Nikki will be blogging for 24 hours on July 29th to raise money for the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation in honor of brave NB Fighters! Please
Final Post [Post # 47 8:30 AM]
Sunflowers by Christi Thomas
**Together, we raised $1095 for CNCF! I can’t thank you all enough!! More good news: You can STILL Sponsor Me! for 48 hours AFTER the Blogathon is over! Send this link to your friends, neighbors, garbage man, etc! We can still raise more for CNCF in honor of our Warriors! (Notice how I'm taking ownership of them now!)**
Sean and his siblings, sent to me overnight by his mom!
I'd really like to thank all the families, sponsors, friends who kept me awake, etc for helping make this experience memorable. I met A TON of amazing people online in the past 24 hours that I would never had met otherwise. What a great time! You'll definitely be hearing from me next year everyone!!!! Please feel free to leave as many happy comments in the posts as you'd like! I will definitely be reading when I wake up!!!!!
Before I head off to la-la land, I'd like to post the follwing items.
The following is my gift to all of the mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends of these beautiful children.
Christi holding a butterfly yesterday!
THE CHOSEN MOTHERS
By Erma Bombeck
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?
Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."
Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer."
The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."
"Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair.
Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it."
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you." No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps -"Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted. She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them." She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side."
"And what about her patron Saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."
And this is something for the parents, friends, family of our Angels, as given to me by Angela, mother of Angel Naomi.
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
Or you can be full of love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow because of yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she'd want, smile, open your eyes, love
and go on.
by Vanessa Smith
Angel by Christi Thomas
**Thank you for allowing me into your lives, if only for a short time. Thank you Sarah for helping me!!
Love, Nikki
Sunflowers by Christi Thomas
**Together, we raised $1095 for CNCF! I can’t thank you all enough!! More good news: You can STILL Sponsor Me! for 48 hours AFTER the Blogathon is over! Send this link to your friends, neighbors, garbage man, etc! We can still raise more for CNCF in honor of our Warriors! (Notice how I'm taking ownership of them now!)**
Sean and his siblings, sent to me overnight by his mom!
I'd really like to thank all the families, sponsors, friends who kept me awake, etc for helping make this experience memorable. I met A TON of amazing people online in the past 24 hours that I would never had met otherwise. What a great time! You'll definitely be hearing from me next year everyone!!!! Please feel free to leave as many happy comments in the posts as you'd like! I will definitely be reading when I wake up!!!!!
Before I head off to la-la land, I'd like to post the follwing items.
The following is my gift to all of the mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends of these beautiful children.
Christi holding a butterfly yesterday!
THE CHOSEN MOTHERS
By Erma Bombeck
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?
Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."
Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer."
The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."
"Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair.
Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it."
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you." No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps -"Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted. She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them." She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side."
"And what about her patron Saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."
And this is something for the parents, friends, family of our Angels, as given to me by Angela, mother of Angel Naomi.
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
Or you can be full of love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow because of yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she'd want, smile, open your eyes, love
and go on.
by Vanessa Smith
Angel by Christi Thomas
**Thank you for allowing me into your lives, if only for a short time. Thank you Sarah for helping me!!
Love, Nikki
posted by nikki the red at 8:30 AM
2 Comments:
Nikki,
Congratulations on completing your blogathon.
Thanks so much for doing this to help NB children, and God bless.
Cheers.
You are amazing. You have so much love in your heart and I'm proud to have you as one of my closest friends.
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