Kidstock 2014

I will never forget the morning my cousin told my family about the tragic fire that took the lives of 2 precious little girls. These 2 little girls were the daughters of a friend of hers and of my dear friend Echo.

Sophie and Madigan….Such sweet girls who lived life fully and exuberantly. You can read a bit about the fire here. It was a true accidental tragedy. I know I hugged my kids tighter that day.

As the weeks passed those closet to these angels wanted their spirit to live on and so the concept of Sophie & Madigan’s Playground was born. It has been incredible to watch people from all over the country donate to this cause in order to give families a place to make memories.

Sophie and Madigan’s Playground is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and you can read about it here .

They have done numerous fundraisers. 5k’s, auctions, setting up an Amazon Smiles account (look for Sophie and madigan’s Playground Inc), and more. The current fundraiser is actually pretty amazing. They are putting on a Kidstock; a music festival just for kids! This must-see event is in Frederick, Maryland so if you are near the DC area then you can total make it to Kidstock. The line up is pretty amazing. Check it out here! This is seriously a must do event if you have kids or know kids.

Children are precious. They are a gift and they deserve to run, play, and laugh. When that time is cut short it is tragic and families cling to the precious memories they have. Parks and playgrounds will bring a rush of memories. Often that time isn’t cut short, thank God, but kids do leave the nest and parents still cling to those precious innocent memories of their children. The family and friends of Sophie and Madigan want to give a real and practical way to help families create memories that they can cherish and look back on fondly. Kidstock 2014 gives you the opportunity to participate in a very fun day with the added bonus of making a real difference in the community by giving to a charity that more than deserves it and that will make a positive and lasting effect on the lives of a community and those who happen to travel through it.

Again here are the links (used with permission):
https://www.facebook.com/SaMPKidstock/info
http://www.sophieandmadigansplayground.org/kidstock.php
http://www.sophieandmadigansplayground.org/about.php
http://m.fredericknewspost.com/news/disasters_and_accidents/fires/proposed-park-to-honor-memory-of-sisters-who-died-in/article_b2db5175-f859-5e69-87b0-94a2231ff018.html?mode=jqm

I hope that those of you who are close to Maryland can make it. Be sure to share this with your friends and families!

Hug your children tight,
Andrea

I am back online!

Hey all! Many of you know I have moved from our temporary shelter. Mark has been in Missouri trying to find us a place to live. He was sleeping on the couch of some very dear friends. I took the kids to Alabama and we lived with my parents. Being separated sucks. It was not ideal, but we had no choice.

We are finally reunited and in a nice rental. Mark isn’t making a ton, but he has full time work and we can afford the very basics. For me, that is enough.

Sure, I wish we could go back to how we used to live, but at the same time this is teaching all of us some very valuable lessons in making money stretch and in having faith in God’s provision.

I am learning to (slowly) let go of the bitterness and (let’s be honest) hatred I have harbored. I need to stop thinking “If only we could have just stayed put and never moved to Indiana…”

The kids are happy and most are healthy. Zen is fighting pneumonia and bronchiolitis. He is on the mend and I am thankful for modern medicine. I definitely prefer natural remedies, but sometimes they just do not cut it. This was such a time.

Mark’s new job is going well. He had an awkward moment when the president of his former company came in to do business. Mark rocks though and was able to be the better man. He took care of the business at hand and moved on. I really need to follow his lead on this.

I am looking forward to the new homeschool year and to writing and sharing with y’all. I hope y’all are well. I have missed you and I will spend the next 2 weeks catching up on comments and thank you cards/emails. Please fill me in on your lives!

Peace and love,
Andrea