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Weekend Reads: 6.22.14 — HOP for HOPE

June 22, 2014 by notjustcute Filed Under: Uncategorized, Weekend Reads Leave a Comment

HOP for HOPE

We all have them.  Those moments when we realize we’ve taken some of life’s most miraculous moments for granted.  I’ve been blessed to bring home four healthy baby boys.  Fairly uneventful beyond the profound wonder that is birth.

But this week I’ve watched as a blogging colleague has sat by, sung to, and prayed over her new baby girl in the hospital’s NICU, fighting for a chance at life.

And it makes me realize how much I’ve taken for granted. 

Out of gratitude for my own four miracles (not to mention the miracle of my own life, which began with a stay in a hospital’s NICU), I wanted to show my own support for Heather and her baby girl, Savannah Hope — and gather others to their side.

Heather is the blogger behind Crayon Box Chronicles, a blog devoted to sensory, art, and play-based learning.  During Heather’s pregnancy, her daughter, Savannah was diagnosed with severe Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH),a birth defect of the diaphragm. Essentially with CDH there is a hole in the diaphragm that allows organs from the diaphragm to move into the chest and thereby compromising critical lung development.

Heather and Savannah endured a complicated in utero tracheal occlusion surgery at 29 weeks to try to give Savannah a better chance at survival.  Unfortunately, the surgery was unsuccessful in improving her lung growth.  But Savannah is a fighter, surviving her birth and a surgery shortly thereafter to repair the hernia and move the displaced organs.

She’s fighting now.

Savannah has been on ECMO (life support) for several days now, giving her lungs a chance to rest and get ready to do some hard work.

Several of us in the Kid Blogger Network are banding together to rally more people to support this precious little girl and her family.  Here’s how you can help:

1) Simply read some of the posts on Heather’s blog.  Heather doesn’t need to be worrying about her blog right now.  Just like neighbors who’ll stop by in times of crisis with a casserole or an offer to help with odd jobs, many of us are hoping that connecting our readers with Heather’s great work will help keep her blog afloat — with the added benefit of getting some great resources in front of all of you!

Here are some great posts to start with:

A Mother’s Letter: Capturing Moments in Time (This is Heather’s letter to Savannah, written shortly before her birth.  Have a tissue handy.)

Savannah Hope’s Journey (Read about the diagnosis and procedures attempted to date.)

And here’s a sampling of Heather’s “regular programming”:

Crayon Box Chronicles

Monster Truck Sensory Bin

Root Beer Float Play Dough

Desert Moldable Sand Small World

DIY Fireman Air Tank for Pretend Play

DIY Geoboard with Fabric Loops

2) Make a donation.  Right now the focus is on Savannah’s survival.  But eventually, there will be bills to pay.  And they won’t be small.  Donations can be made at You Caring and will go towards medical and family costs associated with Savannah’s fight.  No donation is too small.  Together we can make a difference.

3) Give moral support.  Say a prayer.  Send positive thoughts.  Write an encouraging note on the Prayers for Savannah facebook page.  Whatever your preferred form of uplifting and enlightening, it will be received with grace and gratitude.

4) Count your blessings.  Kiss your family.  Hold them close.  Don’t take life’s uneventful miracles for granted.

Follow the HOP for HOPE blog hop by following the links at the blog hop starting page.

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I’m Amanda Morgan. Here’s what I’m about…

In early education, there is too much distance between what we know and what we do. I bridge the gaps that exist between academia, decision-makers, educators, and parents so that together, we can improve the quality of early education while also respecting and protecting the childhood experience.

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