The Month of Reckless Love - Join us in the Celebration!

Oh, My Friends!  You precious people who have followed our story from the beginning (December 2005), those who've jumped in along the way, and those who are brand new to Our Journey in this life of special-needs and medical fragility . . . each of you, ALL of you, just simply MUST KNOW that having you by our side has helped us to get through it all.

It's been difficult this year, in particular, to force myself to sit and write about this upcoming celebration of Ellie Kate's life and the Month of Reckless Love.  OH, how I long to celebrate Our Daughter with you!  And OH, how our hearts continue to hear the call to recklessly love the world around us, calling others to do the same! And yet, grief seeps in, sweeps in, roars in at times - even when you don't want it to.  We will be marking four years without Ellie Kate.  We will be celebrating what would be Ellie's 11th birthday.  My fears this Season are real - since it's been so long, I'm afraid we won't have people commit to these special projects, even though they still love us.  It's so easy to move on with life, and natural to do so.  For us though, life is changed forever and it will never go back to "normal" again.

To us, this Celebration isn't "just" an event or a mere call to action.. This is a life-marker for us, each and every year.  It's our Ebenezer ( ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’ 1 Samuel 7:12). and with each year, we add a stone representing the outpouring of love specifically shown because of Ellie Kate. With all of this in mind, you can imagine just how important these efforts of reckless love are to us!

For Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love this year, we will be doing the following:  

1. Williams Family Christmas Adoption - This is a precious family we have come to know well and they are very dear to our hearts.  The family's needs are great and we had to really push them to list things other than groceries, socks and underwear on their Christmas Wish Lists.

You can provide for the Williams Family in the following ways: 

• Purchase something directly from the Williams Amazon Wish List - the item will be mailed to our home where we will wrap them and give them to the family
• Purchase items similar to those on the Amazon Wish List (the family is NOT particular about where their gifts come from), then contact me directly about wrapping and pick-up plans
• Clothing items for each family member:
• Mom - size Large, mediums, size 9 shoe
• 14yo Daughter - size large, mediums, size 9 shoe
• Give other items needed by the family: 
• grocery gift cards (Walmart)
• car (they currently have no vehicle)
• job for momma (she is currently out of work, but wants to!)
• basic pantry items and toiletries
• furniture - mattresses are currently on the floor, and there are no dressers for their belongings
• laptop or computer for the 14yo daughter that she can use for school (can be new or used)
• Gift Card Ideas - Hot Topic, Ross, KMart, Shawnee Mall, fast food 

2. "Ellie's Wish" through NKH Crusaders - this special fund set up in Ellie Kate's name, is solely purposed to bless and serve fellow NKH families around the world.  With the help of many of YOU, we recently held a table auction for this fund at the NKH Crusaders Fundraiser in Boston.  Because of some great donations, we were able to do a small Facebook auction to raise money for this as well.  

Since we have not met our goal of $2,000 for Ellie's Wish, we have set up an Amazon list full of needed and requested items from our approved NKH families.  This list allows you to directly mail your item to our NKH family members around the world . . . 

• NKH Family 1:Amazon Wish List 1
• NKH Family 2: Amazon List 2
• NKH Family 3: Amazon Wish List 3
• NKH Family 4:  Amazon Wish List 4

We ask that  all gifts be purchased no later than December 18th

3.  December 4th - Ellie Kate's Birthday; help us celebrate in one of the following ways:

• Tell someone about Ellie Kate - tell them her story 
• Tangibly love someone around you who has a disability OR who has a child with a disability.  If you feel comfortable, tell the recipient about your friend, Ellie Kate.
• Tangibly love someone around you who recently lost a loved one OR who has a loved one who is medically fragile/critically ill.  If you feel comfortable, tell the recipient about your friend, Ellie Kate.  

4.  December 23rd - Ellie Kate's Heaven Day: 

• Join us in releasing balloons in Ellie Kate's honor, anytime and anywhere.  
• If possible, take a photo of your balloon release and share it on social media