Bravery Beads

A friend of mine recently joined The Littlest Heroes Project as a photographer. She posted a link to their site on her facebook page. It sparked my interest, so I checked it out. They work with children who have diseases or disabilities. They provide free photo sessions to the little heroes and their families...

Further down the front page I saw a link about 'not a photographer, but still want to help?'... Something called Bravery Beads. BEADS! WHAT? So, of course, I clicked. People can make cards and bracelets and send them in. They are then given to these little heroes when they go to the hospital for surgery or treatment. Isn't that great! Of course, I had TONS of beads and lots of paper/stickers/coloring stuff... So why not?

Oh, but then I saw that you can read biographies and see pictures of some of these little heroes. That's so neat... but then I started reading about these kids. These teenagers who have been sick for years. These little kids who are having surgeries. Some of them are infants. They have just started their lives and they already face such trials...

And here I am. I have two beautiful and healthy children. I, myself, have never had to go through anything so serious... And as a mother, my heart broke. What must it be like to see your baby go through chemo treatments or a transplant or surgery? I knew for sure I had to help.

I gathered my supplies, told my friends about it, and decided that in my spare time I would work as much as possible on cards and bracelets. If I can bring a smile to just one child... So for the past few days, every spare chance I have, I have worked on cards and bracelets. I had some friends come over and make them with me. They even took beads home to work in their spare time too! We decided to work for one week and make as many as we can. Then, we will get them all together and send them in.

I even got my kids to help! Ayla and Zach both love coloring. Since Zach is home during the day while Ayla is in school, he helped me make quite a few cards. Then today, since Ayla was home, we did some coloring. My kids, who are so sweet and precious... They understand that what they make is going to go to a little boy or girl, maybe the same age as they are. They know these boys and girls are very sick. They spend a lot of time in doctors offices and hospitals. And while my mother's heart goes out to those precious little boys and girls, my kids are happy! They are so excited that some sick little boy or girl is going to get THEIR card or THEIR bracelet. They pour everything they have into their creations. They talk about how when a little boy or girl gets their card and bracelet it will make them smile. Then their smile will make their mommy and daddy smile. And their smile will make the doctors smile...

So today, even though it pours rain, thunders and lightening outside... Even though I pray for the little heroes and their families.... I SMILE. I smile because my kids have shown me the unlimited love in a child's heart. I smile because, as they pointed out, If I smile then someone else will smile. And then someone else. And someone else...

Who knows... Maybe we can get the whole block to smile... or the whole neighborhood... or the whole town... Guess we just have to smile and see how far it goes...


:)