Remember how I talked about how I sent some of my books to a charity called The Bookworm Box (btw link is here if you hover and several other links in this post!)?  Well, every month, my absolute favorite author Colleen Hoover picks a charity or two to donate all the proceeds to…last month they raised over $11,000 that was donated.  The boxes go on sale at a certain time and date and sell out fast!!  Like within 10 minutes!  Each box contains books from indie or best-selling authors and swag and other fun stuff.  I lucked out and got myself one last month so I am excited to see it when it arrives this next week.  Last month, however, I took a shot and wrote Colleen an email about a project I am involved in at work that needed funds.  I am about to tell you about the power of an email.

A few years ago, our Peds/Picu unit lost someone very dear to us.  One of our techs Stephen died suddenly in his sleep from a heart attack.  He was beloved on our floor…he absolutely loved his job and the kiddos loved him.  Stephen was an avid quilter and the quilts he made were gorgeous.  When staff had babies or got married, you can bet they got a special quilt that Stephen made for them.  His quilts were treasures and brought lots of children comfort.  When he died, his partner J and I tried to figure out what to do with the donations that were given in his memory to the unit.  We finally decided to put the funds to a perfect use:  quilts for every child that comes through our unit that they can take home and bring them comfort while they are sick.  We partnered with a phenomenal organization Quilts for Kids ….they have volunteers who make quilts and they send them to hospitals like ours, we just pay shipping (which adds up to about $1-2 a quilt).  Stephen’s Quilts for Kids was started with these funds and every child who came through our doors has gotten a quilt.  These quilts are a source of comfort and the nurses take great care in picking out one for each kiddo.  It is a program I am so proud of because it keep Stephen’s memory alive…each quilt is tagged with a card explaining about him and the program so every parent knows why they are getting one.

Recently, I realized that our funds were running low in our account to support this program and started brainstorming what to do to save it.  It means so much to me, the kids, the staff and to Stephen’s partner J.  It had to be saved! Knowing about The Bookworm Box, I took a shot.  I wrote an email to Colleen Hoover, describing our program and pleaded that she make our small tiny little insignificant program a source of her donations.  I wrote it after a night of working, so I am sure I rambled on and on and on without any commas, but I had to try right?  A Fat Girl has to take a chance!  I hit send and never heard a word back.  Ok….well I tried.

Tonight, my Seester calls me and asks me if I watched the video Colleen had made about the upcoming Bookworm Boxes.  Ummmm…No.  I tried to watch the video but my phone was being persnickety. I had seen when they were coming out (Sunday April 19 at 3pm central time btw) and made an alarm in my phone so I could try and get one.  What was the big deal?  She starts screaming at me to go watch it like someone had died or something.  What the heck?  I was naked of course, as I was gonna get in the shower but answered her call (thank goodness it wasn’t a video call), so didn’t want to go to my computer.  Frustrated, Seester plays the video and holds up her phone so I can hear it…and then it happened.  I heard plain as day, Colleen Hoover say MY name and talk about our Stephen’s Quilts for Kids and how she was donating $5000 to us!!  I can’t even.  Naked screaming occurred and I ran around my house, completely bare ass naked screaming at my Seester on the phone.  My curtains may have been open in my living room and I may have given the neighbors a show.  Naked Fat Girl Dance of Joy then occurred and I started sobbing.  Sobbing so hard I couldn’t even talk to my Seester for a few minutes.  Just watch…do your own Dance of Joy and let your eyes leak for a bit…

For reals.  I cannot even begin to say how grateful I am that Colleen read my email and decided to help us.  I just can’t even.  More naked screaming might have occurred and I might have even forgotten to shower I was so excited.  I also might have peed a little in excitement…thank goodness I have wood floors.  So anyways…try and get your hands on a Bookworm Box this Sunday to help support us…I know I will!  If you can’t and want to make a donation anyways then go to the link here for theFlagstaff Medical Center Foundation and make sure you designate your donation for Stephen Findley Quilts for Kids.  This is an amazing opportunity for our kiddos that we serve.  I am so glad I took a chance.  Words have power.  Emails can change lives.  This is why Colleen is my favorite author EVER.  Colleen Hoover…I want to be you when I grow up.  Seriously.  And from the bottom of my heart…THANK YOU!

Now excuse me, but my eyes are leaking and I need to maybe go shower since I forgot that earlier.  Oh yeah…and maybe clean up a puddle of pee.

Oh yeah.  I didn’t die today.  I did have one of the most amazing things happen in memory of my friend Stephen but I didn’t die.  I am Fat Girl who runs through her house naked while screaming and leaking pee Running.  The experiment continues…