tree and $193.30 for Brett (not all auction proceeds are in yet) - so a total of $478.30 has been raised for the two boys - almost halfway to $1,000, and halfway to me losing my first eyebrow! I'm getting excited! (Yes, I realize that I am exceedingly weird). Also, for the record, I've been doing this crazy thing called 'getting up early' lately, and this other crazy thing called 'taking a bath in the morning', which is why there haven't been many bedhead photos (that and they are really exceedingly embarrassing) but I will try to get back on track - if you promise to help me get those grants up so I can stop taking bad pictures of myself!
Finally I just want to send a sincere thank you out to everyone who has supported Elden and Brett so far. If the words existed to tell you what it means to me, I would say them, but there just aren't any words strong enough to express the depth of my gratitude. I grin like an idiot, and sometimes cry a little bit, every time one of them moves up though, if that tells you anything. Thank you so much. You all are truly amazing and none of this - angel tree, fundraising, Reece's Rainbow, over 800 adoptions in six years - would be possible without you.
Oh, and PS: Look who's on My Family Found Me...
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| ZOEY!!!! |
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Thank You
This is just a quick post to say thank you - Elden's grant grew by $180 today! I have been at a family Christmas party all day spending time with cousins, uncles and aunts who I haven't seen in far too long, and have only been able to check in with the Reece's Rainbow community periodically via cell phone. When I got back to my computer tonight I checked all my usual haunts - facebook, our auction (Bids 4 Brett - see tab above), my email, my blog, and my two favorite pages on Reece's Rainbow - Angel Tree and My Family Found Me.
...And when I checked Angel Tree - where sweet Elden was at the bottom yesterday and I was lamenting that I hadn't been able to do as much for him for Angel Tree as I'd hoped thus far, suddenly, he wasn't there anymore... so I paged down, and down, and down, past all the hundreds, into the 200's, and there he was at $280! Brett's grant went up to $127 the other day from where it was at $100 (after a big gain just before that), and there were several new bids on Brett's auction! After a good day, it was the perfect ending. So to any and all of you who donated, whether I know you or not, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for caring about these precious boys. It means more to me than I could ever tell you.
Now, between both boys, $407 has been raised, which means we are almost halfway to me losing my first eyebrow! Hooray!
There are two more days left in Brett's auction - don't forget to check it out and go do some Christmas shopping!
...And when I checked Angel Tree - where sweet Elden was at the bottom yesterday and I was lamenting that I hadn't been able to do as much for him for Angel Tree as I'd hoped thus far, suddenly, he wasn't there anymore... so I paged down, and down, and down, past all the hundreds, into the 200's, and there he was at $280! Brett's grant went up to $127 the other day from where it was at $100 (after a big gain just before that), and there were several new bids on Brett's auction! After a good day, it was the perfect ending. So to any and all of you who donated, whether I know you or not, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for caring about these precious boys. It means more to me than I could ever tell you.
Now, between both boys, $407 has been raised, which means we are almost halfway to me losing my first eyebrow! Hooray!
There are two more days left in Brett's auction - don't forget to check it out and go do some Christmas shopping!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Catching Up!
Whew! That whole 'wisdom teeth surgery' thing proved to be way more exhausting and unpleasant than I expected... and honestly it's still being unpleasant, as the lower right corner of my jaw is still numb (EXCEPT for the teeth/gums part, which just hurts) over a week after surgery, but I've decided I have got to get back on track with blogging! Alas, I have also been suffering from that 'blog block' phenomenon I referred to before... which might cause this post to be a little crazy... but what do you expect from a blog with 'crazy' in the title anyways?
If you're new to my blog (I noticed I have two or three new followers!) you might want to check out this post on my plans for fundraising for Angel Tree! Then I promise the rest of this post will make a whole lot more sense.
First a celebration - since I last blogged, both Elden and Brett have made it to $100 on the Angel Tree! So, since I'm shaving my first eyebrow at $1,000 total, we are now at $200/$1,000, or 1/5 of the way to one-eyebrowed glory!
BUT... also a challenge. We are almost halfway through Angel Tree - and the boys aren't even halfway to their goals. They each need $400 more to hit that halfway point. So it seems to me like we need to step things up! We have an auction going on for Brett (you can check it out at the tab that says 'Bids 4 Brett') but some of the ideas I was hoping to implement for Elden have hit roadblocks, leaving me feeling frustrated and inadequate... so I'm reaching out to ask for your help. If you have any ideas of fundraisers we can do for Elden, donations (I'm willing to put on a mini-auction) of money or items, or just plain encouragement, I could use it right now! I honestly can't wait to get to the part where I get to start shaving facial hair! Because yeah, I'm goofy and strange like that.
I know tough financial times, trust me, I do. The other day I went to the grocery store with $3.50 in quarters. But... if you have $5, $10 even... anything... could I humbly ask you to make a donation to Elden? Consider it your Christmas present to me, if you know me, or your random act of kindness for the day/week/month if you don't. I promise you it will be beyond appreciated. Donations can be made right here - just click the donate button and follow the prompts - it's easier than making a purchase on Amazon.
Donate to Elden here!
And finally, I'll try to get back on track with this bedhead thing. This one is from a few days ago... still with the chipmunk cheeks... since then I've actually been getting right in the bathtub after waking up and forgetting to take a picture until afterwards, which would be underwhelming, but I shall endeavor to do better.
See that left eyebrow? How it's like... smaller than the other one? Yeah, it's always like that, I didn't do anything to it. Please. Spare me the horrors of uneven eyebrows. You pick, I can shave the shrimpy one first or the one that looks like I glued a caterpillar to my face.
And, you know, if you want to look at a much cuter face, click the nice little linky to Elden's profile on Reece's Rainbow and enjoy his cuteness. Speaking of said cuteness, I have a PRECIOUS older picture of him that will be in an upcoming post... so you know you want to stay tuned!
I have lots more to say, so I'm hoping to get a couple more post out this week, but hoping this one will clear up my blog block somewhat and keep you all up to date on where we are with Angel Tree. Please consider a donation or a bid for these sweet boys!
If you're new to my blog (I noticed I have two or three new followers!) you might want to check out this post on my plans for fundraising for Angel Tree! Then I promise the rest of this post will make a whole lot more sense.
First a celebration - since I last blogged, both Elden and Brett have made it to $100 on the Angel Tree! So, since I'm shaving my first eyebrow at $1,000 total, we are now at $200/$1,000, or 1/5 of the way to one-eyebrowed glory!
BUT... also a challenge. We are almost halfway through Angel Tree - and the boys aren't even halfway to their goals. They each need $400 more to hit that halfway point. So it seems to me like we need to step things up! We have an auction going on for Brett (you can check it out at the tab that says 'Bids 4 Brett') but some of the ideas I was hoping to implement for Elden have hit roadblocks, leaving me feeling frustrated and inadequate... so I'm reaching out to ask for your help. If you have any ideas of fundraisers we can do for Elden, donations (I'm willing to put on a mini-auction) of money or items, or just plain encouragement, I could use it right now! I honestly can't wait to get to the part where I get to start shaving facial hair! Because yeah, I'm goofy and strange like that.
I know tough financial times, trust me, I do. The other day I went to the grocery store with $3.50 in quarters. But... if you have $5, $10 even... anything... could I humbly ask you to make a donation to Elden? Consider it your Christmas present to me, if you know me, or your random act of kindness for the day/week/month if you don't. I promise you it will be beyond appreciated. Donations can be made right here - just click the donate button and follow the prompts - it's easier than making a purchase on Amazon.
Donate to Elden here!
And finally, I'll try to get back on track with this bedhead thing. This one is from a few days ago... still with the chipmunk cheeks... since then I've actually been getting right in the bathtub after waking up and forgetting to take a picture until afterwards, which would be underwhelming, but I shall endeavor to do better.
See that left eyebrow? How it's like... smaller than the other one? Yeah, it's always like that, I didn't do anything to it. Please. Spare me the horrors of uneven eyebrows. You pick, I can shave the shrimpy one first or the one that looks like I glued a caterpillar to my face.
And, you know, if you want to look at a much cuter face, click the nice little linky to Elden's profile on Reece's Rainbow and enjoy his cuteness. Speaking of said cuteness, I have a PRECIOUS older picture of him that will be in an upcoming post... so you know you want to stay tuned!
I have lots more to say, so I'm hoping to get a couple more post out this week, but hoping this one will clear up my blog block somewhat and keep you all up to date on where we are with Angel Tree. Please consider a donation or a bid for these sweet boys!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Chipmunk Cheeks!
Well... as promised, here are my crazy chipmunk cheeks... first one from yesterday which I never posted... less than an hour postop, thus the intense whiny look on my face... they woke me up way too fast.
Flattering, right? Don't I look pathetic enough to make you want to make me feel better by donating to some certain sweet Angel Tree boys?
How about today? Yay swelling up like a balloon!
Elden is only $17 from the $100 mark... I would be soooo thankful if we could get him there today!
Brett is only $37 away... which is $10 and an ornament... you know you want his little face hanging on your tree this year! So much cuter than my gigantic balloon face...
Also don't forget to check out Brett's auction - click the 'Bids 4 Brett' tab at the top of my blog!
Now, on actual thanksgiving, a few more things I'm thankful for.
1. I'm thankful for painkillers (come on, who didn't see that coming?)
2. I'm thankful for this nifty ice pack that's wrapped around my head... it's like wrapping my head in magic.
3. I'm thankful for delicious soft foods like pudding and yogurt and apple blueberry baby food.
4. I'm thankful for my warm, soft bed.
5. I'm thankful that I had early thanksgiving already so am not feeling turkey deprived.
6. I'm thankful for amazing friends and fellow advocates of Reece's Rainbow, who surprised me when I got home yesterday with 25 new likes to Brett's page and a bunch of new bids!
7. I'm thankful for whomever bumped Elden's grant yesterday morning by buying his ornament.
8. I'm thankful it's a long weekend so I can sleep on and off until my face starts to feel normal again.
9. I'm thankful for Vistaprint, where I designed some awesome cards to order after I'm bald to explain why to anyone who asks and spread awareness about Brett, Elden and Reece's Rainbow.
10. I'm thankful for Reece's Rainbow, which to date has brought close to 900 children home - the faces of redemption!
Flattering, right? Don't I look pathetic enough to make you want to make me feel better by donating to some certain sweet Angel Tree boys?
How about today? Yay swelling up like a balloon!
Elden is only $17 from the $100 mark... I would be soooo thankful if we could get him there today!
Brett is only $37 away... which is $10 and an ornament... you know you want his little face hanging on your tree this year! So much cuter than my gigantic balloon face...
Also don't forget to check out Brett's auction - click the 'Bids 4 Brett' tab at the top of my blog!
Now, on actual thanksgiving, a few more things I'm thankful for.
1. I'm thankful for painkillers (come on, who didn't see that coming?)
2. I'm thankful for this nifty ice pack that's wrapped around my head... it's like wrapping my head in magic.
3. I'm thankful for delicious soft foods like pudding and yogurt and apple blueberry baby food.
4. I'm thankful for my warm, soft bed.
5. I'm thankful that I had early thanksgiving already so am not feeling turkey deprived.
6. I'm thankful for amazing friends and fellow advocates of Reece's Rainbow, who surprised me when I got home yesterday with 25 new likes to Brett's page and a bunch of new bids!
7. I'm thankful for whomever bumped Elden's grant yesterday morning by buying his ornament.
8. I'm thankful it's a long weekend so I can sleep on and off until my face starts to feel normal again.
9. I'm thankful for Vistaprint, where I designed some awesome cards to order after I'm bald to explain why to anyone who asks and spread awareness about Brett, Elden and Reece's Rainbow.
10. I'm thankful for Reece's Rainbow, which to date has brought close to 900 children home - the faces of redemption!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Day 3 (Wisdom Teeth and Early Thanksgiving)
Okay, so I lied, sort of, because neither one of those things are actually happening on Day 3, really, but they're in this post.
I slept in a pony tail and a turtleneck, yes. Try not to lose your lunch. I apparently don't look attractive with no neck.
This is getting way old... do you think maybe we could get the boys' grants each over the $100 mark this week? Please? I would SO love to not have to take a picture of myself every day for another month and a half...
Which brings me to my next point... after tomorrow, these might get scary. You see, I'm having my wisdom teeth out tomorrow morning. Throw some chipmunk cheeks into one of these pictures and I'm most certainly going to find myself on some sort of list of people who should not have taken pictures of themselves. Just a warning. Unless we somehow wind up jumping $900 in grant funding in the next two days, it's unavoidable. Because I'm loud and annoying like that.
AND, because of the wisdom teeth coming out on Wednesday (shocker that there was an opening for surgery, right? Doesn't everyone want to have oral surgery the day before a holiday the sole purpose of which is to eat?), we had early thanksgiving last night, so I'm going to throw in the start of my list of 'thankfuls' because I'm not a trend follower and I didn't do any thirty days of thankful. No particular order, all stream of consciousness.
1. I'm thankful I was born healthy to parents who loved me and thus have never spent a single day in an orphanage.
2. I'm thankful I live in America where I'm free to be loud and annoying about stuff (which you know I am).
3. I'm thankful for seven years of wonderful memories with the children of my heart.
4. I'm thankful for my family
5. I'm thankful for my God who gave his only Son for me.
6. I'm thankful for my kitten
7. I'm thankful for Dr. Pepper (yes, that is very important!)
8. I'm thankful for my friends (even moreso than Dr. Pepper!)
9. I'm thankful for modern medicine, which my life would suck without.
10. I'm thankful for my angels
Ten more tomorrow. If I write them after surgery, this could be interesting. Should I? ;)
And Angel Tree is still riiight here.
http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltree2012/
Brett and Elden. Elden and Brett. You know what to do. ;)
I slept in a pony tail and a turtleneck, yes. Try not to lose your lunch. I apparently don't look attractive with no neck.
This is getting way old... do you think maybe we could get the boys' grants each over the $100 mark this week? Please? I would SO love to not have to take a picture of myself every day for another month and a half...
Which brings me to my next point... after tomorrow, these might get scary. You see, I'm having my wisdom teeth out tomorrow morning. Throw some chipmunk cheeks into one of these pictures and I'm most certainly going to find myself on some sort of list of people who should not have taken pictures of themselves. Just a warning. Unless we somehow wind up jumping $900 in grant funding in the next two days, it's unavoidable. Because I'm loud and annoying like that.
AND, because of the wisdom teeth coming out on Wednesday (shocker that there was an opening for surgery, right? Doesn't everyone want to have oral surgery the day before a holiday the sole purpose of which is to eat?), we had early thanksgiving last night, so I'm going to throw in the start of my list of 'thankfuls' because I'm not a trend follower and I didn't do any thirty days of thankful. No particular order, all stream of consciousness.
1. I'm thankful I was born healthy to parents who loved me and thus have never spent a single day in an orphanage.
2. I'm thankful I live in America where I'm free to be loud and annoying about stuff (which you know I am).
3. I'm thankful for seven years of wonderful memories with the children of my heart.
4. I'm thankful for my family
5. I'm thankful for my God who gave his only Son for me.
6. I'm thankful for my kitten
7. I'm thankful for Dr. Pepper (yes, that is very important!)
8. I'm thankful for my friends (even moreso than Dr. Pepper!)
9. I'm thankful for modern medicine, which my life would suck without.
10. I'm thankful for my angels
Ten more tomorrow. If I write them after surgery, this could be interesting. Should I? ;)
And Angel Tree is still riiight here.
http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltree2012/
Brett and Elden. Elden and Brett. You know what to do. ;)
Monday, November 19, 2012
Bedhead Day 2
Yes, I realize my last picture was Friday. But if you look at the post from between now and then, I think you'll realize that I was rather depressed and actually showing you all an act of mercy by not posting a picture of myself for a couple of days. Let's be honest here, everyone knows that gazing upon Medusa turns you blind... I didn't think any of you kindly readers wanted to go blind just yet. So here we are today with Day/Shade 2.
Blech. Me.
And of course don't forget that the reason you're being subjected to these horrible pictures of my bedhead, are two much cuter little faces who NEED your donations for Angel Tree!
ELDEN is at $53.00!
BRETT is at $55.00!
A friend and I also currently have an auction open for Brett - and a chance to get part of the proceeds of the event donated to your favorite Reece's Rainbow child - so please check it out, like us, maybe do a little Christmas shopping at Bids 4 Brett!
This means, in total, we are $108/$1000 toward me losing my first eyebrow... a little over 1/10 of the way there... I think it's time to ramp it up, guys! Your gifts to these two mean more to me than anything else this holiday season - please consider giving whatever you can spare!
Blech. Me.
And of course don't forget that the reason you're being subjected to these horrible pictures of my bedhead, are two much cuter little faces who NEED your donations for Angel Tree!
ELDEN is at $53.00!
BRETT is at $55.00!
A friend and I also currently have an auction open for Brett - and a chance to get part of the proceeds of the event donated to your favorite Reece's Rainbow child - so please check it out, like us, maybe do a little Christmas shopping at Bids 4 Brett!
This means, in total, we are $108/$1000 toward me losing my first eyebrow... a little over 1/10 of the way there... I think it's time to ramp it up, guys! Your gifts to these two mean more to me than anything else this holiday season - please consider giving whatever you can spare!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Hodge-Podge and Mish-Mash and Jibber-Jabber and Such
This happens to me a lot. I have so many bloggy thoughts lingering around in my head, that I don't actually sit down and write any of them, so eventually the blogging part of my brain gets so full it bursts, and this blog-brain-spatter is what results. Welcome to my brain barf.
Yesterday, I was thinking all sorts of profound thoughts - about random acts of kindness and the good in the world and so on and so forth, and no, I am not any more hormonal than usual. It was a rough week, though, because we are stretching paychecks more than ever right now, and pay-day Friday seemed to take forever to come, and even then promised little relief. So yesterday found me with a three and five year old in tow (such is the life of a childcare provider - you go nowhere without children in tow, even if you don't actually own any) at the grocery store, scrounging, literally piecing together enough money to buy something we needed.
As I assembled a variety of nickels, dimes and pennies (I seriously wish I was kidding), the older man behind me noticed my predicament, and insisted to both me and the clerk at the counter on paying for my item. After the initial moment of shock in which I didn't even know what to say, I tried to protest, but it was clear the kind gentleman would be hearing none of it and I'd just end up holding up the line. So instead of continuing to protest, I stammered out an "Are you sure?" and then a "Thank you so much"... my emotions caught somewhere between embarrassed by accepting the gesture (I don't know why, apparently some people are super gracious about this, but somewhere in my 23 years of life, I grew accustomed to feeling uncomfortable accepting gifts, particularly in certain circumstances, like, in the grocery store, from strangers.) and stumbling over myself with gratitude. I made my way out of the store with the kids and my purchase (gift?) with another grateful thank you to the kind man, and walked out to the car, thoughts preoccupied with the random act of kindness I had just been shown.
If you're living in the same world as I am, it hasn't exactly been a cornucopia of human kindness lately. A couple weeks ago, we were pretty much ready to tear each other limb from limb over a presidential election that cost billions of dollars (which I couldn't help but think could've been used to fund hundreds and hundreds of adoptions, or take care of that national deficit or that healthcare crisis they're always talking about, but what do I know about politics?). All you have to do is dare to go out on the roads during certain hours of the day, and you're certain to be rudely cut off and/or gestured at by other irate motorists. Facebook feeds are exploding with news about tragedies, scandals, and heartbreak around the world (including my own - yes, I do realize how often I post about orphans, and no, I'm not sorry). But I think my point is sufficiently clear. We are not often reminded of the good in the world these days...especially not not even with holidays like, you know, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, coming up.
So, yeah. It was nice that I saved the few dollars I was trying to piece together for something else (which wound up being gas, which I very nearly ran out of)... but it was even nicer to be reminded that there are people in the world who wake up and go out every day with kindness in their hearts and a goal of making things just a little bit easier, just a little bit happier, for other people. It made me think that random acts of kindness are really truly something amazing, and that we should all practice (and thus receive) more of them.
Sometimes people, like myself, realize that they haven't been practicing random acts of kindness, because they're not really sure what acts to perform. We don't exactly think that way in this day and age - the me, me, me age - "What can I do for someone else today?". But if you sit down and think about it... the answers are right there in front of you every single day, just as much as the negativity is.
There they are.
The other day, my sweet angel tree boy, Elden, had $27 donated to him during angel tree, because someone had bought his ornament. Not even me, I couldn't afford it yet. I need to save up. Then, one day, I checked - and it read $28.
One dollar.
Somebody put one dollar in his account. In fact, from the looks of things, somebody put one dollar in the accounts of several angel tree children that day.
That's not one random act of kindness... it's a million. I can't even count that high. Every advocate cheering those kids on smiles to see that one more dollar added to their grant. Every family who is considering adoption and worried about finances will be heartened by the idea that people give out of the very little they may have. Most importantly, every CENT gets these kids a little bit closer to finding and being HOME with their forever families. Because they need two things. They need funds, and exposure. Exposure, obviously so that their families can see them. But sometimes, even when their families see them, they are reluctant. They are worried, and rightfully so. Adoption isn't something to jump into. But it breaks my heart when the reason, the only reason, they are worried, is money. Here are people with the heart and will to bring kids home, kids who need homes, and the only reason these two complimentary goals cannot be brought together, is MONEY. So yeah. Raising the kids' grants matters. It tells those potential adoptive parents, 'someone cares about this child. We won't be on our own.'
I don't know about you, but I'm going to start looking for more ways to work random acts of kindness into my life. Obviously I'm living on a shoestring budget right now, so it won't be financial, but I'm going to make a conscious effort to do something. And someday, I hope I'll have the financial means to be one of the people who makes the day of Christmas Warriors everywhere by adding just a little bit to that sweet child's grant.
I'm truly not kidding. I've known people who've broken down and cried over one dollar added to their family, or the child of their heart's grant accounts. Because it's not just a dollar, it's a person who sees, hears, and cares... and that means so much to someone who love these kids... someone like me.
It's not what you do... it's that you care enough to do it.
Now, wouldn't that have made a really nice, neat blog post yesterday? All on one subject and everything, I could've given the post an actual title, something that gave the reader an idea what it was about? But alas... I didn't post it yesterday... because yesterday, a million other things were also running through my head. Faces of children I wanted to share. Families who are on my heart. Intentions I've had to write other blog posts. Frustration from feeling at a stalemate with Angel Tree - I have a couple things planned but I'm not as far along on actually making them happen as I would have hoped. How could I write a post about random acts of kindness and all those profound thoughts sloshing around in my head when people, lives, were sloshing around in there too, needing exposure, needing someone to shout for them?
So I posted nothing.
Which is why today, you get a few paragraphs of what would've been a nice, succinct post yesterday, plus the rest of my brain bile that exploded out with it. Congratulations, if all that philosophical babble distracted you from the 'brain vomit' imagery long enough to get to the next mention.
FAMILIES.
I hate seeing families struggle. This is no secret, obviously. But sometimes there are so many of them on my heart that I feel like I can't do any of them justice. I've been meaning for a long time to write a post about what you can do to help... because I wrote a post about why you should care, and having been in the uncomfortable limbo of realizing I care but not knowing what to do about it, I feel like I owe you that other post (if anyone is actually reading this blog... apparently I have nine followers... the most hits I ever got was when I got hit by a troll. Thanks again, Janie or Janet or Janine or whatever your name was). Yet, it's been so hard to write, because every time I work on it or even think about working on it, I want to share a hundred different auctions, giveaways, FSPs, children, matching grants, blogs... and then I'm petrified that I'll leave someone out who I meant to include, so I leave the post sit for a few days until some of the information is outdated. Obviously this is not helping anyone, so that post is coming and will probably be amended several times to add families and links... but until then... here's my unedited prayer list. Nothing is even a link, because that takes so much effort, copying and pasting (yes, I realize how lazy that makes me sound, but I am multitasking here - I am watching four children while I type this!) and I'll just give up before I actually finish the post again. You can search most, if not all of these names on Reece's Rainbow and find the sweeties I'm referring to.
Elden, my AT boy
Brett #19-1, my friend's AT boy whom I love very much.
Alexei, another AT boy who we just found out was transferred to a notoriously dreadful institution.
Kolya #7-2, another older boy in Brett's country who seems too often overlooked, is malnourished and whose profile hasn't been updated in a long time.
Amelia Brown, who is in the hospital right now, still struggling with issues rooted in spending her first twelve years of life in a now-infamous orphanage.
The Earleywines, who are just starting their adoption journey and struggling to raise funds, and I lack the funds or means to encourage them the way I want to.
The Unroes, who are on their way back to 'The Bad Place' for three more children after returning home just a few months ago with five from the same country!
The Rosencrants, whose two girls are very medically fragile and need to come home ASAP. One of them has just been hospitalized in her country.
The Menges, who, with their 'gotcha' trip looming on the horizon, just realized that they were not, as formerly thought, fully funded.
The Morses (that sounds weird) who are FINALLY about to bring their daughter home from what I'm pretty sure classifies as National Lampoon's Adoption Adventure... only significantly less funny.
The Hortons, who are likely traveling now with their very fragile new daughter (picture Katie in her days just post-orphanage).
And the countless non-adoption/RR related prayers on my mind of course, which you won't see here because of their personal nature.
Can you see how that gets a little overwhelming?
If, in the spirit of the earlier portion of this post, you're feeling like contributing a random act of kindness to society, look one of these children or families up on Reece's Rainbow, and make a donation - no matter how small. If you can't, or aren't feeling moved to do so, can I ask that you at least add these few to your prayers? Can I ask that you share their need, this post, anything, so that they might get the help they need? Please?
And right here we're going to semi-awkwardly segue into some more thoughts that exploded out of my brain today (hey, we got through that one without a vomit reference! Oh no, now I ruined it).
Not long ago I posted that as part of my efforts for Angel Tree this year, I'm planning to fully humiliate myself for the amusement of others. When $1,000 is raised between Brett #19 and Elden 14's angel tree funds, I'm shaving off an eyebrow. Just one. At $1,500, I'll shave off the other one (that's a $500 that I'm praying goes by quickly). Once both boys have reached their $1,000 goal, I'll shave my entire head, on video, and post it on this blog, on facebook, you can share it, you can put it on failblog, I don't care. After this announcement a couple people told me I was crazy. Then one mentioned that it was a bit 'dramatic', and I thought, well, dramatic is generally seen as negative in our society, something attributed to teenage girls with raging hormones, so maybe I should be offended... but I wasn't.
Because if dramatic is what it takes to get these boys noticed, dramatic I will be. After all, what's more dramatic than the fact that we are literally trying to save lives here? And yes, I realize that shaving my head isn't going to magically find them families or make people want to donate to them, but I AM hoping it will get them noticed. Let's get one thing straight. I have terrible self esteem. I'm not doing this because I want attention or because I'm spectacular on video or because I know that beneath my insane curly hair, my scalp is magic, and I'm planning to charge people to rub it and see if a genie comes out. I'm doing this because it will turn heads. And yes, that makes me uncomfortable. Insanely uncomfortable. I don't particularly like the way I look on a good day... honestly I have no idea what I'll look like once this is done, it's possible I could resemble Lord Voldemort, only possibly with more nose.
But you can't honestly say if you saw that walking around, you, or at least your curious toddler, wouldn't ask some questions. At which point you'll be treated to my explanation that my goal is to spread awareness about orphans, especially two particular orphans who are on my heart who also happen to have hair loss, though their is significantly less voluntary than mine. And hopefully you won't be so scarred by my Lord Voldemort-like appearance that you fail to hear said explanation... hopefully. No guarantees.
So for the next month and a half, I babble about how I'm going to shave hair off my cranium when the boys reach important Angel Tree milestones. It is my hope that at very least, my insanity and likely irritating persistence will keep Brett and Elden on people's minds... set them apart from the other starfish washed up on the beach... since they're the ones who got saddled with the mentally unstable advocate after all. I hope that since they're on people's minds, they'll be on people's hearts, and when they're on people's hearts, people will move to help them, donate to them, share them... get them those two things that they desperately need... money and exposure.
Unfortunately, for as long as my blog posts are, I'm not good at babbling consistently so I've decided to try adding something to the drivel. From now until I go bald, I present you with... (Somewhat Less Than Fifty) Shades of Bedhead! No, I'm not reading Fifty Shades of Grey, actually, I'm reading a blog that spoofs it which happens to be hilarious, because, sorry, I just don't find reading books about imaginary characters sexploits fulfilling... so you can blame the blog author for the fact that this ridiculousness is on my mind and worked its way into my blog projects. But I digress, for I have not yet explained the Shades of Bedhead. You see, I've got the most curly hair, and it drives me nuts. I cannot wake up even one single day without looking like squirrels are nesting atop my skull. To avoid people seeing me like this, I usually wear a ponytail... or just don't go out. But since we've already established that I'm willing to debase myself for entertainment, you shall now be presented with one photo of my bedheaded self from every day until I get to shave the pesky mane off. I promise, by the end, you'll be horrified and convinced that it is your civic duty to rid the world of this menace on society. Yup. Dramatic. But dramatic = noticeable and being noticed = working their way up the Angel Tree... and well, that's sort of what I'm going for here. Me and my hair are planning to stay on your mind. Haha, get my pun there? Hair? On your mind? Hahahaha! I'm so uproariously funny.
After The Shaving (hopefully not like The Shining, which its naming reminded me of and I have never actually seen, but my understanding is that it is frightening), it is my hope that I won't have to babble - my mere countenance will inspire questions, and thus the other half of the equation that reflects the boys' needs - exposure. If not, I'm fully prepared to take pictures in the same outfit every day, print them out, and ultimately create a Katie's Hair Grows Back flip book. (Think about it. Wouldn't it be epic? Actually I might just do that anyways, for my own amusement. Told you I was mentally unstable.)
So dramatic? Yup. I'll embrace that title. But drama was effective in middle school... and according to my friend M, who is currently in middle school, it's still kind of a 'thing'... so it must be effective, right? Worth a shot at least. Besides, I've always kind of wondered what my scalp looked like under there. And what are eyebrows for, anyways? They're an extremely odd phenomenon. And insane? Yup, I'll embrace that title too. I mean, come on, my blog is called 'Call Me Crazy' (or, more recently, Crazy: Are We There Yet? - just a division of my journey to crazy) and I just railed on about hair regrowth flip books and the purpose of eyebrows. I think insane is a justified adjective here.
But one label I haven't heard yet?
Determined.
And that's the most important one.
Elden and Brett are coming HOME... even if I have to learn to swallow flaming swords while walking a tightrope to make it happen. (Come on. You have to admit it's a fun mental image... especially given the photo below...)
Yesterday, I was thinking all sorts of profound thoughts - about random acts of kindness and the good in the world and so on and so forth, and no, I am not any more hormonal than usual. It was a rough week, though, because we are stretching paychecks more than ever right now, and pay-day Friday seemed to take forever to come, and even then promised little relief. So yesterday found me with a three and five year old in tow (such is the life of a childcare provider - you go nowhere without children in tow, even if you don't actually own any) at the grocery store, scrounging, literally piecing together enough money to buy something we needed.
As I assembled a variety of nickels, dimes and pennies (I seriously wish I was kidding), the older man behind me noticed my predicament, and insisted to both me and the clerk at the counter on paying for my item. After the initial moment of shock in which I didn't even know what to say, I tried to protest, but it was clear the kind gentleman would be hearing none of it and I'd just end up holding up the line. So instead of continuing to protest, I stammered out an "Are you sure?" and then a "Thank you so much"... my emotions caught somewhere between embarrassed by accepting the gesture (I don't know why, apparently some people are super gracious about this, but somewhere in my 23 years of life, I grew accustomed to feeling uncomfortable accepting gifts, particularly in certain circumstances, like, in the grocery store, from strangers.) and stumbling over myself with gratitude. I made my way out of the store with the kids and my purchase (gift?) with another grateful thank you to the kind man, and walked out to the car, thoughts preoccupied with the random act of kindness I had just been shown.
If you're living in the same world as I am, it hasn't exactly been a cornucopia of human kindness lately. A couple weeks ago, we were pretty much ready to tear each other limb from limb over a presidential election that cost billions of dollars (which I couldn't help but think could've been used to fund hundreds and hundreds of adoptions, or take care of that national deficit or that healthcare crisis they're always talking about, but what do I know about politics?). All you have to do is dare to go out on the roads during certain hours of the day, and you're certain to be rudely cut off and/or gestured at by other irate motorists. Facebook feeds are exploding with news about tragedies, scandals, and heartbreak around the world (including my own - yes, I do realize how often I post about orphans, and no, I'm not sorry). But I think my point is sufficiently clear. We are not often reminded of the good in the world these days...
So, yeah. It was nice that I saved the few dollars I was trying to piece together for something else (which wound up being gas, which I very nearly ran out of)... but it was even nicer to be reminded that there are people in the world who wake up and go out every day with kindness in their hearts and a goal of making things just a little bit easier, just a little bit happier, for other people. It made me think that random acts of kindness are really truly something amazing, and that we should all practice (and thus receive) more of them.
Sometimes people, like myself, realize that they haven't been practicing random acts of kindness, because they're not really sure what acts to perform. We don't exactly think that way in this day and age - the me, me, me age - "What can I do for someone else today?". But if you sit down and think about it... the answers are right there in front of you every single day, just as much as the negativity is.
There they are.
The other day, my sweet angel tree boy, Elden, had $27 donated to him during angel tree, because someone had bought his ornament. Not even me, I couldn't afford it yet. I need to save up. Then, one day, I checked - and it read $28.
One dollar.
Somebody put one dollar in his account. In fact, from the looks of things, somebody put one dollar in the accounts of several angel tree children that day.
That's not one random act of kindness... it's a million. I can't even count that high. Every advocate cheering those kids on smiles to see that one more dollar added to their grant. Every family who is considering adoption and worried about finances will be heartened by the idea that people give out of the very little they may have. Most importantly, every CENT gets these kids a little bit closer to finding and being HOME with their forever families. Because they need two things. They need funds, and exposure. Exposure, obviously so that their families can see them. But sometimes, even when their families see them, they are reluctant. They are worried, and rightfully so. Adoption isn't something to jump into. But it breaks my heart when the reason, the only reason, they are worried, is money. Here are people with the heart and will to bring kids home, kids who need homes, and the only reason these two complimentary goals cannot be brought together, is MONEY. So yeah. Raising the kids' grants matters. It tells those potential adoptive parents, 'someone cares about this child. We won't be on our own.'
I don't know about you, but I'm going to start looking for more ways to work random acts of kindness into my life. Obviously I'm living on a shoestring budget right now, so it won't be financial, but I'm going to make a conscious effort to do something. And someday, I hope I'll have the financial means to be one of the people who makes the day of Christmas Warriors everywhere by adding just a little bit to that sweet child's grant.
I'm truly not kidding. I've known people who've broken down and cried over one dollar added to their family, or the child of their heart's grant accounts. Because it's not just a dollar, it's a person who sees, hears, and cares... and that means so much to someone who love these kids... someone like me.
It's not what you do... it's that you care enough to do it.
Now, wouldn't that have made a really nice, neat blog post yesterday? All on one subject and everything, I could've given the post an actual title, something that gave the reader an idea what it was about? But alas... I didn't post it yesterday... because yesterday, a million other things were also running through my head. Faces of children I wanted to share. Families who are on my heart. Intentions I've had to write other blog posts. Frustration from feeling at a stalemate with Angel Tree - I have a couple things planned but I'm not as far along on actually making them happen as I would have hoped. How could I write a post about random acts of kindness and all those profound thoughts sloshing around in my head when people, lives, were sloshing around in there too, needing exposure, needing someone to shout for them?
So I posted nothing.
Which is why today, you get a few paragraphs of what would've been a nice, succinct post yesterday, plus the rest of my brain bile that exploded out with it. Congratulations, if all that philosophical babble distracted you from the 'brain vomit' imagery long enough to get to the next mention.
FAMILIES.
I hate seeing families struggle. This is no secret, obviously. But sometimes there are so many of them on my heart that I feel like I can't do any of them justice. I've been meaning for a long time to write a post about what you can do to help... because I wrote a post about why you should care, and having been in the uncomfortable limbo of realizing I care but not knowing what to do about it, I feel like I owe you that other post (if anyone is actually reading this blog... apparently I have nine followers... the most hits I ever got was when I got hit by a troll. Thanks again, Janie or Janet or Janine or whatever your name was). Yet, it's been so hard to write, because every time I work on it or even think about working on it, I want to share a hundred different auctions, giveaways, FSPs, children, matching grants, blogs... and then I'm petrified that I'll leave someone out who I meant to include, so I leave the post sit for a few days until some of the information is outdated. Obviously this is not helping anyone, so that post is coming and will probably be amended several times to add families and links... but until then... here's my unedited prayer list. Nothing is even a link, because that takes so much effort, copying and pasting (yes, I realize how lazy that makes me sound, but I am multitasking here - I am watching four children while I type this!) and I'll just give up before I actually finish the post again. You can search most, if not all of these names on Reece's Rainbow and find the sweeties I'm referring to.
Elden, my AT boy
Brett #19-1, my friend's AT boy whom I love very much.
Alexei, another AT boy who we just found out was transferred to a notoriously dreadful institution.
Kolya #7-2, another older boy in Brett's country who seems too often overlooked, is malnourished and whose profile hasn't been updated in a long time.
Amelia Brown, who is in the hospital right now, still struggling with issues rooted in spending her first twelve years of life in a now-infamous orphanage.
The Earleywines, who are just starting their adoption journey and struggling to raise funds, and I lack the funds or means to encourage them the way I want to.
The Unroes, who are on their way back to 'The Bad Place' for three more children after returning home just a few months ago with five from the same country!
The Rosencrants, whose two girls are very medically fragile and need to come home ASAP. One of them has just been hospitalized in her country.
The Menges, who, with their 'gotcha' trip looming on the horizon, just realized that they were not, as formerly thought, fully funded.
The Morses (that sounds weird) who are FINALLY about to bring their daughter home from what I'm pretty sure classifies as National Lampoon's Adoption Adventure... only significantly less funny.
The Hortons, who are likely traveling now with their very fragile new daughter (picture Katie in her days just post-orphanage).
And the countless non-adoption/RR related prayers on my mind of course, which you won't see here because of their personal nature.
Can you see how that gets a little overwhelming?
If, in the spirit of the earlier portion of this post, you're feeling like contributing a random act of kindness to society, look one of these children or families up on Reece's Rainbow, and make a donation - no matter how small. If you can't, or aren't feeling moved to do so, can I ask that you at least add these few to your prayers? Can I ask that you share their need, this post, anything, so that they might get the help they need? Please?
And right here we're going to semi-awkwardly segue into some more thoughts that exploded out of my brain today (hey, we got through that one without a vomit reference! Oh no, now I ruined it).
Not long ago I posted that as part of my efforts for Angel Tree this year, I'm planning to fully humiliate myself for the amusement of others. When $1,000 is raised between Brett #19 and Elden 14's angel tree funds, I'm shaving off an eyebrow. Just one. At $1,500, I'll shave off the other one (that's a $500 that I'm praying goes by quickly). Once both boys have reached their $1,000 goal, I'll shave my entire head, on video, and post it on this blog, on facebook, you can share it, you can put it on failblog, I don't care. After this announcement a couple people told me I was crazy. Then one mentioned that it was a bit 'dramatic', and I thought, well, dramatic is generally seen as negative in our society, something attributed to teenage girls with raging hormones, so maybe I should be offended... but I wasn't.
Because if dramatic is what it takes to get these boys noticed, dramatic I will be. After all, what's more dramatic than the fact that we are literally trying to save lives here? And yes, I realize that shaving my head isn't going to magically find them families or make people want to donate to them, but I AM hoping it will get them noticed. Let's get one thing straight. I have terrible self esteem. I'm not doing this because I want attention or because I'm spectacular on video or because I know that beneath my insane curly hair, my scalp is magic, and I'm planning to charge people to rub it and see if a genie comes out. I'm doing this because it will turn heads. And yes, that makes me uncomfortable. Insanely uncomfortable. I don't particularly like the way I look on a good day... honestly I have no idea what I'll look like once this is done, it's possible I could resemble Lord Voldemort, only possibly with more nose.
 |
| Credit: Google image |
But you can't honestly say if you saw that walking around, you, or at least your curious toddler, wouldn't ask some questions. At which point you'll be treated to my explanation that my goal is to spread awareness about orphans, especially two particular orphans who are on my heart who also happen to have hair loss, though their is significantly less voluntary than mine. And hopefully you won't be so scarred by my Lord Voldemort-like appearance that you fail to hear said explanation... hopefully. No guarantees.
So for the next month and a half, I babble about how I'm going to shave hair off my cranium when the boys reach important Angel Tree milestones. It is my hope that at very least, my insanity and likely irritating persistence will keep Brett and Elden on people's minds... set them apart from the other starfish washed up on the beach... since they're the ones who got saddled with the mentally unstable advocate after all. I hope that since they're on people's minds, they'll be on people's hearts, and when they're on people's hearts, people will move to help them, donate to them, share them... get them those two things that they desperately need... money and exposure.
Unfortunately, for as long as my blog posts are, I'm not good at babbling consistently so I've decided to try adding something to the drivel. From now until I go bald, I present you with... (Somewhat Less Than Fifty) Shades of Bedhead! No, I'm not reading Fifty Shades of Grey, actually, I'm reading a blog that spoofs it which happens to be hilarious, because, sorry, I just don't find reading books about imaginary characters sexploits fulfilling... so you can blame the blog author for the fact that this ridiculousness is on my mind and worked its way into my blog projects. But I digress, for I have not yet explained the Shades of Bedhead. You see, I've got the most curly hair, and it drives me nuts. I cannot wake up even one single day without looking like squirrels are nesting atop my skull. To avoid people seeing me like this, I usually wear a ponytail... or just don't go out. But since we've already established that I'm willing to debase myself for entertainment, you shall now be presented with one photo of my bedheaded self from every day until I get to shave the pesky mane off. I promise, by the end, you'll be horrified and convinced that it is your civic duty to rid the world of this menace on society. Yup. Dramatic. But dramatic = noticeable and being noticed = working their way up the Angel Tree... and well, that's sort of what I'm going for here. Me and my hair are planning to stay on your mind. Haha, get my pun there? Hair? On your mind? Hahahaha! I'm so uproariously funny.
After The Shaving (hopefully not like The Shining, which its naming reminded me of and I have never actually seen, but my understanding is that it is frightening), it is my hope that I won't have to babble - my mere countenance will inspire questions, and thus the other half of the equation that reflects the boys' needs - exposure. If not, I'm fully prepared to take pictures in the same outfit every day, print them out, and ultimately create a Katie's Hair Grows Back flip book. (Think about it. Wouldn't it be epic? Actually I might just do that anyways, for my own amusement. Told you I was mentally unstable.)
So dramatic? Yup. I'll embrace that title. But drama was effective in middle school... and according to my friend M, who is currently in middle school, it's still kind of a 'thing'... so it must be effective, right? Worth a shot at least. Besides, I've always kind of wondered what my scalp looked like under there. And what are eyebrows for, anyways? They're an extremely odd phenomenon. And insane? Yup, I'll embrace that title too. I mean, come on, my blog is called 'Call Me Crazy' (or, more recently, Crazy: Are We There Yet? - just a division of my journey to crazy) and I just railed on about hair regrowth flip books and the purpose of eyebrows. I think insane is a justified adjective here.
But one label I haven't heard yet?
Determined.
And that's the most important one.
Elden and Brett are coming HOME... even if I have to learn to swallow flaming swords while walking a tightrope to make it happen. (Come on. You have to admit it's a fun mental image... especially given the photo below...)
Bedhead Shade 1
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