Do you remember Heather?
She guest posted back in March about the loss of her sweet boy Samuel?
If you read her post, you know that she has a beautiful heart.
If you haven’t read her post, I urge you to go now.
You’ll love it.
Promise.
I want to be Heather when I grow up.
Because even through the inconceivable, Heather found hope and joy.
And a call to action.
She started the Joyful Life Project.
We feel strongly that reading a favorite story to a child is an act of love that’s comforting to the child and the caregiver alike, and is especially important when your life has been turned upside down because of a little one’s critical illness. As a parent of a hospitalized child, you often feel helpless because there is so little comfort and care you can offer. Being able to sit and read a book, just like you would do at home, helps to make the entire family feel a little bit better. Because of this we have set out to put books in as many PICU’s as we possible can.
The Joyful Life Library Project aims to create libraries of children’s books in as many pediatric intensive care units across the world as possible. We want to inspire others to participate with us in this project, so that together we can create something amazing.
Is that not the coolest thing ever?
I’m so in love with it.
Henry’s 4th birthday was June 23rd.
Lucy & Jilly’s 2nd birthday is July 12th (tomorrow!).
In honor of my children’s birthdays, I wanted to do something meaningful in this blog space amid the photos of birthday parties and cupcake recipes….
So, I’m hosting a book drive for the Joyful Life Library…and offering you a prize package worth $300!!!
Here’s how it works:
There are currently six Joyful Life Libraries established around the country.
Heather has set up an Amazon wishlist for each location:
Buy books for the Joyful Life Library of your choice…which will be shipped directly to the hospital.
Then, for each book you buy, you leave a comment in this post.
1 book = 1 entry. 5 books = 5 entries.
The book drive will run one week and will end on Monday, July 18th…
where ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL GET EVERY. SINGLE. THING you see listed below.
THREE. HUNDRED. DOLLARS worth of amazing.
Prepare to die from the fabulous.
Maggie is giving away a $50 shop credit to Gussy Sews!
Lisa is offering a $50 shop credit to Lisa Leonard Designs!!!
Lindsey of The Pleated Poppy is offering a $35 shop credit to her shop!
Jess of Allora Handmade is giving one lucky winner a $25 shop credit for her rolled rosette goodness!
Lindsay of Paint Me a Picture is offering a State Love painting of your choice, in the colors of your choice! ($25 value)
Andrea of Knitty Bitties is offering the winner a mug rug & coffee coat of their choice ($16 value)!
Connie is offering a $40 shop credit to Circle Line Studio!
April of Funky Vintage Lovely is giving away one Keep Calm and Carry On necklace ($22 value).
Holly of Mommy Holly is offering a $10 shop credit to her shop of stamped and punched fun!
Krystina of Lollipops is offering a retro notebook & set of monogram stationary (value $20).
Wendy is giving away a copy of her hilarious book Totally Desparate Mom in your choice of print or Kindle version ($12 value).
You still there?
Have you picked yourself up off the floor?
Now, back to the book drive.
For each book you buy, you will receive an entry to the giveaway.
The more books you buy, the more entries you get.
Don’t forget to leave SEPARATE comments with the title of each book you purchased in THIS POST.
(and save your email receipt so I can verify if you are the winner)
There are some really affordable books, and as always, Amazon offers free shipping for any order over $25.
Amazon is having a promotion right now: many of the books are buy 3, get 1 free! So that’s 4 entries for the price of 3!!!!
Here is the list of amazon shops/hospitals again:
Go forth and SHOP!
Let’s make Henry, Lucy & Jill’s birthday CRAZY AMAZING this year!!!
I can’t wait to see your hearts through this very special book drive.
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Bear feels scared ~ CHOC
Guess how much I love you ~ CHOC
What a great thing to do ~ Thank you for the opportunity to help
Just shipped “Goodnight, Owl” to Miller’s Children’s Hospital in Long Beach. Katie spent a few very scary, anxiety-ridden days there when she was a week old. The nurses were spectacular. This is such a wonderful thing you are doing.
Olivia to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego
The Snowy Day to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego
Thanks for highlighting this opportunity to bless parents while their child is in the hospital. My sister lost her baby almost three weeks ago. They did not know if my nephew would make it or not. If he had, most likely they would have spent many days in the NICU with him. This is something they would have loved to have access to if they had been in that situation. What a thoughtful way to provide for parents to be able to love on their child.
Goodnight moon (spanish edition) to CHOC- where I spent most of a year & a half of my teen years. Seeing the babies and toddlers broke my heart and now that I am a parent, I cannot image seeing one of my own children going through that. I love this idea and am so happy you are doing this book drive!
Where is Baby’s belly button to CHOC :)
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to Rady :)
Just Go To Bed (Little Critter) to Rady :)
1 of 6 for San Diego Rady – Tu mama es una llama?
2 of 6 for San Diego Rady – 5 little Monkeys
3 of 6 for San Diego Rady – Biscuit wants to Play
4 of 6 for San Diego Rady – Night-Night, Spot
5 of 7 (I just realized I bought 7 books and not 6) – Copy 1 of Zack’s Alligator
6 of 7 – Still for Rady – Zack’s Alligator copy #2 because this was my husbands favorite book growing up! (His name is Zach)
7 of 7 – Just me and my puppy – for Rady (in honor of my nephews who LOVE their puppy)
1 0f 4-The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This is an amazing project!
2 of 4-Time for Bed
3 0f 4-Harold and the Purple Crayon
4 of 4-The Biggest Pumpkin Ever
1-Leonardo, the Terrible Monster for the Long Beach Children’s Hospital.
2- Where the Wild Things Are
3- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? – for Henry!
1/7 Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (Baby Board Books)
2/7 Biscuit Visits the Big City (My First I Can Read)
3/7 Biscuit’s Birthday
4/7 Biscuit’s Day at the Farm (My First I Can Read)
5/7 Biscuit Goes to School (My First I Can Read)
6/7 Biscuit’s First Trip
7/7 Zack’s Alligator (An I Can Read Book)
and all of those were sent to IU Health North Hospital :)
#1 – Corduroy’s Party – Joyful Life Library at Doernbecher Childrens Hospital, Oregon
epfaulkner@gmail.com
#2 – Ten Little FIngers (Board Books for Baby) – Joyful Life Library at Doernbecher Childrens Hospital, Oregon
epfaulkner@gmail.com
#3 – Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (Baby Board Books) – Joyful Life Library at Doernbecher Childrens Hospital, Oregon
epfaulkner@gmail.com
came back for more :) this time to the CHOC Children’s Child Life Dept
1/7 Zack’s Alligator (An I Can Read Book)
2/7 Just Go to Bed (Little Critter)
3/7 Perro grande… Perro pequeño / Big Dog… Little Dog (Spanish and English Edition)
4/7 Just a Mess (Little Critter) (Look-Look)
5/7 I Spy A Butterfly (Scholastic Reader Level 1)
6/7 I Spy A Dinosaur’s Eye (Scholastic Readers)
7/7 Open the Barn Door (A Chunky Book(R))
And I do have to say, what an AWESOME giveaway! It’s so awesome to have a cause to donate books.. :) I hope they enjoy them!
This is an incredible giveaway – I wish I had the funds to purchase more!
Here is what I ended up getting for the IU Health North Hospital in Indiana – on behalf of my little 4 month old son, who loves to read with us:
1/5 “The Little House” by: Virginia Lee Burton
allemccloskey(at)gmail(dot)com
2/5 “Put Me in the Zoo” by: Robert Lopshire
allemccloskey(at)gmail(dot)com
3/5 “Is Your Mama a Llama” by: Deborah Guarino and Steven Kellogg
allemccloskey(at)gmail(dot)com
4/5 “Baby Beluga” by: Raffi
allemccloskey(at)gmail(dot)com
Finally, our favorite…
5/5 “The Napping House” by: Audrey and Don Wood
allemccloskey(at)gmail(dot)com