BLOG, BID, HOPE

Monday~December 7, 2009

I’ve written quite often about how surprising the blog world has been for me. Through blogging I’ve learned that I can make authentic connections with people around the world that I never would have known any other way. I’m so thankful for that. I’m thankful for so many of you that have taken the time to get to know me, to care about my family, and to allow me to get to know you.

We read about one another's greatest accomplishments, we celebrate the highest highs and we grieve the lowest lows.

I’ve mentioned Anissa Mayhew in a previous post, and many of you know her. For those of you who don’t, recently Anissa, a witty blogger, wife and mother of three, collapsed after suffering a massive stroke. Her family and friends are devastated.

One minute her husband was talking to her about which hotel they could stay in over Thanksgiving and the next moment she was unresponsive in a hospital bed. Everyone is praying for Anissa to pull through and little by little it seems they are starting to see bits of progress, but Anissa and her family have a long way to go on the road to recovery.

Another blogger that has made his mark on my heart is Matt Logelin. Matt is no stranger to the devastating turns our lives can take. He started blogging as a way to update friends and family across the globe as his wife Liz was pregnant and about to have their first baby.

He proudly posted the excitement of the birth of his baby girl Madeline one day and the tragic loss of his beautiful wife due to a pulmonary embolism just 27 hours later.

The Liz Logelin Foundation was established by Matt to assist families suffering similar losses. The goal is to "financially assist these families as they deal with the loss of their loved ones, and struggle to move forward."

Matt also challenges his readers...and everyone...to "skip the latte" and donate 7 dollars on the 7th of every month. It can be such a small number for us, but if EVERYONE donated $7 on the 7th, we could help SO many.

This week, I will be working with a group of bloggers (Buried with Children, Mayhem & Moxie, 7 Clown Circus, Scary Mommy, Adventures in Babywearing, & Mama’s Losin’ It) to promote a three day auction called, Blog, Bid, Hope to raise money on behalf of The Liz Logelin Foundation and Anissa Mayhew.

Thanks to Laurie from Tip Junkie we were able to connect with wonderful mom-preneurs who have generously agreed to donate their goods, including blog designs, toys, art, accessories, baby gear, and SO much more.

You'll be sure to please anyone on your holiday list with any number of the packages that will be available! Not to mention ALL of the proceeds will be going to help people during extremely difficult times in their lives.

The auction will officially begin on Wednesday, December 9th. All items will listed on any one of the Blog, Bid, Hope hosting sites and will begin at $10. We're asking for bids to increase at $2 increments. If you see an item you'd like to bid on, just leave a comment on that item's post stating your price.

In addition to our own auction we want to encourage everyone to swing by Anissa Mayhew's Aiming Low site on December 10th. Her friends and fellow Aiming Low writers have organized a Shop 4 Anissa day, where they will link to specific vendors who have agreed to donate a portion of all proceeds to the Hope 4 Anissa fund specifically for that day.

You can help while you get a little Christmas shopping done! We all can. Together.

(If you’d like to donate directly to Anissa Mayhew, you can via PayPal to: annisa.mayhew@gmail.com , and to give to the Liz Logelin foundation, you can via the button in my sidebar.)

Thank you!

P.S. This same post is cross-posted by all the bloggers involved in the auction. I did not write most of it, but definitely agree with all of it.