God's work...

I've been meaning to write a blog about my friend Blair and all the support and generosity people showed toward her.  And what I witnessed today reminded me I need to get on it. 
I will start with a little back history but, I'm going to try to keep it short.  I know most of you kept up with the saga on Facebook.  Well, Blair was hospitalized with a sudden sickness that left her in ICU on life support nearly a month and physical therapy for a month after that.  I've known Blair for about 8 years and she has been one of my closest friends for the last 5.  I was in total shock to find out she was so sick.  Having the little one, I wasn't able to go up there to Dallas to help out.  On top of it all I was worried about the bills that were going to pour in after she finally got home.  What an awful thing to come home to, I remember the fears I had about Eli's NICU bills just 3 months earlier. 
Blair's mother informed me that her coworkers had donated 4 months worth of their own sick days to Blair and they were putting together a fundraiser that would donate a % of sales from work to Blair.  I wanted to help but I couldn't really buy the product.  So, I decided I would run my own fundraiser.  After doing some research I found a website called chipin.com that lets you set a fundraising site for free.  After debating on where to set the goal we decided on $500.  I thought that seemed like a lot of money and I really didn't think I would meet this goal.  To my astonishment, I asked and you guys delivered!!  The $500 goal was met in 24 hours.  People who didn't even know Blair were contacting me, donating, and praising the efforts.  In the end we raised $900.  To this day I cannot believe how much money came in and how many people did not actually know Blair.  I've always thought to know her is to love her, and these people didn't even know that about her.  I just do not have the words to describe how it made/ makes me feel that you all wanted to help.
Today, I was reminded of these earlier blessings by another group of amazing people helping somebody they don't know and will probably not ever know.  A friend of mine has a 4 year old daughter that was just diagnosed with cancer.  Her first day of chemo was today and I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what I can do to help this family.  Her mother, actually, made a speech to my MOPS group right after I started visiting them.  I felt like her words were directed at me, like God was trying to get my attention. Like it was all the sudden OK to not be a perfect mother, like I was in the same boat as everyone else, like I need not to forget to trust God, to pray to Him, to turn to Him. Some awakening in your soul like that is a big, big gift.  That being said, I knew I could not just do nothing.  SO, after a couple of other not so bright ideas, I decided I would try to get some hats together for this little girl.  She could possibly start losing her hair 10 days from now.  How traumatic for a little one, for any girl really.
I started by contacting the San Diego Hat Co. asking for discounts, coupons, or even a hat donation if possible.  This just didn't seem enough.  I don't know how I got the idea (Im willing to bet God put it there) but I got on Etsy and contacted several (like 40 or 50) people selling and making hats.  Much to my surprise, I AGAIN, came across people who were willing and anxious to help.  Just today I have had about 15 people commit to donating one, if not more hats or scarves for sweet Sophia.  Its just overwhelming to me that people I have never met, will never meet, are so willing to help.  They just want to do anything.  One lady even said she was sending a few but, it just didn't seem like she is doing enough.  I just can't explain how it touches my heart that people are so amazing when called upon.  God's work truly is unbelievable and I cannot wait to see the look on Sophia's face when she receives the beautiful hats and scarves.  You can bet I'll be there snapping pictures that day.  I also plan on posting a list of all the Etsy vendors so if you ever need hat, look them up! Or if you just feel like thanking them and letting them know the impact they had on me and Sophia's family!