Friday, March 10, 2017

Friday, March 10, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2008. Mattie was sitting in his kindergarten classroom and I got to visit that day and see some of the things he had been working on in class. Mattie's kindergarten teachers worked with the children on learning to write and did it through telling stories. The teachers had Mattie bring in photographs of activities that meant something to him. Then he would develop a story based on the photo. Though I am not for certain, I do think the story Mattie was telling in his book was the time he and I saved six ducklings that fell down a sewer grate. It was a clever way to learn how to write and spell and at the same time develop the skill of telling a story. Which to me is a life skill, since great learning and communication occur through stories. 


Quote of the day: If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong. ~ Masaru Emoto

This photo was sent to me this morning by our friend Laura, who is an international pilot. I have never met Laura in person, but got to know her through emails during Mattie's cancer battle. Laura is the niece of a colleague of Peter's. Yet after all these years, she still keeps in touch with me and whenever she captures a moon shot from the cockpit, she sends it to me..... letting me know that Mattie Moon is with her. 

Isn't that just the most wonderful gift? Mattie means something to Laura, a young woman who never met Mattie, and yet feels a connection to him and to us. To me this is super special.

This is the moon over Greenland today!!!

Meanwhile our April Item drive is growing. I had things in a closet last week, but now as boxes are being shipped to us they are taking over Mattie's room. A great problem to have. 

Every April, Mattie Miracle hosts an item drive in honor of Mattie's birthday. With each successive year, the amount of items we receive grows. Since we are supporting two snack/item carts now, the more toiletries we receive the better. These donated toiletries help to stock the FREE carts we provide to families caring for children in the hospital (MedStart Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC and Children's Hospital at Sinai in Baltimore, MD). The cart revolves around the pediatric units three times a week and parents are stunned to receive nutritious snacks, candy, drinks, and toiletry items for free. The reason this is crucial is because parents typically are unable to get their own needs met while caring around the clock for a child in the hospital. In 2016, I started visiting the Hospital monthly to push the cart myself because I wanted direct feedback about the cart and to get a better feeling for what items were needed and are most popular. 

We have created an Amazon Wish List. Not unlike a bridal registry. People from all over the Country can participate in our Drive, and are!!! To see our wish list, go to:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2UQOK4GY955ZL/ref=cm_wl_list_o_1?