{Kelle Hampton} this is it

Remember how I told you that over the next month, I’d be hosting fabulous guest bloggers in support of our fundraiser for Baby Cliff?

A natural choice was Kelle Hampton.  Otherwise known as Lainey and Nella’s mama. But she had already guest posted for me once before, so I kinda thought it was a long shot.

Lucky for me (and you!) Kelle agreed to add yet another thing to her already overflowing plate, and string words together in the beautiful way that she does for us.

Thank you Kelle for supporting Cliffy and for opening our eyes to the beauty of the small things.

Enjoy the scrumptiousness!

* * * *

A Guest Post for the week of Thanksgiving is a bit of a daunting assignment as surely, if there’s one time to dig deep, to dredge out the good emotional bits, to pull out the best of the best, it’s now. This time of year always calls from not only the crafty homemaking parts of me but from the emotional chords of my being as well. I want to be moved. I want to experience “this is it” moments that challenge me to dissect the meaning of life even more.

I had my “this is it” moment thing this year, followed by a great many more. And though it feels at times like the planet cracked on January 22 and my former self was small and inexperienced and a bit off track from what life is really about, I am realizing more that, while I have changed in good and needful ways, I am very much the same as well.

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Welcoming Nella in our lives and dealing with the emotions of accepting an exceptional child certainly propelled some philosophical discussions in my mind this year and heightened my awareness of the things in life that are truly important, but I’m still the same person.

I remember in the hospital, two days into our new journey, I looked down to notice my friend had a fabulous new pair of boots. “I’ll never care about cute boots again,” I thought, as if having a child with special needs somehow created higher expectations for me. Yes, having your mama emotions stripped to the bone and being faced with health issues and frightening diagnoses does challenge you to shuffle your priorities quite a bit. “New wood floors” lost its standing on the importance list long ago. But, I didn’t throw it all away. I still like cute boots and lipstick and succumb to the temptation to buy a fashion magazines or two at the check-out if I’m really bored.

And what I’m really trying to say here is that this Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for all of it. For life-changing moments and a deeper sense of love and gratitude because of them but for the mundane and silly little pleasures we still enjoy as well. Good coffee and the perfect shade of lipstick, trips to the dollar store to watch my kid excitedly scour out cheap toys that will later clutter my living room floor, dreaming out loud with my man about vacations we’d love to invest in someday but presently can’t afford, and knowing that it all combines for one big “this is it.” This is it…this is life, right here, with its bigness and its smallness and its possibility for being more than I am right now.

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It doesn’t take the planet cracking to experience moments of “this is it.” But the more we create them among the thick of the everyday, when the planet does crack—and it will—we will be better equipped to deal with it.

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*On a personal note, Jeannett’s mission to raise money for Baby Cliff and Reece’s Rainbow is very near and dear to my heart. I discovered Reece’s Rainbow shortly after Nella was born. I actually took an emotional hit the first time I read through each of the baby’s profiles, picturing my girl as every one of them and wondering how much more of a challenge it would be if we lived in a place where differently abled children aren’t as accepted as they are in our country. I passionately support the efforts of Reece’s Rainbow and am so happy Jeannett has chosen to make Baby Cliff the recipient of her holiday fundraising efforts. Every dollar counts!

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Please consider learning more about Baby Cliff’s fundraiser by clicking the button below and donating through the chipin widget.


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jeannett
I'm a mom to four. A wife to one. I believe in story. I love telling you about mine and would love to hear yours. There's really no sense in wasting our suffering and not sharing in each other's joy. We're all in this together...even if it doesn't always feel like it.
jeannett
jeannett

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Comments

  1. 2

    Kelle, you amaze and inspire me every single day. Thank you for that.

  2. 3

    ohmystars… your pictures are beautiful… the subject matter… gorgeous! so inspiring.
    i’ve been on reese’s rainbow twice already today to donate. i’m a big supporter and have cliff’s link on my sidebar (since it was first unveiled).
    as a mom of two healthy children (out of four pregnancies) i know my heart aches for the unwanted children and know of friends whose hearts ache, too. i’m giving purposefully this year and am choosing not to give a frivolous gift but one of lasting, life-giving value.
    i was looking at the waiting children. and literally had to stop. there. were. just. too. many. and i thought my heart would bust. seriously!
    am linking to this blogpost on my blog and fb today. let’s get that little cliffy adopted!
    purejoy´s last blog post ..time for holiday lamaze

  3. 4

    jeannett… thanks again for another thought-provoking post. i blogged (and linked) to this post as well as posted it on fb (cliff is my new profile pic!)
    thank you for the lover of souls that you are. and kelle… all i can say is wow. words fail me.
    purejoy´s last blog post ..time for holiday lamaze

  4. 5

    Beautiful. Just beautiful.

  5. 6

    Cliff is precious. What a beautiful charity.
    Life with Kaishon´s last blog post ..Black White

  6. 7
    Grandma Sue says:

    Thankful for so much…your blog is one of them. Very blessed Grandma.

  7. 8

    Thank you for loving Reece’s Rainbow. It is my biggest passion, and the little boy I loved so dearly (he doesn’t have DS, but he has a joint disorder and was living in a mental institution in Eastern Europe) and fundraised for is now HOME. He just celebrated his first Thanksgiving. Because of the generosity of complete strangers his family raised the money necessary to bring him home.

    And my Christmas warrior from last year, a little boy named Matthew with DS, he is home this year too!!!!!!!

    Reece’s Rainbow is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever gotten to be a part of.

  8. 9

    Our lives changed on Thanksgiving Day several years ago and we’ve never been the same… however the outcomes of that day have only carved us into living life for the better- for allowing “this is it” moments in the tiniest cracks in the day where the sun shines through in the smallest way. It’s like the wool has been pulled from our eyes and now we truly live “with feeling!” It’s amazing how life works… that way.

    Steph
    Adventures In Babywearing´s last blog post ..Breastfeeding Beyond the Baby

  9. 10

    I have made a contribution to this wonderful cause. You are giving this beautiful boy a chance at a life he deserves. I had no idea there were so many orphans in this world. It is so sad that we live in a world where this exists. Thank you for opening my eyes and God Bless You!

  10. 11

    Great post! What a great cause.
    Teresa´s last blog post ..Our Cheap X-mas Cards Photo Session

  11. 12

    I follow Kelle’s blog and those have to be a couple of the best pic of Lainey and Nella I have seen. The one with their heads touching is breathtaking. As always, your beautiful words are thought provoking.

  12. 13

    Thank you Kelle, for sharing your heart with us. Your honesty and realness are refreshing and give hope.

    Blessings again.

    Rachel
    Rachel´s last blog post ..memory strands

  13. 14

    Love Kelly’s blog. She was such an inspiration to me when I had found out (at ultrasound) that my son has Down syndrome. I drew a lot of strength from her beautiful words.

    Her pictures and girls are just beautiful too!

    I love your charity idea. Looking at those pictures on Reese’s rainbow always break my heart! Cliff is adorable.

  14. 15

    I remember thinking I would never care about purses again in my life. Kelle, you so hit my exact feelings about what it means for the world to crack and, also, what it means for that broken world to mend.

    Beautiful blog and a beautiful cause. I used to work in adoption so any and all forms are dear to me. Especially when one chooses a waiting child and one with special needs. There should be more like you. Cliff is so lucky. But after talking to many adoptive parents, I think you’ll find that you’ll be the lucky ones. ;)

  15. 16

    This is perfect.

    There are only about 5 other women in the world with my disease (Cystinosis) who have been able to bring children into this world and I was added to that list in February of this year. I will never be able to comprehend what my parents have been through to raise a child with a chronic, life threatening illness.
    Tahnie´s last blog post ..Giving Thanks

  16. 17

    So glad I followed the link and found this website – what an amazing and inspiring blog
    melissa´s last blog post ..Burnout

  17. 18

    What a wonderful cause! Count me in! God bless!

  18. 19

    Beautiful post, thank you for sharing!
    Kristy´s last blog post ..Get These People Out of My House

  19. 20

    I had never heard of this charity before. Cliff’s story (and knowing there are so many more) breaks my heart. Thanks so much for sharing it. Love Kelle’s blog, which is how I came to see this. I donated $ and put Cliff’s button on my blog. I’m going to blog about it now.
    Amy´s last blog post ..The Christmas Tree

  20. 21

    Hello! Im addicted to reading your blog! My daughter is 7 months old and my older son has a step brother that was born 4 days after Violet. He was born with down syndrome. After doing some research about down syndrome with my son I came acroos your website! Your girls are adorable and love the way you dress them!

  21. 22

    I love Kelle – and I love her more after spreading the word about Reece’s Rainbow. My Angel this Christmas is Leeza, and I daydream about bringing Phoebe home to live with my family!

  22. 23

    Kelle is amazing. Love everything she writes. Thank you!

  23. 24

    I read baby Nella’s blog every time there is an update. I can not get enough of this precious little girl.

    Kelle, reaching out will make a difference! You always inspire me!

  24. 25

    Love, love, love Reece’s Rainbow! Thanks!
    Susan aka IC´s last blog post ..Prayer and a Giveaway!

  25. 26

    What a GREAT cause, and for such a cutie. He is in my prayers!
    Tabitha Blue´s last blog post ..Submerging and a Guest Post!

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  1. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jacky and Linda Peters, Jeannett . Jeannett said: The cuteness on my blog today is killing me!!! {Kelle Hampton} this is it http://bit.ly/fpZcAp […]

  2. […] also done a bit of other altruistic activities these days.  Recently we’ve given to baby Cliff, and supported Aiden’s Monsters.    There are just so many great causes–so many […]