#teamjilly and a new series {epilepsy}

If you’ve been a long time reader, you know I like to use my blog for more than just gratuitous photos of my kids.  And it’s high time I do another fundraiser, no?

Social media gives me a very 21st century way to advocate and help others.  Social media gives you a very 21st century way to advocate and help others.

Over the years, we’ve raised over $32,000 for a variety of charities!  And, we’ve talked about, encouraged, and shed light on a lot of really important topics.

If you’ve been a long time reader, you know that my daughter…Jilly…has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

It’s been a long journey.  And it’s not over yet.  I’m not sure it ever will be.

But you guys…man.  You guys have been…AMAZING support to our family.  I wish you could understand how the way you love on my little family…even just through a computer screen…has been something I couldn’t describe fully if I was threatened with my very life.  I love that when I allow myself to open up…tell you the stories of my heart…share the secret places of my spirit…my struggles…our triumphs…when I let you in…you walk right in, kick off your shoes, pour a cup of coffee, and make yourself cozy, legs tucked underneath.

I love that about my readers. We may not be the biggest group in BlogLand, but you’re the biggest hearted.  I love that.

We’re all in it together.  Whatever “it” may be.

And so…going waaaaaayyyyy out of my comfort zone…I’m hosting a series, and a fundraiser, on epilepsy.  And my family will be participating in the Walk to End Epilepsy at the Rose Bowl on November 17.

It’s a much more personal topic, for obvious reasons.  It was a hard decision.  To host the series.  To do the Walk.  Mostly because it scares me.  And I can’t quite pin my finger on why that is.

I guess I don’t want to be part of a group.

I don’t want to be the people who are a member of a foundation.

I don’t want to be the beneficiary.  Benefactor, sure.  But not recipient.

OTHER people do that stuff.

Why hello there, Pride.  So we meet again.

But the truth is, there’s a lot of myth, misunderstanding, and just plain mystery around epilepsy.  And I think it’s important to try to clear that up.

After all, over 2 million Americans have epilepsy.  Chances are, you will know someone with epilepsy at some point in your life.  Or, you may even know them already…they just haven’t told you.  (And that’s just in America.  Don’t even get me started on thinking about the poor souls who struggle with this in third world countries.  Dagger in my heart.  I can’t.  I just can’t.)

So together, we will learn about this crazy disorder that affects so many.

You will hear stories of moms, sons, daughters, sisters, friends.

We will learn together.

And as we learn more, we’re also gonna raise some cash money for the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

Remember that Walk I mentioned?  My family has a team page.  You can donate directly there.

And this time…I’m doing something a little different.  I’m also selling some merchandise with proceeds being donated to our fundraiser!

We had shirts made up for the 5k, just for fun…and I thought, hey…why not sell these?  The logo was so cotton pickin’ cute I couldn’t resist.  Maybe readers will want to sport some #teamjilly gear?  And donate to the fund in the process!  (But really, how great is that logo?!  Mr. Dan from the skate shop did it.  He’s got a great brain for design.)

There’s a bunch of really fun stuff in the shop.  And I have a really fun idea for the shirts if you buy one.  (Also, if you are a seller of something and want to add a product  or something to the shop, email me!)

How fun would it be to see purple light up our Insta/Facebook/Twitter feeds on November 17 (the day of the Walk)?!?!?!

I think this is gonna be a good series.  I think you’re gonna learn a lot.  I think I’m gonna learn a lot.

So, hang tight…get ready to donate…and share share share!!!  Pin it, tweet it, stumble it, tumble it, Facebook it, and text it to all of your friends.  This should be good.

Also, I love you guys.

That is all.

As a side note, I want to let you guys know that this series/fundraiser will be taking the place of the Reese’s Rainbow fundraiser I usually do over the holidays.  I know.  I know.  It was a HARD decision.  Trust me.  No one loves those babes more than I do.  But I wanted this fundraiser to end with the 5k and that happens to be on November 17…it just seemed too crazy for everyone…both me and readers…to end a big fundraiser and then start another just two weeks later.  ::sigh::  Just thought you should know ahead of time.  Please don’t hate me.  I’ll probably still do something, but not a full blown push like I have in previous years.

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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.

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