...Yep.  First let me say, I was home alone watching this on the news this past sunday morning...emotions just took over me...and I let it go...and it felt good.

There are so many amazingly selfish people in this world...and Mini and I have been touched by so many...I am moved to do something...I don't know what...sigh.  But, I must do something to give back to a community of people, doctors, lawyers, schools, families that have done so much for Mini and I...

Mini has attended the Hole in the Wall Camp for 9 years!  She was just 7 years old the first time my mom and I watched her step on that camp bus with the maturity and wonder of someone twice her age. My mom and I were scared.  Mini had just had a stroke, she was getting a blood transfusion every 3 weeks...she was being hooked up to a medical drip every single night...How can we be sending this girl off to camp?  As Mini took her window seat on that bus...and looked at me and gave me the biggest smile...and waved bye...I knew I was doing the right thing...she wasn't scared...I was scared...I did not want to put my fear on her...Her eyes said, Mommy, I'm fine, I want to see everything this world has to offer...I can do this...and she did. 

Mini has attended camp every single year since...just like the video mentions, NOTHING was going to stop Mini from going to camp...NOTHING.  The only time I every saw my Mini break down, was the one year they told her she could not attend...too many kids.  What!?!??!  I gave Mini the news thinking she would take it the way she takes everything else...(stroke, special ed, brain surgeries, death...etc.) on the chin...Man, was I surprised...Mini fell to the floor in full dramatic fashion, crying.  I had never seen her respond to any disappointment like that...I thought to myself, man, what the hell are they doing at that camp?  I got on the phone...spoke to a couple of people, explained the situation and Mini went off to camp that year too.  Sigh.

When Mini and I had our first consultation about Sickle Cell and being cured with a bone marrow transplant, one of her first questions to Dr. B was, "will I still be able to go to camp if I don't have sickle cell?"  He said, he wasn't sure...she said, "Oh well, no camp, no bone marrow transplant...I'll keep Sickle Cell."  SIGH!  What the hell are they doing at that camp?!?!?!?

Sigh, I said all of that to say, I hope our story moves you in some way to help in anyway you can to keep this camp going.  If you can't donate money, donate time or things...or just purchase the Paul Newman brand food products in your supermarket.  I'm telling you first hand this is a charity that is doing amazing work...changing lives...giving kids something to live for...Mini attended this camp for 9 years and we have never paid one dime...not one.  

Mini was given the "Michelle Obama" award at camp this year...for being a leader and not a follower and working so well with the little kids who came to camp for the first time, just like Mini did 9 years ago...Mini is looking forward to being a Leader in Training next year...and a counselor every year there after...lol.  I'm looking forward to her spreading hope and healing...showing kids that if you stay positive you too can live a better life.

Please forgive me for going on and on...I know this is a decor lifestyle blog, but this was on my heart this morning to share this with you all...I will now watch the video and cry again...smile.

Go here to see how you can make a difference.