Sam spent his first seven months of his life in the hospital. Since then, he has spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital. Unfortunately, it’s the nature of being a child with a trach (breathing tube). I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of gifts our family received while Sam was in the hospital, and still receive. The outpouring was and is overwhelming in the most heart warming way.

Of the many gifts you receive when you have a child in the hospital, the ones that are tailored to your child’s diagnosis or situation hit you in a way that goes deep into the heart. The gift says, “I have been in your shoes.” For a moment, you don’t feel completely isolated. Someone else has been there. This is a powerful thing.

Jack’s Basket and Fiona’s Hope were those gifts for me. Jack’s Basket is a nonprofit that gives baskets to families to celebrate a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Enough said. Fiona’s Hope gives baskets to families who have had an extensive stay in a hospital with their child. Again, enough said. To find out more about these two incredible organizations, click on their names.

A long time ago, these two organizations sparked something in me. For over three years, I have been dreaming of giving a basket to families who will take their baby home from the hospital with a trach (breathing tube). A basket that says, “I have been in your shoes.” A basket that says, “You are not alone.” A basket that says, “Although our stories are uniquely different, we share this commonality.”

One year ago in March of 2020, just when Covid was starting to invade us, I delivered my first basket. My heart was overjoyed to be able to bless a family with items that clearly show, they are not the only ones on this journey.

Now, almost a year later, I recently delivered my eleventh basket!!! It’s crazy to think that many babies have gone home with a trach just in Minnesota this past year. The curve balls thrown at each of these families are unimaginable. Each story is unique, but share one common theme.

So, what’s the big deal about the tenth one, you ask? Well, I told myself, after I am able to deliver ten baskets, I have to put it out there. So, here I go. My hope is to be able to bless as many families as I can who have been dealt this difficult, but incredibly rewarding, hand of cards.

Each basket is filled with items that have been or are useful to us. Do you want to see what’s inside the basket?! Click here to see the new page I added to find out more about what’s in each basket.

If you would like to request a basket or donate items, click here to contact me.

If you would like to make a monetary donation, click here. At this time, the donation you make will not be tax deductible. I am in the process of starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and when that happens your donations will be tax deductible.

Although I feel nervous about “putting it out there”, I am extremely excited at the possibility of being able to brighten a day of more families whose lives have taken a turn down an uncertain road. Things have moved a lot faster than I anticipated!! This week, I will be reaching beyond Minnesota!!