Hi everyone… We are all getting ready for Christmas and life is grand so I apologize in advance if this is a downer but to me it isn’t. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my blessings and naturally among them are my 3 kids. Three children who were born without serious complications and (knock wood) perfectly healthy. They rarely get sick and have never had more than a cold or flu. I’ve learned over the years that just being born is a true miracle in itself, but being born healthy is even moreso. I’ve met so many people whose children have medical challenges and I marvel at how complicated it must be to create these little beings so perfectly.

A few weeks back I met a mother who right now is really missing her little girl, 7, who passed away about 2 months ago, due to cancer. Natasha NeSmith was a ray of sunshine in this mother’s life and left behind her brother, just a year younger and so similar people thought they were twins.

When I was selling my Story Time Felts at the Rohnert Park-Cotati Mother’s Club Holiday Boutique, Natasha’s mother, Shelly was also there, selling for Home and Garden Party. Her son, Nicholas, played with Terry while we set up and the boys got along great. After a while Shelly came to me and explained that if I hear him talking about death or dying to Terry, that it was because he lost his sister a month ago. I was so sad for her and her little boy, only 6, losing his best friend. Throughout the evening I found out a little more about her story and remembered someone had posted about Natasha at The Parent Pack when Natasha first got sick. I ended up giving her 2 of our photo dolls at my cost for both Natasha and Nicholas, thinking it might help Nicholas in his grieving to be able to play with “Natasha” in some way. When Nicholas grew attached to our Dinosaur felt board throughout the evening, I ended up making him our “winner” for my door prize drawing and gave it to him. I shared some information about the groups I am involved in, hoping Shelly can use her business as a way to spend more time with her son with less financial strain during what has to be the most awful time of their live Read Natasha’s story and you’ll understand more. Shelly’s husband had left them a year before, Natasha got sick, and within 1 month she was gone. I just can’t imagine how they will bear Christmas this year and my thoughts and prayers are with them right now. Shelly is a special lady, I know she will be able to turn this into strength and success for her and her family but this is a really tough time.

My next connection has a happier ending, and I feel again so blessed. I am involved in a playgroup through the Rohnert Park-Cotati Mother’s Club and we meet once a week to let the kids play and learn how to get along with each other. One of our members, Melissa, had a 2nd baby last year just before Christmas, adding to her nearly 3 year old son Riktor, and 12 year old stepdaughter Stacia. Just after having her baby, Riktor, who is my son Terry’s age (just a week or 2 apart) started getting “migraines” that got progressively worse to where he couldn’t even walk, and really regressed in other ways. After a lot of runaround with hospitals and health insurance (grrrr), finally just after Christmas last year they found out that Riktor had meduloblastoma, a type of brain cancer that also had spread down his spine.

It was devastating to his family - his Dad who was already barely making ends meet for his young family, his Mom who had just had a baby and was on maternity leave, and all those who loved him. For me, it hit hard. I was shown how quickly life can change and all that we take for granted taken away. Riktor and Terry were so close in age and temperaments, it just really hit close to home. As a playgroup and mother’s club we rallied around Melissa and held fundraisers, made a website, publicized their plight however we could. We helped raise nearly $30,000 to cover their expenses and make up for the loss of income. In the end, they spent the entire YEAR in treatments and just recently came home.

Riktor has been through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and everything in between. He is doing great and they’ll check with an MRI after the new year but life will never be normal for them, and they will struggle since Melissa needs to be home with Riktor now and they really relied on her income. Riktor is such a sweet soul, and he and Terry get along great, I hope they will be friends forever. Read more about Riktor and current news on his blog and website. Melissa and Rob are amazingly strong parents and Riktor is again a happy playgroup buddy.

Lately I’ve been blessed with an abundance of felt. I’ve been thinking about what I can do with it - see every time I place a set of orders together I earn free product or half priced items. I’ve been collecting it knowing I’d like to donate it somewhere this Christmas but not sure where. I found out that the mother’s club was collecting toys for Children’s Hospital in Oakland, which is where Riktor has been being treated. I had already donated some felt boards to their playroom where the cancer patients go to play, and I know they loved it since it is washable and unique. When I found out the mother’s club was collecting toys for the hospital to use in their playrooms and also to distribute to their little cancer patients, I knew I had found my cause. I donated about $500 worth of felt products and will be dropping off more this weekend! If you are local to me, the Starbucks by Safeway in Rohnert Park is collecting them on our behalf - please stop by and donate toys for these precious children who will be spending their holiday in the hospital. Starbucks is collecting them until the 23rd. If you miss the deadline, go to the Children’s Hospital website to find out how to help in other ways. They have been an amazing resource for Riktor!

If you know of any other stories such as these, please share them so we can pass along our support, prayers and donations to help these families. I don’t think it is a coincidence that I was so closely involved in Riktor’s family’s struggle and then “ran into” Natasha’s Mom. I know there are many other stories out there, let’s all do what we can to pitch in.

Hug your kids tonite!