Little Girls and Baseball

I will forever have a special place in my heart for baseball. My favorite memories with Ella and her daddy also have to do with baseball. 

Ella's daddy would race out of her hospital room to go check the baseball score only to race back in to tell her Joe Mauer hit a home run.

Or when he would sit by her bed and tell her that when she was a little older he would take her to the MN Twins game in the new stadium and she could bring her glove.

Or when he said he couldn't wait to teach his little girl to play catch in the back yard.

Or when her daddy stopped by a game to buy her a pink Twins bat and pink Twins ball because his little girl need to have a set of her own.

Or when he would kiss his tiniest little Twins fan after a win.

Or when he held her little hand and told her that she had to get better so that he could take her home and they could cuddle on the couch and watch baseball.

So this time of year as the Twins keep winning, I have been thinking what it would be like to have Ella here with us and going to the baseball games together as a family. And with such perfect timing a package shows up on our steps filled with blankets, Minnesota Twins blankets.

This beautiful package of donations came from two sweet little girls too (and their parents of course).  So maybe it is just something about little girls and baseball...........daddies just love them! 

Thank you to these little girls and to others who have donated blankets over the last few months.  Each and every time brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye because I know a little girl who is probably up in Heaven cheering us on that we are helping to bring comfort to other babies in the NICU. And she is probably watching the Twins.

To read more about these two little girls who donated to Ella's Halo, follow their mommy's blog at http://littletooties.blogspot.com/. If you are interested in donating blankets to Ella's Halo, please email us at info@ellashalo.com or go to our website to learn more about donating at http://www.ellashalo.com/. 

Babylost Father's Day

September 26th is International Babylost Fathers Day. Today is a day to recognize babylost men all over the world as fathers. Fathers do grieve the loss of their sweet babies too.

Happy Babylost Father's Day to my wonderful husband. Your strength, love and dedication inspires me each and every day. 

http://internationalbabylostfathersday.blogspot.com/

Friday Night

Check out our facebook page here or read our Twitter updates here!  Just in case you are bored on a Friday night.

30 Years

Hard to believe that on Monday I turned 30 years old.  Even more hard to believe is that this last year has changed me more than all of the other 29 years.  I have to sometimes put it into perspective and realize what we have all done in just one year, to see how much our lives have changed in just one year. 

I not only became a mommy to my little girl, this past year I had to grieve losing my little girl.  That one thing has changed me more than anything else.  Losing a loved one is the hardest struggle I have had to face and have finally understood that grief will always be my challenge.  But I have also become more compassionate for other families especially children. My heart breaks every time I hear another story about a baby being born too early and living in the NICU.  My need to give back, whether it be to the NICUs, families, hospitals or other non-profits and organizations is my true passion.  Too bad it took losing Ella and 30 years to learn.

This year we also started a non-profit.  Just like any business it has been very hard.  I want Ella's Halo to be bigger, raising more money, helping more families, being able to help hospitals buy everything on their wish lists.  But I have to keep remembering that we too are a baby in the eyes of non-profit organizations.  It takes time to build relationships, to share our story and to inform others about Ella's Halo.  There is only so much you can do in only one year.  I keep telling myself.....just think what Ella's Halo will be able to accomplish in the next 30 years.

So as I turn to the next decade I know that we have accomplished two huge hurdles in life.  Even though we will still have heartache, hard work and healing ahead of us, I know that we took our pain and changed it into a promise to help others.  To me, that has been a wonderful 30 years.

Craft for a Cause

Do you like to sew or craft? Do you like to shop at Jo-Ann Fabric? 

You can win $1500 and help Ella's Halo win $50,000!

It is really easy and here's how in just 5 simple steps:

1. Buy your supplies from Jo-Ann Fabrics (save your receipts!!) - find a store near you!

2. Make your items and have fun and be creative

3. Take a few pictures of your creations and upload them to the Craft for a Cause site at http://www.joann.com/joann/common/content_noleftnav.jsp?catName=craftForaCause

4. In the -Or- Box type "Ella's Halo" and donate your items to Ella's Halo by contacting us at info@ellashalo.com

5. Wait to WIN your gift card and VOTE for one of the top 3 charities

Contest and crafting dates begin August 15, 2010 and ends October 30, 2010.  Voting for your favorite charity you have until December 4, 2010.  Help Ella's Halo become one of the top 3 so we could have a chance to win $50,000!

Using materials purchased from Jo-Ann make and donate useful crafted items to your favorite charitable organization...Ella's Halo! Not only do you get to show your creative side but you also get to give back to babies in the NICU. Submit photo of each donation — crafted items will be judged for prizes! Entries are judged on creativity, quality & functionality for the charitable organization receiving item. The makers of the top five* crafted items will each win a $1,500 Jo-Ann gift card.  You could win for giving!

The three charitable organizations receiving the most donated items become Craft for a Cause finalists. Then you can join other crafters and go online to vote for your favorite among these three through December 4, 2010.

Getting Involved

People are always asking us about ways they can get involved to help Ella's Halo.  So I thought I would share some ideas about how others have helped through donations and by helping to build awareness for Ella's Halo.

• Blankets!  People love to make, buy and give us blankets.  It is such a wonderful thing and I know families and hospitals appreciate these gifts.  If you are interested in donating blankets, just email me at info@ellashalo.com and I will give more information regarding sizes and where you can send your donations.  See the story about how Anne donated blankets in 2009 here: http://littletooties.blogspot.com/2009/09/inspiration.html
• Books!  I loved reading books to Ella in the hospital.  It was a good way for her to hear my voice too.  We take gently used or new children's books to donate to the NICUs.  You can send these to us and we will donate them to all the three Level III NICU's in the Twin Cities area.
• Spreading the word!  A friend from high school is running in the Filthy 5K in Fargo Moorhead.  Mackenzie and friends are wearing pink shirts with an Ella's Halo logo and website to help spread the word about EH!  If you are in the area and want to go cheer on the Ella's Halo team check out the website for the Filthy 5K at http://www.gobeyondrunning.com/Filthy%205K.html.  We welcome the ideas that you may have to help us raise awareness about Ella's Halo, and to have fun doing it too.  Email us with any of your ideas! 

• Follow Us!  Read our blog, check out our website at http://www.ellashalo.com/, and follow us on Twitter to see what we are up to.  Ella's Halo not only donates but we help volunteer our time.  We recently gave back to the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis by serving dinner to families.  We also post information about upcoming events and activities that Ella's Halo is doing. So follow our story on how we are helping our community!
• Brochures!  If you know of anyone that would like to receive additional information about Ella"s Halo, please email us at info@ellashalo.com and request some brochures.  Helping us generate awareness is important since we rely on our family and friends to help us help other families.  If you know of another family who has spent time in the NICU, we enjoy hearing from them too, so give them our contact information so we can learn about their NICU experiences.
• Events!  We love it when our supporters come out to our events.  It is such a wonderful way to meet you and also share more information about Ella's Halo.  We know that life is busy so if you are unable to attend one of events, still spread the word.  Or even donate an item for one of our raffles so that we can help raise more money for Ella's Halo.
• Donations!  And as always we appreciate any and all monetary donations.  It helps us be able to provide bigger items for the NICUs.  We recently set up an Ella Jo Krumwiede NICU fund at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital. They are using those funds to buy items on their "want" list.  We wouldn't have been able to do that without the help of donations.  Check out our website if you are interested in donating online, or to find our address on where you can send your donations. 

We love that so many people want to help Ella's Halo.  We are very blessed to have so many wonderful supporters.  We are always open to any ideas that you may have too, so please get involved and help Ella's Halo!

Ronald McDonald House

Tonight, Ella's Halo served dinner to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.  It was an amazing way to give back to families who have children in the hospital.

We served dinner to over 70 guests and volunteers.  It was one way Ella's Halo could actually "do" something to be able to help families and see their smiles in appreciation.  One woman even commented as we filled up her plate with warm turkey sandwiches and beans that she had seen some of our items in the NICU and that she knew about our organization.  I just kept putting sandwiches on plates so that my tears wouldn't start. 

It was amazing to know that Ella's Halo really has an impact on families and babies in the NICU. Serving dinner was an amazing gift to give to families who are living at the Ronald McDonald House and searching for small comforts of home to make their stay easier.

Ryan and I knew many families who had to stay at the Ronald McDonald House while their babies were in the NICU.  We knew that this was one organization we needed to volunteer for and help one day.  And what a wonderful way to do it by helping through Ella's Halo.

I know that Ella would have wanted us to spread our love and have Ella's Halo help other families and other organizations too.  Thank you for a wonderful evening Ronald McDonald!

http://www.rmhtwincities.org/

Peace

On September 5, 2009, we buried Ella out in a small country cemetery.  Now one year later, every time we go back to visit our daughter we are surrounded by peace and beauty.