Mini Warriors

I'd like to introduce you to Mini Warriors, a foundation set out to raise money for brain tumor research until a cure is found.


Bruce is the little warrior who inspired this special project. Read his story here.

You can also watch this video about Bruce and the Mini Warriors project....

They are in the running for a $25,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything project. They need votes to win and today is the last day to vote. Help them out!!!

A Tradition of Gratitude

In high school I started a tradition of sending quick text listing the things I was grateful for that day to a handful of my friends every night before bed, and the idea quickly spread. Now, two years later 25 people participate in the nightly exchanging of a 'thankful text'.

“Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude.” — Joseph Wood Krutch

I have found that practicing gratitude daily HAS made me a happier person. Sometimes at the end of the day, when it has been 'one-of-those-days' I stare at my phone for a long time trying to find the humility to make my list. Some nights I can only write "Tonight I am thankful that today is almost over." However, for the most part, I look forward to writing that text every night. It invites a simple peace into my life, realizing again and again that I have more blessings than I can ever take in.

"Gratitude is a positive experience that comes from recognizing gifts or blessings and feeling thankful. It is also an attitude, a way of perceiving life, in which individuals are willing to receive and acknowledge the beneficial actions of others on their behalf. Those who consistently display such an attitude are said to have a grateful disposition. Gratitude is also a habit that can be cultivated, causing one to focus on the blessings of life. Finally, gratitude can be defined as a coping response to challenging or difficult circumstances." -Vaughn E. Worthen

Worthen lists gratitude as an experience, an attitude, a disposition, a habit, and a coping response. I can see how practicing daily thankfulness has helped me use gratitude in all of those ways. I am coming to believe that gratitude is almost as powerful as love, in it's ability to reach out to others and heal an aching heart.

Current case studies and research show that cultivating and practicing gratitude can reduce symptoms in cases of mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Practicing gratitude can also lead to increases in optimism, vitality, happiness, a sense of well-being, and a greater satisfaction with life. Grateful people tend to generate more positive memories, reminding them of the good in their lives. Those with higher levels of gratitude are viewed as more empathetic and supportive, more forgiving, and more likely to assist others. Grateful people also report feeling less envious and more generous with their possessions. They thus enjoy better quality relationships.

Isn't that awesome, being grateful can make you a healthier person! I love that more and more research is coming out that proves a connection between our mind and body. I truely believe there is one!

"Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road." -John Henry Jowett

If you would like to join in on the thankful text tradition, let me know! Live happy, be grateful!

used with permission from the blog Live Happy.

Skye is the Limit

by Kayla of Skye is the Limit.


Skye is my 19 month old beautiful baby girl. She was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at a 5 days old while in the NICU after she had her first surgery a few hours old due to meconium illeus.



She had a very rough first 3 months with two surgeries on her intestines and the long, long hospital stay.

Skye had an ileostomy as well as her g-tube placed and a mucous fistula from her first surgery.
Mucous Fistula is a stoma (artificial hole) that opens into the non-functioning portion of her intestines.

During this time we were taking her ostomy output and putting it through a feed pump (just like you would with a gtube) into her mucus fistula. I would put a catheter into her MF about 7cm deep and connect that up the feeding pump. This allowed her to be able to re-absorb as many calories as possible as well as keeping the entire intestinal track working while she waited to be re-connected.

Two months later she went in for the second surgery and had those good ol' intestines put back together (they chopped out 15cm because of scarring and blockages).

While she was on TPN and Lipids through IV she managed to get Liver disease. They aren't sure if this is due to the TPN or CF. Her spleen is enlarged because of this so she is also on medication for that. We spent that Christmas in the hospital and finally went home on the 29th of December 2008.



At 6 months old she went in for another surgery following her RSV and bronchitis. She had to have a bronchoscopy done to check out her lungs and they also put a central line in for her IV antibiotics. It was then that they told me she had Tracheomalacia. We spent 2 weeks in the hospital this time for IVs to clear out her MRSA as much as possible along with the chryseobacterium she cultured.


At 19 months she started to show more respiratory issues...shortness of breath, retracting, coughing, running rose ect. She stopped eating and slept almost all day. After 3 ER visits and 3 CF clinic visits trying to get them to understand that she needed help they finally admitted her. Appologizing they didn't notice it sooner.

Skye was given another picc line, this is her 6th line. IV antibiotics were given to again minimize the MRSA that is colonized in her lungs and fight off the H flu that she cultured as well. During this months time she decided that she was done eating by mouth. She is now completely fed through her g-tube. She rarely drinks anything and will occasionally have "pleasure" foods by mouth.

After 2 weeks in the hospital she was discharged. We lost one battle, but beat another.
Until next time...





She has been a fighter this whole time, and always seems to manage to keep a smile on her face no matter what the issue is.




Skye goes through hours of treatments to clear her lungs, nebulizers, and takes over 50 pills a day to maintain her health the best she can.



SADLY, at 18 months old she was diagnosed with yet another issue with her lungs...she has ASTHMA. Honestly, I did not think that she could get asthma on top of a lung disease...but as the days go on it seems that anything is possible.

And then again, at 19 months old she started to show severe signs of allergies which would put her into an asthma attack. We live in a house with animals so Skye and I have to stay away from them so she can breathe as easy as possible. She is also on medication to help her throughout the day.




As a mother I have been through more than I ever imagined, being 20 years old...19 when she was in her surgeries and diagnosed with CF. I guess this journey has made me stronger than I ever thought I could be and I grew up a lot faster than I ever thought I would have. More battles lie ahead of us, but I know she won't give up...and neither will I.





"I can't break down for her I have to make sure that I stay strong because that's what she has done for me. She has never given me a time where she has been weak at all so I don't want to do that to her."



Love,
Skyes Mommy

Inclusion Revolution

Think back to your high school days and all the cliques. Some local teenagers are trying to break down those barriers. Meridian Idaho High's student council has started a movement to bring outsiders in. They're calling it the Inclusion Revolution. But not until recently did they fully understand the meaning of their own movement.

When special needs senior Jamie Brown, joined the group, the kids thought they'd help her. What they didn't realize is how she would impact them.


Malarie Stout, Meridian's Student Body Vice President and homecoming queen and Jamie quickly became friends. And just in time for prom. Malarie asked her brother Hayden to take Jamie to prom. Jamie couldn't believe she got to go with a football player. But that's not all. Malarie also campaigned to have Jamie's name listed among prom elite. And the school responded, placing Jamie on the ballot for queen.

When the announcement came Jamie was left standing in the sea of students. A crown though, didn't matter to her. She had already won much more. And so had the group of teenagers willing to include her.

For Anyone Who Loves Someone With a Disability

I'm sure you all think I've fallen off the face of the earth. And you're not far off. I actually started working again and I'm going full speed with Chloe's Sunshine Playground as well. But kidz is still on my priority list, I just need to get back on track!

Letting you all know about this new resource I found is TOP priority.The site is Resource Ability and I'm certain you all will love it. It is funny, inspiring, insightful, thought-provoking, and full of great tips! PLEASE check it out. It's one of my new favorite sites and I know you will love it too!!!

Fly

Please add your prayers to ours for Becky and her family. Becky is a member of the kidz krew. Her son, Benjamin, passed away this past weekend.

Fly, fly little wing Fly beyond imagining The softest cloud, the whitest dove Upon the wind of heaven's love Past the planets and the stars Leave this lonely world of ours Escape the sorrow and the pain And fly again Fly, fly precious one Your endless journey has begun Take your gentle happiness Far too beautiful for this Cross over to the other shore There is peace forevermore But hold this mem'ry bittersweet Until we meet Fly, fly do not fear Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear Your heart is pure, your soul is free Be on your way, don't wait for me Above the universe you'll climb On beyond the hands of time The moon will rise, the sun will set But I won't forget Fly, fly little wing Fly where only angels sing Fly away, the time is right Go now, find the light