Imagine a child. A beautiful Child. A child with sparkling eyes and a smile that lights up a room. A child loved by a young mother, a young father — as precious to them as the air they breathe. Can you see this child?
Imagine the color blue. Softly at first. So faint you’re not even really quite sure you see it. But it’s there. Sensed before it’s seen. Creeping, seeping into cherished features… lips, fingers, toes.
Now imagine the color white. Stark white. Chillingly sterile. Antiseptic whiteness enveloping this child — pulling them back from a horrific shade of blue in a tangle of wires, tubes, and beeping alarms.
Imagine the young mother weeping as she stands in this tight room of white, far from home, stroking the treasured child’s tiny head, unable to cradle the child in her arms as she longs to. Imagine the young father, holding her close, trying to be strong for all three of them. Imagine the anguish in their hearts as a hurried surgeon tells them the child needs surgery. A risky one. One in a long line of surgeries the child has already had to endure. One of many the child has yet to face.
Imagine long, restless, fitful nights. Nights the young mother spends holding the child’s hand. Praying for every breath, every heartbeat. Imagine the young father’s threadbare soul as he worries. Worries about his child’s pale little face, his exhausted wife, and the bills. The bills that haunt his family’s every waking thought.
Imagine…
Now imagine it’s you. Your child. Your husband. Your wife. Your family.
What would you do?
What would you wish for?
What would it mean to you if someone you had never met held out a hand to help you, your child, your family?
I can tell you from personal experience, exactly what it means. It means everything. Jacqui is here — a joyous, sparkling part of our lives because people cared. Some of the most thoughtful gestures came from people we didn’t even know. People we had never met. And I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for them. I know how important the little gestures are. Jacqui didn’t get where she is today from one person doing something huge. She got where she is through a whole community of caring — many, many, people doing countless little things, that when added all together changed her life, and ours.
Which is why my heart just breaks for Pam and her adorable little Rhett at Rhett’s Journey, and for Tammy and her precious little Parker, at Praying for Parker. They are amazing moms, with heroic families. And although my family lives on a relatively tight budget stretched thin with our own medical issues, I cannot just sit by and do nothing but watch as these other two families struggle. Since I don’t have an excess of income that I can draw from, I spent a lot of time trying to think of what I could do to help these two wonderful families. About a month ago, I realized I could certainly gift them with a little bit of my time and creativity. So here is what I came up with: A set of hand-drawn pen and ink stipple prints that I have been working on during spare moments here and there in my evenings…
Each print is matted in a 5×7 wooden frame under glass. The drawings are all done by hand, and if you are not familiar with stipple drawings, they are composed entirely of tiny dots. The set is composed of a series of four hobby-horse variations: A zebra, an elephant, a giraffe and a lion. Each of them have button wheels threaded with red ribbon. The frames have both an easel back and a wall hook. I have sold similar sets on consignment for $75.00, but I rarely have time to invest in drawing these days.
At the end of the month, I will host a giveaway drawing with a winner randomly selected from the names of everyone who donates $5.00 to the Hands Helping Children Paypal account I have created to benefit these families. For every $5.00 you donate you will get one chance in the giveaway drawing to win the print set — just send me an email or leave me a comment to let me know you’ve donated and how many entries you qualify for in the drawing. At the end of the month, the contents of the Paypal account will be split equally between Rhett and Parker’s families to help provide them with some much needed financial relief. To donate, click the button below, or send a Paypal payment to handshelpingchildren(at)gmail(dot)com.
Click button:
or CLICK HERE to donate.
I have no idea how much this will bring in for them, but I figured it would likely be more than anything I could afford to do for them on my own. So I’m just going to say a little prayer here, and hope that this turns out well. They are both amazing and inspiring families and I hope each of you head over to read each of their stories.
If you want to help beyond participating in the giveaway drawing, I would love any help I could get in spreading the word on this fund-raiser. If you can link to this post, or stick a button in your sidebar… I’ll just be so grateful.
Or maybe you would like to participate in some other fund-raisers for these lovely families:
Open a new account with Revolutionary Money Exchange from the link at Praying For Parker and Parker’s Medical Fund will receive $10.00 for each new account opened through his link. Plus you will be sent $25 from RME!
The Original Crackerjack Site is designing a lovely book for Parker’s upcoming surgery on May 16th: For a one dollar donation you can have your photo and website added to this book along with a drawing made especially in honor of your donation by the author’s lovely 2-year-old daughter Izabel. This fund-raiser just goes through this Wednesday, May 14th — so hurry!
The lovely Amy, of Bunny Rose Cottage is currently
donating the proceeds from her Etsy shop to Parker’s Medical Fund — go check it out!
The clever and creative Michelle, of Down Blogger, is coordinating a virtual craft fair benefit for Parker’s Medical Fund. If you’re the crafty sort — stop by! Michelle is currently seeking talent for this thoughtful effort.
Jessica from Raising Joey is generously donating 50% of her online sales from her bookstore from now through June 10th to Parker and Rhett’s families.
Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes, is donating the proceeds from her Discovery Toy sales from April 15th through this Thursday, May 15th to Parker’s Medical Fund — better hurry on this one too!
So join in! So many ways to get involved — so many opportunities to show that you care. And you’ll be part of something special. Two priceless little lives and two beautiful families who will never forget that people like you cared enough to try and make a difference.
benefit fundraiser fund raiser giveaway give away drawing nursery prints helping others
You are so talented! I know Tammy and Pam are feeling truly blessed by all the kindness of those around! Happy Mother’s Day, Michelle!
May 11th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Those are beautiful Michelle. I’d gladly add some 8×10 photos of mine to the pot if you’d like! E-mail me and (aside from the one you like-which I want to send you a print of
) You can choose some to add.
Happy Mother’s Day to all!
May 12th, 2008 at 1:16 am
What a wonderful way to provide service and support!
Happy Mother’s Day!
May 12th, 2008 at 2:37 am
What an amazingly generous idea. YOU are such a thoughtful and creative woman.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:59 am
What a precious gift of time and energy. Thank you for putting your thoughts and cares into ACTION. You are a great example to me.
May 12th, 2008 at 6:42 am
These are simply beautiful.
Kinda like you and your sweet heart.
Thank you.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
those are wonderful drawings…how talented and creative you are!
Thanks for mentioning my Toy Raiser - I haven’t officially closed it yet, so if you’re still interested I’ll donate my commissions on sales through Thur as I’m leaving town on Fri and want to pay pal it to Tammy before then.
May 12th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Thank you Michelle. Rhett is already sending lots and lots of hugs your way!!
Pam and Rhett
May 12th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I put the button on my sidebar.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
What a fantastic idea! They are wonderful!
May 12th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Wow, this is so beautifully and powerfully written. And, you’ve god mad sketching skills!I just donated for these sweet boys.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Your drawings are beautiful, so are you.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Bless your heart!
May 13th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Ursula just gave me a great idea and I’d love to donate a personalized signed copy of my novel if you’d like to add that to the pot of prizes. Kudos to you for doing all this! K.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Thanks for all the lovely complements, everyone!
Ursula - Taking you up on your photography print offer — you’re the best!
Tammy - You are most welcome, and I hope this ends up helping out you and your sweet little hero!
Michelle - Ooo! Yay - I’ll update the info in this post and come take a look
Pam - You are so welcome — lots of prayers for you and Rhett too! I’m really hoping this works out well to help your amazing family
Yay, Becky!! Thank you!
Christina - A million thanks! You’re a sweetheart!
Jo - You’re an angel!
(Thank you!)
Karen - WOW! That is just fabulous — I will take you up on that
Thank you so much for your incredible generosity! 
Looks like I need to post an update on the prize package…
May 13th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Michelle,
This is one of the greatest ideas I’ve seen for raising money for a good cause online. My computer, for some unknown and very frustrating reason, won’t let me connect to paypal, but if you send me your address I can mail you a check for my entry. =)
May 13th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
It is a good thing to see you be all that you can by being a great mommy yourself, and also showing how to give back to others!
WOW!
I am just a little touch jealous of your talent…
May 14th, 2008 at 12:59 am
THANK YOU for everything you are doing to raise awareness (and funds!) for Parker. I dont know Rhett yet, but Parker is very special, I imagine little Rhett must be, too. Your artwork is just gorgeous!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Michelle, your art is beyond beautiful, and so is your heart. Thank you for doing this for Parker and Rhett.
I’ve blogged it and ‘borrowed’ some of your post. Time is a bit short around here these days, but I had to help spread the word.
Love ya. Appreciate ya.
May 14th, 2008 at 4:01 am
I know Rhett and Parker from my local chapter and support group. I think this is a great Idea and I am glad to help. we don’t have much to donate but hopefully this will help a little
Angie, mom to Mariah
May 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Just a lurker here who wanted to let you know that I am putting the button on my sidebar
Jaimie
May 14th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Beautiful drawings. Gorgeous you.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I am crocheting some washcloths and maybe some toys to auction off. I read about Jacqui’s efforts on Rhett’s blog and was thoroughly ashamed that I hadn’t picked up my hook and yarn as soon as I heard about the fundraisers! Is it too late to get in?
May 19th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
[…] sweet friend from A Child’s Life is hosting IMAGINE for both Parker and […]
May 27th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Michelle-
I think it’s Parker that uses probiotics (and costs the family $$)-I left a note on their site about trying to help them with probiotics, what kind they need, etc but I haven’t heard back. If you are in contact with them, can you find out? I may be able to get them some to help alleviate the cost. I just need to know if there is anything specific that he can/can’t have supplementally. I can give you more details via e-mail if you want to touch base.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:16 am
What beautiful prints and what a glorious gift to two beautiful boys.
I sent a donation and put a link on my blog, as both Rhett and Parker are very dear to my heart
May 30th, 2008 at 5:17 pm