Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love!

Last Tuesday, Ellie Kate would have turned 13 years old but in our hearts, she will forever be SEVEN - the perfect number, the number of Completion, the number of God.  We are so grateful for the precious seven years we had with our curly-headed daughter; it's through Ellie's life that God gave us a mission as a family, as a couple and as individuals!  I never thought I would be called to the world of special needs/medical-fragility but I was, all because of MY Daughter. 

Through Ellie Kate, I have learned more about love than I ever thought possible.  Real, true, perfect LOVE - RECKLESS LOVE, a love which surpasses understanding and goes beyond rules or limits we so often set.  This Reckless Love calls us to serve, to be and to DO - even when it's least expected, ESPECIALLY when it's least expected - going out of our comfort zones, choosing to give of ourselves, no matter what the cost.  THIS is how God loves US.  THIS is how we are called to love one another, above and beyond, giving all we have, going outside our conveniences, even laying down our lives for others. 

It is with this thought, God led us to create, "Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love", which spans the month of December.  Ellie was born on December 4, 2005 and met Jesus face-to-face, December 23, 2012.   Although sometimes bittersweet, we choose to CELEBRATE the entire month of December by honoring our Ellie Kate with acts of Reckless Love towards the community around us.  In the past, we have hosted parties at OU Children's, collected books and gifts for that hospital so close to our hearts; we've also adopted families for Christmas and we've invited you to do the very same, joining us, every step of the way. 

Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love 2018 . . .

#EKMonthofRecklessLove

#EKspreadthelove

SHARE THE LOVE/LOGO/MESSAGE

• We invite you to change your FB profile page to Ellie Kate's logo, spreading the word about Reckless Love, bringing opportunities to share about Our Girl. 
• During now and December 23 (Ellie's Heaven Day), Recklessly love those around you by mowing a law, bringing a meal, dropping off a gift card, and more!  
• Share a picture of your expressions of Reckless Love, even printing off the logo to share along with your acts of Reckless Love! 

*CHRISTMAS CARE BASKETS  We invite you to come alongside OKC Hope Link, donating Christmas care-baskets, elaborately and specifically made for eight, chosen families with our Hope Link Communities.  These are families hit with the unimaginable - a child with a rare, serious or undiagnosed disorder.  Some are born with their diseases and some are diagnosed after horrible accidents.  Precious families, like those within this group, are too often forgotten by the world and by the Church as a whole.  They are isolated because of disability and overlooked because of financial, emotional and mental stressors which come along with raising an extra-special child. 
Christmas Care Baskets are to be delivered BEFORE December 20th, just in time for Christmas (we will happily deliver in your name)! 

• Adopt a basket individually OR as a book club, Sunday School Class, Life Group, etc. 
• You can donate individual items for our Christmas baskets, contacting me for clarification on gifts.  
• Baskets can be themed, such as, "A Night at the Movies" or "Christmas Love" and include the essentials for a special night. 
• We hope to include gift cards for meals, gas and groceries with each Christmas basket, as well as practical and fun gifts for those of all ages.
• If you'd like to take part, contact me via messenger or email: tullyryan@hotmail.com

The perfect example of a Christmas Basket for a special-needs family!

"ELLIE KATE'S WISHES" with NKH Crusaders
Every December, NKH families from all over the world are encouraged to apply for an, "Ellie Kate Wish".  The wishes consist of things insurance won't cover, important items the child/family needs.  This special program was started by my Dear Friend, Kristin Archibald who founded NKH Crusaders, the main fundraising foundation within (and without) our NKH Community (Non-Ketotic Hyperglycinemia).  We are so grateful to have Ellie Kate honored in this way and feel so loved, knowing other members of our NKH Family are blessed because of her life!

Two Precious, past Recipients of Ellie Kate's Wishes through NKH Crusaders!

 GRANT an ,"Ellie Kate Wish"!!  Ellie Kate's Wish through NKH Crusaders

THANK YOU for loving us by participating in

Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love 2018. 

You will never know, this side of Heaven,

how much it means for you to share Ellie's story,

to say her name and most importantly,

to help us spread that beautiful,

Reckless Love we continue to learn,

because of her life. 

With Hope, Love and Gratefulness -

Ryan



*OKC Hope Link reaches families whose children suffer from rare, serious and undiagnosed disorders of all kinds.  We also serve families who have lost children to those same issues.  Hope Link is a tight-knit family. We cheer each other on during the hard times and hold one another's hands during the dark days.  We are different in diagnoses but our journeys are very much the same.