SortaCrunchy

intermission

There's just no way getting around the fact that I won't have time to finish my Tales from the Back of the Line before I begin traveling to my grandmother's funeral.  I assure you, no need to feel that much suspense . . . after all, it's really just the story of standing in line, and you know the ending already anyway, right?

I will say that the rest of the story will involve Australia, Ree's Marlboro Man, and a buffalo named Pearl.

In the meantime, I can't believe I left this picture out of my first part of the story.  It's one of my favorites from my little mini road trip:

 

Not sure when I'll be back at the keyboard, but I'm hoping wherever you are that the blue skies beneath give brilliance to the clouds behind you . . .

Tales From the Back of the Line (or the night I met the Pioneer Woman). Part One.

Pull up a chair and pour a cup.  We're gonna be here awhile. 

PROLOGUE

This has not been the best week ever.

I haven't written about it here yet because I want to save my words for a while and continue in the practice of not telling things out loud, but the mid-point of this week was marked by the passing of my ninety-two year old grandmother.  On either side of that mid-point were dreary days, continual persistent sickness (it just gets to you after a while, doesn't it), financial woes, and shuffling of plans and schedules and all manner of unsettledness.  

Yesterday, Dacey woke up with a fever which threatened to disrupt our plan for traveling to my grandmother's funeral, and it completely derailed the two days of the week she had been most looking forward to at school: Pajama Day and Scarecrow Day.  I was bummed over that and just convinced Kyle would not feel comfortable staying home with a sick preschooler on his own while I took off on my planned outing to go to Ree's book signing at Full Circle Books in Oklahoma City.

At lunch, Kyle sensed I was not at ease.  I poured out all of my not-greatness, and finished by saying, "And I guess I'm not going to get to go see the Pioneer Woman tonight after all."  I may have concluded that sentence with a pitiful sigh.  Details are sketchy. 

"No!  Go!  Go.  We'll be fine.  You should go."

Happy sigh.

The Tale

So I pushed forward with my plan for a fun outing on my own.  My friend Elizabeth had gone to see Ree in Tulsa on Tuesday night, and she prepared me for the fact that though she got there early, it was still crowded.  The signing in OKC started at 6:30, so I figured getting to the bookstore around 6ish would be reasonable.

Because obviously I had no idea. 

NO IDEA.

No idea.

I fixed up a meatloaf dinner for my family (complete with instant mashed potatoes, and when I noticed the irony of serving that up to my family as I waltzed out the door to be graced by the presence of The One who creates these, I laughed. Quite a bit.)

I felt good in my favorite pair of jeans, my go-to black silk turtleneck sweater (Oh Harold's, how I miss thee!), and my love-em-yes-I-do black boots.  I felt even better when I hopped in Kyle's pick-up truck, fired it up, and wouldn't ya know it?  There were playin' me some George on the radio!

Friends, I felt positively sassy as I pulled out of town.  I tapped my toes and sang my heart out when the DJ played some Old School Shania (ANY MAN OF MIIIIIIINE, BETTER WALK THE LIIIIINE . . .).  My girls were happy to be at home with Daddy, I was headed to The City to one of my favorite bookstores ever, and a little group of the PW faithful were going to get to mix and mingle and get us some cookbooks signed.

Sassy, I tell you.

I was right on time by my clock as I pulled into the bookstore parking lot.  Sure, it was packed, and yes, there were quite a few women streaming in, clutching Ree's cookbook and grinning.  It was nearing time to start, so it made sense that this would be when this little group of groupies would thicken en masse. 

When I walked in and saw the line was stretched not only out of the bookstore, but snaked for yards and yards and feet and feet all the way through the building that houses the Full Circle and on into perpetuity it seemed.  Well.  I'm not gonna lie to you, friends.  A Schedule II curse escaped my lips.  I couldn't help it, really.  There were just so many people.  So many people!!  I can't even begin to estimate.  Hundreds.  All of them thumbing through their books. 

Did I mention that I did not have a book when I arrived?  I did not have a book because there is nowhere in my little town to buy a copy of Ree's cookbook and I only just discovered that this event was taking place and I figured I'd just pick up a copy at Full Circle.  You know, the bookstore.  Hosting this little book signing.

At this point, I had a decision to make.  Stay?  Go?  I had solid child care and not a whole lot else to do, so I opted to stay.  I fought my way to the check-out desk at Full Circle and discovered oh.

The book is sold out.

Oh.

But wait!  Ree was bringing more copies with her!  The darling, precious, young clerk at the desk explained that if I wanted to, I could buy a copy, hang on to my receipt, and my book would be waiting for me when I got to the book signing table.

Now I really had a decision to make.  If I bought a book this way, I was committed.  I was there.  Long haul and all that.  It took me about three seconds to say, "Okay.  Yes. Here's my card."

And that's where Part One will have to leave off for now.  Not because I know how to create a suspenseful story, but rather because I've got a Cinderella and Fairy Princess to prepare for Trunk or Treating.

Here's a little taste of what you can expect in the next installment - a whole, whole lot of me starting at these:

 

sneak peek

Last night, I was there and so was she . . .

 

details (many) to come . . .

SortaCrunchy Recommends: Shaklee Get Clean

I've known about the Shaklee Corporation for years because my mother (who has Multiple Sclerosis) is a huge fan of their vitamins.  When Shaklee representative Becky Rapinchuk (also of the Clean Mama blog) asked me if I might be interested in trying some of the cleaning products from Shaklee's Get Clean line a try, I was happy to take her up on the offer.

I am always trying to find the best, non-toxic way to clean our home.  I've tried all kinds of products through the years - everything from Mrs. Meyers to Clorox Greenworks to basic vinegar and baking soda routines, and I have struggled to find something I am 100% in love with for cleaning our home.

I have to tell y'alll, in all honesty, I am super impressed with the performance of the Get Clean products I tried!

The Basic H2 is probably the best-known of the Get Clean line, and with good reason.  A little bit of the concentrate can be used to mix up window cleaner that works out to be about $.01 per 16 oz. spray bottle, or it can mixed to make an all-purpose cleaner that is about $.03 per 16 oz. spray bottle.  Additionally, Basic H2 can be mixed up as a degreaser (works out to $.17 per 16 oz. spray bottle).  This stuff really, really works, too.  It's no secret that I am not the neatest person in the kitchen, but I have yet to come across anything that the Basic H2 couldn't handle.  The Scour-Off paste is super effective, and just as with the Basic H2, you only need a little bit to do a lot of work.

With a toddler and preschooler in the house who both make liberal use of art supplies when creating masterpieces, I always need something powerful to take care of stains in the laundry (not to mention the other stuff I launder regularly).  Such a treat to find a non-chlorine laundry booster (Nature Bright) that works!

Finally, as anyone who has a little one who uses the potty full-time knows, we always, always have need for quick clean-up products in the bathroom.  I've been using rags soaked in vinegar, and while those work fine for the most part, sometimes it's nice to have a convenient container of wipe-up wipes ready to go.  Becky sent me some of the Get Clean Germ-Off Disinfecting Wipes, and I have LOVED these!  Perfect for the bathroom, the kitchen, and every other place that needs a quick swipe of disinfection (doorknobs, phones, etc.). 

Here are some of my favorite things about Shaklee's Get Clean line:

• They have been "green" before it was cool, and Shaklee was the first to be certified "Climate Neutral™ (totally offsetting our carbon emissions resulting in a net zero impact on the environment)"
• All Shaklee products are free of phthalates, GMOs, toxins, and BPA
• Fragrance-free options for cleaning products (since I've begun focusing on non-toxic cleaning, I find that fragranced cleaners irritate me)

Additionally, I have to brag on Becky for a minute.  She has been over-the-top helpful, friendly, and wonderful to work with!  She has responded to every email with lightening speed, and she has provided me with loads of information.  She's a mama with kids at home who understands the quest for a more non-toxic home, and she is devoted to helping others on the path to cleaner living.  Just today, she was telling me a little more about Basic-G - a product, though not non-toxic, is EPA registered and is a powerful germicide that kills germs up to 72 hours on surfaces (including Type A and H1N1 strains of the flu!). Read more of Becky's experiences with Basic-G here and here.

Becky and I would both like to see you give the Get Clean line a try.  Becky is offering one lucky reader something that we are all looking for these days - help with disinfecting in the form of one container of the Germ-Off Wipes. 

To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment here telling a little about your experiences with non-toxic cleaning or a Shaklee product that you might like to try (here's the link to Becky's distributor page). 

Winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, November 5th.

More Information on the H1N1 Vaccine

Almost every day, I get emails from friends or readers who are wondering what to do about the H1N1 vaccine.  I'm finding that those who are generally pro-vaccine feel absolutely comfortable with receiving the vaccine and having their children vaccinated with it.  Those who are generally anti-vaccine are more likely pass on the vaccine.

Those like myself who take a more selective approach to vaccines are amongst the parents who are having the hardest time deliberating about what to do about this flu pandemic and the vaccines being made available.

Shortly after I shared my post on 5 Things Parents Should Know About the H1N1 Vaccination, a friend of mine in the field working in immune systems and vaccines wrote me with some follow-up information.  He gave me permission to share this with you here:

1. Fear of the H1N1 vaccine over the seasonal vaccine is really unfounded.  The companies making the H1N1 inactivated vaccines (injectables) are not changing their formulations in anyway except changing the specific flu virions (a virion is just all the virus components which mostly contain the flu proteins but also their genetic material and structural components and are prepared from dead virus). 

This is why these companies are the ones making the swine flu vaccine as they already have seasonal flu vaccines from which they are building.  Other than the viral strain change, the basic formulations are exactly the same between the two.  So if you are one to get a yearly flu vaccine and have no problems then this will be no different. 

The perception that the H1N1 is "NEW" and has not been tested enough is also unfounded.  Why? Well for one, the seasonal flu vaccines are also new every year in the same manner.  This is why we have to get new ones every year.  The flu changes year to year, and the vaccine companies just change the new flu vaccines to contain the trivalent virions that represent that year's strains (or in the case of the H1N1, its monovalent or only one strain).  The proteins and other virus particles (mostly proteins) elicit an immune responses against the proteins that induce the immune system to remember the proteins (so called immune memory-one of the most fascinating parts of biology).  In this case, when the real flu rears its ugly head, then your body should have memory towards its particular proteins and the resulting hyper-activation of the immune system will clear infection in enough time that the flu does not have time to create a severe infection.  Forgive me, this is a general vaccinology lesson which I am sure you know.

Thus the take home is that if you get a seasonal flu shot, don't be scared by the swine vaccine shot.  If you have not had any reactivity or seen any side effects from a seasonal flu shot, then you won't see them here.  The same flu vaccine precautions should be noted here.  Flu virions are prepared in chicken eggs so please note this if have allergies to chicken products.

The inactivated vaccines do contain some preservatives such as Thimerosal (the nasal vaccines-mists-do not).  Adjuvants (which are particular agents that boost the immune system and sometimes make up the other parts of the formulation of a vaccine) to my knowledge are not used in flu vaccines in the US.  All these other components in the vaccine are the agents that have caused concerns over the years.  But again, the same agents that have been in all flu vaccines and have been used for several years now are no different in the swine vaccine thus, the notion that these have not been tested is not true.  However, you are correct to note (or as the vaccine information notes) that there still are tests being performed.  Reports have found that there have been no serious side effects to fetus from a mother receiving the inactivated flu shot.

The only other legitimate concern here with a vaccine would be possible autoimmunity induction.  BUT THIS IS A VERY RARE CHANCE in  flu vaccines and the same very rare chance can also occur if you are infected with flu itself.

2. Indeed a point of consideration would be which vaccine to get.  The mist is not inactivated virions, but attenuated (weakened) flu viruses, weakened to not cause disease but still alive.  It actually stimulates the immune system in a much more natural way and may confer a high protection rate, but since it is live virus that has been weakened, it can cause (in some people) a mild flu sickness and it can be shed.  But to my knowledge, pregnant woman and infants will not qualify for this vaccine and thus will only be given the injectable version as a functioning immune system is required; pregnant women and infants are more immunocompromised.

3.  Pregnant women are indeed a risk group for swine flu, and there are solid explanations to why this is.  The studies done (and reported in the Lancet, one of the top leading medical journals in our country) showed the statistics of a pregnant group infected with H1N1 (that was identified as H1N1), and indeed they have a higher incidence of serious disease and even death than the general population.  Now it's not a reason to get hysterical if you are pregnant, but it is something serious to consider.  The CDC doesn't indicate risk groups without serious study, and pregnant women top that list for swine flu.

4.  BOTTOM LINE:  BE EXTRA VIGILANT ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS AND YOUR HEALTH.  Moms, kids, dads, husbands, the guy that delivers pizzas, whoever you are.  If you feel different in any way, get to the doctor, and remove yourself.  Most of the time, anti-virals will work and will keep you from disease, but they only work in the first few hours of infection.  Four  days later and a fever of 103, and they wont do anything.    Don't abandon good hygiene (all those rules your mom taught you).  Wash your hands (warm water-soap-2mins-sing happy birthday twice), cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze (and cover it when someone is not doing so around you).  You know what to do, just be extra aware.

The swine flu is spreading like wildfire.  The docs don't even need to type it now as its become pandemic.  Its the only bug spreading so rapidly RIGHT NOW.  SO just be aware.  As always and in all things, keep an open dialogue and establish a great relationship with your doctors, your ob/gyns, your pediatricians, and consult them on the specific details of your health.  They of course are well-trained, but have also been well-versed in this flu pandemic and are intimately aware of which course of treatment is best for you, knowing your health the way they do.

So there's the perspective of someone working daily in this field.

I know the biggest concern for many families is what to do about the H1N1 if you are pregnant or have an infant at home.  I know if I were pregnant right now, I would feel very unsure of what to do.  On the one hand, it is risky to take chance catching it as it could be very serious, even fatal.  On the other hand, we know there are no established trials on the safety of these vaccines for unborn babies. 

On his most recent entry on The Vaccine Book blog, Dr. Bob Sears addresses this very legitimate concern:

What about pregnant and/or nursing mothers?

This is a little scary. The flu shots are ALREADY recommended for pregnant and nursing moms, BUT (and this is a really huge but) the vaccine product inserts make it very clear that the regular flu vaccines have never been tested on pregnant or nursing women to determine if there is any harm to fetuses or young babies (with one exception – the ­­­­Flumist nasal spray brand did have some testing in this area, BUT not enough, as is stated in the product insert).

Despite this complete lack of research, it is recommended for these moms anyway. Anyone see a problem with that?

If you do get a flu shot, at least make sure it is mercury-free (or at least only TRACE mercury).

Dr. Sears has received a lot of heat over his cautious stance for pregnant women, but he maintains his belief that pregnant women should not receive this vaccine (or any flu vaccine) unless, as the vaccine manufacturers suggest, it's clearly needed.  

To provide a little balance for those who generally do not vaccinate, here is the Mothering Magazine page of resources for the swine flu.

Many have asked what we are doing about the H1N1 vaccine, and I have been a little hesitant to answer because I so strongly, strongly believe each family (each individual, really) must decide what is best based on their own unique set of circumstances.  I do have to say that I really believe that we have already had swine flu.  Shortly after school started in August, H1N1 began going around in our community, and we had several verified cases within our church.  Dacey, Kyle, and I all got very sick with a list of symptoms that read like checklist for H1N1.  AJ had a touch of it, but nothing too bad.

Because of this and because we don't do the seasonal flu vaccine, we personally are opting not to get the H1N1 vaccine.  We have no pregnant mamas, no infants, no people with asthma, and no elderly people in our home.  So that is what we feel comfortable choosing for our family.  For now.

photo by NathanF

fall break-ish

It has been a little quiet here, I suppose.  To the readers who are new around here (hello!  I am so glad you are here!  Really, I am), I wish I could say this is so very unusual.  In reality, it's not.  Long-time readers know that I'll sometimes disappear for a month (or more) with no real words of explanation.  In fact, last October I only published three posts.  I'm beginning to think it has something to do with autumn.

It would be lovely to tell you that I've just been so darn busy brewing apple cider and carving jack-o-lanterns and hanging magnificent wreaths that I just don't have a minute to sit and write.  Oh, that would be lovely, but not a word of it true.  Mostly I've been caring for a sick husband and sick toddler (which one requires more energy?  you tell me . . .), participating in my annual tradition of putting off Halloween costume preparations until the very last minute and then freaking out about it, and honoring the rhythm of fall by slowing down and slowing down and then a little more slowing down.

The leaves on the trees that line our streets are just now beginning the slow burn towards barren, and daily I am startled by how quickly the changes of autumn take place.  One day the first leaf merely whispers change, and the next day it seems the entire lawn is littered with the crunchy debris of that explosive celebration of what once was.

As the good poet Frost told us

Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

I think that must be why I pause to break in fall each year - that subconscious need to grasp the gold while I can.  I really (really) do not enjoy winter, and already I am starting to brace myself for the gray months ahead.  I want to kick through the golden leaf piles in my bare feet for just a day or two more.

I'll be around later this week.  Promise.

Does autumn hit anyone else this way?  Does the changing of the season slow you down or does it bring you invigoration? 

photo by batega

Well, that is one way to meet people . . .

The other day I was rushing down our stairs when the thought occurred to me, "What if I fell down the stairs and knocked myself out?  What would happen to the girls?  How long before Kyle came home and found me lying sprawled at the bottom of the stairs?"

From my first days as an at-home mom, I've been terrified of what would happen if something majorly bad happened to me while I was home alone with my children.  So of course, as soon as I felt like Dacey was old enough to understand, I started teaching her how to call 911.

The hurried trip down the stairs inspired me to run a refresher course with Dacey on the logistics of the 911 call.

Me: Dacey, do you remember what to do if there is an emergency and you need to call 911?

Dacey: First, find the phone.

Me:  Where is the phone?

Dacey: On your nightstand.

Me: Good.  Then what?

Dacey: Dial 9-1-1.  (She picked up the phone and showed me the numbers.)

Me: What button do you have to push first?

Dacey: The green button.

Me:  Good!  Okay, now remember, you should only call 911 if there is an emergency in our house, like if Mommy fell down the stairs or fell off of a chair or a stool (we have high cabinets, okay?  Kitchen acrobatics are not unusual around here) and if it looks like I am asleep but you can't seem to get me to wake up . . .

Dacey: Or if you have pink eye

Me: Or if I . . . wait.  WHAT?  No!  No, you cannot call 911 if I have pink eye.

My mind flashed to our first accidental 911 call.  The child who called 911 was not the one who had been instructed in the ways of 911.  No, it was the newly one year old Little Sister who adores the phone and who, in an unsupervised moment, had managed to push just the right buttons to summon a nice-looking young officer of the law to our home in our new community. 

My face had flushed bright red as I stammered out that we were all quite fine and it must have been my daughter and I'm so very, very sorry.  He narrowed his eyes a bit and asked, "Are you sure?" as if to make sure that I wasn't hiding some horrific catastrophe behind the only partially opened front door.  Truth be told, there probably was a horrific catastrophe in our living room, but it was more of the stuffed-animal-littered-floor-and-piles-of-clean-folded-un-put-away-laundry-everywhere variety rather than anything involving blood, weapons, or paraphernalia of one kind or another.

I returned to the moment at hand and explained with more detail and more emphasis to Dacey exactly what sort of situations merited a call to 911.  When I felt slightly more comfortable with her grasp on the concept of emergency, I changed the subject, but not before wondering how long it would be before our address was flagged as The Cry Wolf House.

Meeting people and making friends in a small town can be an overwhelming and intimidating task. I suppose, however, if worse comes to worse we could always resort to summoning new friends via an "accidental" call to the good people of 911.

This post is my submission to my friend Jamie of Steady Mom's 30 Minute Blog Challenge.  Post time, start to finish: 28 minutes (with much gratitude to Sesame Street).

photo by EMS_EMT

From the Archives: On Raising Girls

In the past ten days, two of my most dear long-time friends have welcomed new baby girls into this world.  One of them stalwartly refuses to blog, no matter how much I prod her; the other is friend Laura whom you may know from the Peacoat Papers - proud new mama to Pigtail.

All of the baby girl sweetness is triggering some major pink bundle nostalgia for me.  I flipped back through my archives and found this post from November 2007 (the only month I tortured myself with NaBloMoPo - oy! Never again.). 

Thoughts on raising up these little girls:

What worries you most about raising daughters?

This question, from my sweet friend Corey at Living and Loving Every Minute of It, has prompted a lot of reflection for me.

I remember with vivid accuracy how elated I was when the ultrasound tech moved the wand over my belly and proclaimed over D, "It's a girl!" Over the moon, I was. Visions of sugar and spice, of tutus and dress-up heels, of shopping for prom dresses and a wedding dress, began to dance in my head. "A girl baby! A girl baby!" my nieces shrieked when they were told our happy news. Little girls and grown-up girls alike go a little ga-ga over brand new bundles of pink and sweet. Gazing into those baby girl eyes, we imagine a sparkly future replete with all the glittery memories of our own girlhoods. Pigtails and baby dolls. Slumber parties and puppy love. Phone calls and pom-pons.

As a mother to not one, but now two, little visions in pink, I daydream those sunny futures for my girls. And as a mother, I am sometimes gripped with extraordinary fear when my thoughts take a turn down darker paths. Sometimes it's a story on the news that triggers a nearly paralyzing reaction in me as I consider what evil could be waiting to prey on my precious daughters. Other times, a flash of memory from my own past takes my breath away as I consider how painful it can be to grow from girl to woman. So yes, in the midst of the ribbons and bows, I worry.

For I know all too well the sting of a best friend's rejection . . . She doesn't want to be my friend anymore.

I know the heartache of not being good enough . . . My name wasn't on the list.

I know the sorrow of a broken heart . . . He just wants to be friends.

I know that even if I confined my daughters to our house, that somehow the hurt and the sad would still find its way in. I guess what worries me most is that I am helpless to protect them from the scrapes and stings and tears and blue that are all part of being wrapped up in this skin called woman. I am as helpless as my own mother was to protect me from the many dramas (both real and imagined) that she walked me through and talked me through. As each of us know, those lows that come with the highs and the pain that comes with the joy are all part of what makes us who we are as women. I'll always be fighting that urge to protect them, even as I loosen my grip on their hands to allow them freedom to experience this life for themselves.

There is so much to be tempted to worry over. In the face of that worry, I am reminded to pray. I pray so much for my daughters, but my most earnest request for each is that the love they fall for first would be the ever-pursuing, ever-steady love of The Bridegroom. For if each of my daughters is rooted and established in the love of Christ first and foremost, I can be sure that when the day of hurt and heartbreak finds them, they will have a safe place to land . . . in His Arms.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL POST COMPLETE WITH ALL COMMENTS

photo by D Sharon Pruitt

We did it! We raised 1 G for Princess G!!!

photo by Pink Sherbet

Just a quick note to let you know that through your amazing, outrageous, staggering generosity, we were able to raise $1,000 in less than 48 hours for the Vega Family!!!

For some reason, ChipIn ended the event four hours earlier than it was supposed to and the widget's final total says $991, but we had one contributor for whom the widget would not work, so she donated directly bringing our total amount raised to $1,001. 

I'm just floored.  Absolutely, unspeakably floored.

I'm probably going to have to somewhere and cry for a little bit, but before I do, allow me to say one more time - THANK YOU!  Thank you for contributing, thank you for blogging and tweeting and Facebooking, thank you for praying.  Thank you for your patience and your loving support.

My heart is so full.

Ready? Set? GO Bless The Vega Family!

OH!  What a week it has been.  I've learned a lot of things this week.  I now know more than I have ever wanted to know about PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy, state-by-state gaming laws, and what it takes to be a 501(c).  But I've also learned there exists some amazingly thoughtful, generous, helpful, kind, and gracious people on this planet, and my life has been deeply, deeply touched and enriched by these people this week.

Below, you will find the post that originally ran here at SortaCrunchy on Monday.  Some of you had a chance to read it before I had to pull it because of The PayPal Incident, and some of you had not gotten to it yet when we hit that little bump in the road.  Here you will get to meet Gabriella Vega and learn a little about how and why we are coming together to bless the Vega family.

I am excited to tell you that time is of the essence.  We want to work quickly to get funds in place to pour out blessing on the Vega family.  At the end of this post, you'll be able to see exactly how you can be a part of this!

Gabriella Vega is a precious, beautiful, amazing little girl who is exactly the same age as my oldest daughter Dacey.  Most everyone who knows her finds that she quite perfectly fits her nickname - Princess G.  From her earliest days, there was no denying that she was full of spunk and is quite clearly royalty:

Gabriella at 15 months

Last spring, I shared with you my connection to Gabriella and her family when I told you about her family's recent discovery that their precious four year old had a condition called Myocardial Bridging causing Restrictive Cardiomyopathy which meant she would need a heart transplant. 

Gabriella, four years old, summer 2009

If you have time, you can read through the blog Gabriella's mama (my sweet friend Kristi) has been keeping to allow everyone to be updated on each new development, challenge, and answer to prayer.  After many tests, tons of paperwork, and painful decisions to be made in the context of the "new normal" for the Vega family, things seemed to be clicking into place. 

Gabriella was approved by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to have a wish granted.  Ever the fan of Disney and all things princess, she chose a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida as the wish she wanted to have granted.  (That's her with her Make-A-Wish team on the left.)  The Vegas had planned to slip away to Florida on October 8th for a beautiful week at Walt Disney World.  The plan was that immediately after they returned - October 15th - Gabriella would finally be officially placed on the heart transplant list. 

In mid-September, the last of the major details seemed to get wrapped up when Jet Team Inc stepped up to offer flight charter services to the Vegas when a heart became available for Gabriella. 

Just days after she had her picture taken on "her plane," all plans came to a halt because on September 25th, Gabriella had a stroke.

Many of you have partnered with people around the world to pray for this brave, smart, sassy, and gorgeous little girl.  God's mighty Hand has been so evident in her recovery.  She has wowed the doctors, nurses, and the team of physical, occupational, and speech therapists working with her in recovery with her determination and desire to be back to her regular Princess G self:

Gabriella, post-stroke, October 2009

And that is what brings us to today.  So many people have been touched by Gabriella's life and story.  There are many who want to reach out to the Vegas in a tangible way, and that is what we are going to be about this week.  If you have a little pocket change floating around without a purpose, may I invite you to put a purpose on it that will last far longer than a pumpkin spice latte?

We want to bless the socks off of the Vegas in the next two days! 

What are the plans for the money given towards this group gift? 

• We hope to be able to alleviate some of the financial toll that has come as a result of Gabriella's stroke by paying off the Vegas' bill at the Ronald McDonald House at the Phoenix Children's Hospital
• In the hard days ahead filled with speech therapy and adjusting to life post-stroke, we want to provide relief from the burden of coming up with an answer to the "what's for dinner?" question by providing restaurant gift cards
• If you have ever walked through a major life crisis, you know that even the smallest of needs can seem overwhelming.  We hope to meet some needs on a practical level for the Vegas by purchasing grocery and gas gift cards
• The part of Gabriella's brain most affected by the stroke is the speech center.  She has many days of speech therapy ahead.  Insurance covers only 60 days of outpatient therapy, and the family will be responsible for $25 for each of the insurance-covered therapy session.  Last Monday, Kristi wrote that they are asking God for means to be able to pay for extended speech therapy sessions.  Any monies raised that go above and beyond meeting the needs listed above will be donated to the trust set up by the Vega family to offset costs of Gabriella's medical care not covered by insurance.
• Wanna be a part of His answer for this prayer?  Here's how.  Thanks to my outrageously helpful friend Missy, I discovered how to partner with ChipIn to collect donations today (Wednesday) through Friday, October 16th.  (You'll still be paying through your PayPal account)  Just clickety-click-click the widget below and follow the instructions from there:

Now, what about those wonderful individuals and business who had stepped up with prize donations for the event we talked about earlier this week that starts with an "r" and ends with an "affle"?  Well, here's the thing.  Many of those people still want to bless the hearts of those who are rallying around the Vegas to support them in this way.  I can't really say much more than that, but just know that a some of the people who contribute to this fundraiser (not all!  but some) may very well gather the mail or open the email inbox one day and find a little unexpected treat has arrived courtesy of this team of Random Acts of Kindness Rewarders.  You just never know.

Really, time is of the essence here.  I'm thrilled to tell you that Gabriella is being released from PCH tomorrow!  Praise God!  We really want to get that Ronald McDonald House bill paid for them and provide for some of their needs in the weeks to come. So fire up the PayPal and tell your friends, too!

(fine print: each donation is simply that - a donation.  I need to make it clear you are not purchasing anything.  You are donating to the Vega family cause.  The amount of your donation will be completely confidential between you and me.  Some contributors will be randomly selected via random.org to receive a small treat from a team of friends of the Vegas and SortaCrunchy.  These people will be notified via the email connected to the PayPal account through which they made the contribution.  Questions? Email or comment, please.  Thank you!)