Friday, November 5

October is Spina Bifida Month and a Card Drive for Logan & Bekah!!


This post will stay Up until Nov. 5th. Please scroll down to check my newests post. Thanks!!



Hello my friends! Today I am so excited to share with you something amazing. As you may know, October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month and I want YOU to help me to bless a couple of kids with this condition with a Card Drive for them.

Let me introduce you to "Logan"

Isn't he adorable!!

Logan and family.

Words from Tiffany, his mom:
Those smiles are priceless.

About Logan and our family- There's Adam- Dad -29 years old, Mom (Me) Tiffany -24 years old, Big Brother- Alex who is 4 years old and then we have Logan who is 2 years old! We live in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. I'm a stay at home mom and am currently homeschooling Alex for pre-k right now! Logan was born October 17th, 2008 in Oklahoma City. He was born with Spina Bifida: Myelomeningocele, Congenital Hyrdrocephalus, Chiari II Malformation, Grade 1 Vesicoureteral Reflux. He has a VP shunt, Asthma and G.E.R.D. He's had 6 surgeries since birth and soon to have his 7th to have a bladder stone removed. At 1 day old he had his SB opening closed, at 1 week old he had his shunt put in, at nearly 2 months old he had a shunt revision and at almost 6 months old he had surgery for a paralyzed diaphragm and he's had 2 ear tube surgeries. Despite all of that, Logan is one of the happiest little boys you will ever meet!!! Always smiling and full of laughter. He's our ray of sunshine and true miracle from God! He Loves Ni Hao Kai-lan, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, The Wonder Pets and The Backyardigans! Logan loves book and music. The floor is his territory and he loves to roll where ever he pleases! He enjoys being able to finally hold his own bottle and he feels so accomplished when he is sitting up on his own, even of it is for a couple minutes! And, he knows he is loved by his family and is a total momma's boy!! We thank God for him every day...



Let me introduce you to "Rebekah"

Sweet Bekah :)

Words from Nicole, her mom:

When Giovana told us she was going to do the card drive again for Spina Bifida Awareness I was so excited. I wish you could have seen Bekah's face when I told her about it! We decided to get out all the cards she got from last year and take a picture. As you can tell, she loves them! :)

Cards from last year's card drive :)

Some info about Rebekah and her family: She is 8 years old and loves dolls, animals, pretend play, and school!! She has an 11-year-old brother who at one time was about the only person that could make her crack up laughing. Now the tide has turned and they have developed a love/hate relationship, as many siblings do. HA! She has a mother and father who have been married for almost 15 years and loving every minute of it. She has been a blessing from the moment she was conceived.

We found out about Rebekah's spina bifida at 16 weeks gestation. At 21 weeks gestation we underwent experimental in utero surgery at UCSF (University of California, San Francisco). We were #12 at that time. Rebekah was "supposed" to be born by 27 weeks gestation but nobody tells her what to do. She was finally ready to come out at 35 weeks gestation and blew the doctors away! At 2 months old Rebekah had placement of a shunt and immediately quit choking on her bottle and her breathing normalized. An added bonus was she started sleeping through the night! Yay! At 10 months old she began getting infections (doc kept saying URI). After 3-4 months of ER visits and clinic visits it was found out that she has a neurogenic bladder and she began catheterizations. Around 2 years of age Bekah was fitted with braces and got a walker. She began walking independing at 3 1/2 years of age. Since that time she has been a whirlwind of activity and a blast! Nothing keeps her down and there isn't a thing she can't do.
On a serious note, when people hear the diagnosis of spina bifida, the first thing that comes to their mind (in many cases) is that they should/could/want to have an abortion. If you or a loved one gets this news I urge you to look at these beautiful children. While many say that this is a devastating condition that means a horrible life, I say that they aren't looking close enough. Is life easy? Absolutely not. It is hard...but the hardest part is dealing with people who don't understand SB. Educate yourself and get to know somebody with SB. They are beautiful. They are stronger than you could ever imagine. They endure hardships with a smile on their face. They are simply amazing...and we would all miss out if they weren't given the chance to show us what they've got. I know my life will never be the same. Simply put, I'm blessed!

Aren't these kids amazing!! I am so blessed to know Bekah and her family, she is my daughter's BFF, they always have a lot of fun :)
I met Tiffany online, while I was googling about Spina Bifida. We e-mailed back and forth and I feel I have met her for long time.

Now, few details about this "Card Drive"
  • This Card Drive will be up until November 5th, 2010
  • You can send "encouragement, cheery, funny" cards.
  •  Your card can be for the child  and/or their families. On your envelope write "Card Drive for Logan" or "Card Drivefor Bekah", so their families know your card is from this Card Drive :)
  • Write something in your card and add your name in it.
  • You will get 1 enter for every card you send :) After linking your card, please leave a comment .
  • Because you will be sending the cards direct to their homes, I will encourage you to leave me a comment and your e-mail so I contact you in case you are a winner!!
  • Everybody is welcome to participate, I will ship International too :)
If you send a card for Bekah, send it to:

"Card Drive for Bekah"
361 Firing Center Road
Yakima, WA 98901


If you send a  card for Logan, send it to: (in this case, you will send them to me and I will send them to Logan :)

"Card Drive for Logan"
181 Perry Way
Yakima, WA 98901

You can post your card here on the Mr. Linky below:







Prizes!!
I am so happy to have some great prizes for you. BIG THANKS to all these companies who have donated these wonderful prizes :)
You don't have 1 or 2 chances but 6 chances to win!!
Prize #1:  Blessed is the season by Gina K. Designs.


Prize #2: Cardinal Pine Cone Border Pre-Cut Set by Heartfelt Creations.


Prize #3 and #4:  Card Creations: Start to Finish and some Little Yellow Bicycle products from Girlfriend Collection, thanks to Paper Craft Magazine :
This prize Includes: Card Creations: Start to Finish, 1 Decorative Edges tablet with Die-cut Stickers,  1 Journal Tablet, 1 Chipboard Album and 1Clear Glittery Stickers :)




Prize #5: Two digital images ( of your choice) from Baby Bud Designs + a $15.00 Michael's Gift Card  ( a gift from me)
Edited to add: Baby Bud Designs is also including 2 rubber stamps: Livvie & Owie

Prize # 6: My sweet friend Melanie has donated the wonderful "Wee Tees" set. Thanks so much Melanie!!



Now, it is your turn! Thanks so much  for stopping by and I hope you have read everything here and be able to participate in this Card Drive :)
If you have any questions, please e-mail me at:  giovanachavez AT msn DOT com, subject : Card Drive.
Thanks so much and God bless you all!!

21 comments:

  1. Count me in, I know from where I work the littlest thing like a card can make their day. Some I work with carry them around until they fall apart! What you are doing is wonderful! God Bless.

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  2. I will definitely send cards. How sweet of you to do this! Can you add a zip code for Logan's address? Thanks

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  4. Thank you for introducing me to these wonderful people! I would love to send each a card! :)

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  5. Count me in, Giovana! I'll be sending some cards!

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  6. I'll be happy to do my little part and will send a card to both children!!

    It'll be fun! Thanks for being so sweet and kind!

    Hugs,
    Lis

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  7. I am more than happy to send cards to both of them! will get busy right away! thank you! :)

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  8. HI Giovana..Well I just linked up my card that I will be sending to Rebekah May God Bless u for doing this!! Hugs Regena

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  9. I have miss Bekah's card all ready to go and will be mailing it out at the beginning of next week! :-)

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  10. Hi Giovana
    Count me in! I'll be busy tomorrow;o) Hats of to you Hun, what a wonderful card drive. It's great to have such wonderful people in this world and thank you for the chance to be part of something sooo wonderful! xx

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  11. It's a honor to make them cards.....My niece has Spina Bifida and I know how she loves to received anything in the mail......

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  12. That's beautiful! Our oldest granddaughter was born 18 years ago with Spina Bifida (undetected on her mom's sonogram). It was quite a shock to all of us. Although it was thought that she'd never walk, she is living a very full and independent life - and walking! She wears lower-leg braces and has to catheterize herself but she is very independent. She's had shunt surgery and shunt modification surgery but overall has amazaed all of her medical team. God has been good throughout her 18 (almost 19) years.

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  13. What a wonderful thing you are doing for these sweet children and their families, Giovana! I was happy to make a card for both of them. I will drop them in the mail tomorrow. Hugs and prayers to them and to you!

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  14. Thank you for sharing their beautiful stories and for spreading awareness. I had no idea October was Spina Bifida month. I'll make some love for them, too.

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  15. Giovana, what you are doing is so wonderful!! I already mailed a card for Logan, and I'm finishing up Rebekah's. Hope you have a great week.

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  16. Hi Giovana
    Just a quick msg to let ye know that Molly and I mailed our cards today - hopefully it will arrive in time.
    Love from Ireland xx

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  17. I just mailed out both cards and linked them. It is a wonderful thing you doing, bringing sunshine into the lives of the children and their parents.

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  18. Count me in Giovana! I will send cards to both families :)

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  19. My cards are going in the mail tomorrow. This is such a wonderful thing that you are doing for these fantastic children.

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  20. I just linked mine up and sending them out today! Thanks for doing a great thing! God Bless you! :)

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  21. Hi Giovana! Just linked up my two cards. Thank you for doing this : )

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