Asking God...

We don't always see where God is "going" when He plops circumstances into our lives. I am never quite sure why He can't orchestrate the day's happenings so that the phone doesn't ring at the same time that I am fishing a "blanky" out of the toilet which was dropped there when the dog barked because the UPS guy was delivering a package that had to be signed for...ALL while my original intent in opening the bathroom door was so that I could USE the bathroom! Sometimes I just KNOW, my God has a HUGE sense of humor. I can't explain my passion for Cancer Kids...I can much more easily explain Mimi's, Haley's, and Peggy's. All I know is that God is laying BIG things on my heart and I pray He is SURE I am the one He wants to do this because it is growing every single day! The cards are selling on CafePress, the NAMESAKES sold amazingly well and in our drive to the airport, Mimi and I had a thousand other ideas. Things that we will need a TEAM to do. You are my team! Heather and Marcy have offered to sell some of their wares on my NEW website/blog (which still needs a DESIGNER! I may be artistic but I cannot "HTML" to save my life!) and donate 50% of their proceeds to the kids! On the way to the airport the Heavens opened and DUMPED a plethora of ideas right into my van! Mimi and I were struggling to not interrupt each other as the ideas were flowing from our mouths like .... um, ideas flowing from our mouths! You thought I was going to say, "vomit!" I was telling her about a book I had written long before I met her or had a blog that is called, "Look What We Can Do..." and is a craft book for kids that shows them how to put their creativity to work and blessing those around them with it. A Philanthropy 101 course for the creative child, if you will. The second part of that series is called, "...When We Put Our Heads Together!" and would be vignettes of the children/scouting groups/schools that used the book to raise money for someone in their community or for a larger organization. Problem is...publishers and agents tell me that because there isn't a "philanthropic" shelf in most children's sections of the big book stores, they do not think it would sell well. I NEED A PUBLISHER FOR THIS PROJECT! Mimi and I were also talking about designing a line of ChemoPals...small beanie-type boy and girl dolls that would accompany children to treatments. The doll would have various hairstyles and colors to match any child but would be removable. The top of the head would turn inside out to reveal a bald head while the child goes through treatment. And it would have a velcro closure that could be reversed to show hair again as the child's hair grows back after treatment. We were thinking that the nurses could poke and prod the ChemoPal as well, to give the child a partner when most feel very alone. Christie, Mikayla VanWey's mom from the carepages said Mikayla asked her at bedtime, "Mommy, when you were 4 and had cancer did you have to take chemo?" It's all they know and it breaks my heart! Mimi has a passion for having pre-packed backpacks for the hospitals to give out when what started as an appointment for testing turns into an immediate and lengthy hospital stay. There would be a change of clothes for a parent, magazine, toiletries to get you through a couple days and some miscellaneous items that would help a scared child's mom not HAVE to leave his side during the scariest time of his life! And - eBay (it's where it all started!!) I currently have an auction of a NAMESAKE that I am hoping will make TONS of $$ because I am donating 100% of the proceeds for this one!! Of course, children's book ideas pop into my head throughout the day but lately I have had images of Julian, Coleman, Bailey, Mikayla, Haley and many others being the subjects of these books. I was thinking about going the self-publishing route and having these kids (ANY kids) tell THEIR story and illustrate it as a means to heal but also to share their story with someone who is about to jump into the same boat. Can you just imagine the stories that are hidden inside these babies? (Sorry, Hales, you are not a baby!) Just imagine the lives they could touch with their words and their pictures. The cancer cards will continue to be a focus as I have talked with some cancer moms who are willing to share their child's artwork with me as the designs and the child's photo and type of cancer on the back. Haley and Mimi continue to help me come up with phrasing ideas for things that NEED to be said but no card company has had the nerve to print. I have been working my artwork into some chemo cards as well. The philanthropic gene must run in the family because as Mimi packed up her stuff this morning and the little ones played, I got my big kids breakfast on the table and my oldest's mind was obviously elsewhere as he sat writing on a piece of notebook paper. "Whatcha doin', bud?" I asked. He said, "Making an order form." "For what?" "I am going to ask Mimi if I can sell Juju's bracelets here and send her the orders." I am one PROUD MAMA! I ask that you PLEASE fwd this post to everyone you know. Those of you with blogs, I ask that you link back to it. I ask that you spread the word like wildfire so that God can orchestrate this new venture through you by making some that we could not make alone. Pray for 4 the kids! It is exploding and Mimi and I will never sleep again if we have to do it all by ourselves!! Give us a Hip Hip Hooray in the comments as we are feeling a bit overwhelmed. I feel blessed by your readership!