Grace Blanket Drive 2016!

IT'S TIME!

Our 3rd Annual Grace Blanket Drive is officially LIVE! Help us make this year the BEST EVER!

We are now accepting blanket donations to gift to Piper's NICU at Children's Mercy Hospital, here in KC...

AND THIS YEAR, we will also be expanding our donations to some areas close to YOUR hearts as well! Grace Blankets friends in Amarillo, Lubbock, Houston, Little Rock, and Florida will be helping us deliver to their area NICUs! How amazing is this? YOU guys are making this happen, and we are beyond excited to increase our scope of service!

Spending so much time in the NICU allowed us to observe many needs that others may not think of when donating to a hospital. Donating a blanket not only reaches one family, one baby..... donating a blanket means adding to the NICU's linen closet supply. In KC, this supply closet blankets over 75 beds per night with clean linens; and why not add a touch of warmth and flare to these beds!?

A new blanket can give the feeling of home and comfort to a new NICU family, that blanket can be laundered, circulated, and make baby beds for as long as that little blankie can hold up. One blanket....will add a touch of love to multiple babies...and THAT, my friends, is awesome! 

Please join us in giving back to our NICUs, recruit your office, tell your friends, and let's cover these babies in love and prayer from around the nation! We will accept blankets for ALL areas...and then divvy our stock among our new hospital friends. 

THE NITTY GRITTY:

** CONTACT: tarajarvis13@gmail.com or text 817.319.8116 for the address to mail blankets to! **

DO NOT USE ANY SAVED ADDRESS YOU HAVE FOR US! (We're moving and I'll give you new shipping info!)

TIME FRAME:  Please have all blankets in the mail by AUG. 1st, 2016.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

• NEW baby blankets of all types, colors or prints! Have some fun, shop around and use your creative gifts! Nurses love a fun spiffy new blankie! 
• any medium sized baby blanket or throw 
• cotton or flannel receiving blankets 
• crib sheets & fitted sheets are great too, and always needed!
  
• DONATE MOOLAH! We can take care of the shopping for you, if you'd rather donate funds to our cause! We use our Grace Blankets fund each summer to buy additional blankets for hospitals. Contact me: we can take CC's and checks!

INSIDER TIPS:

• Hospital Rules - new/new with tag blankets only please. This ensures the safety of patients. 

• DIY Fleece Tie Blankets - are known to NOT hold up well to all the hospital washing. We will absolutely still accept these as donations, but use these as gifts for NICU families/babies to take home. They will not be able to stay in hospital linen rotation due to short laundry life span...those poor fellows.
  
• Yes, this is safe for all. With hospitals' Back to Sleep & Safe Sleep regulations, nurses use these blankets as bed linens underneath babes...not to cover them up! :) They can also be a great sibling support gift, and social worker scenario gift for families in need leaving the hospital. 

We are so excited to be continuing our work with our Grace Blanket Drive for the sweet babies of Children's Mercy Hospital, and now other NICUs nationwide!!! 

Named after our sweet Piper Grace, and made possible by her very own prayer warriors!

We are counting on your help! Can we beat last year's total?

2014 - 930 blankets donated

2015 - 2,512 blankets donated

2016 - TBD!!!!!!

Please do not hesitate to email me with questions! 

Here's to warming hearts, by blanketing babies with love!

             

Own Your Warrior Status

Life is crazy.
You know that saying "you make plans, God laughs?"...yea, I'm livin' it at the moment.

I have had a ton of things to do lately:
I've been sitting on hospital committees, distributing Piper T-shirts, attending parent teacher conferences, gymnastics lessons, speaking to high school classes, making lists of small house tasks to accomplish (because in this market, why not sell this baby for an upgrade, right!?) Life stuff has been happening. We have been busy. My people pleaser brain starts to get a bit self conscious and overwhelmed sometimes....and the other day, I had a thought.

I am choosing this busy-ness. This is good. We are making an impact and having fun with one another. I can handle this because....I have walked through effing fire. I'm handling a loss very few understand. I can handle anything that is "hard," because I am equipped with His Grace.

I've walked through hell and back. I am a warrior. I will own it.
Bring it on.

I'd love for other mommas to take a look in the mirror, and own your warrior status. Every family has their struggle, every marriage a hardship, every single person has gone through a personal hell in their life. There is no need to compare journeys with others, to determine who had it harder. We have walked a path that equips us to help someone, somewhere, somehow, someday. Own it. Embrace your warrior and hold your head up and know you can...because duh, you rock!

Matty and I have been super excited to get our house on the market and move to a new, bigger home in KC. We've been chill about it, no rush...and God laughed.

I rarely brag on mister hubs; but man, he's worked his butt off lately. He worked full time while Piper was in the hospital, yet never missed an early morning snuggle with her on his way into the pharmacy. He rarely slept, took care of us, paid the bills...and dealt with a horrible loss alongside me. He has worked so hard; and people have started to take notice.

Currently managing the Special Disease Pharmacy for Walgreens, Matt was pulled out of meetings last week to have a big, HUGE chat with the big wigs. There was an offer for bigger and better things, no interview needed, he was their guy...does he accept?

CUE FREAK OUT FOR MOMMA!

Matt has accepted an Area Health Care Supervisor position, leading over 60 Walgreens stores...in Little Rock, Arkansas!

The crazy thing is, Matt has been offered relocations before, and they were somewhat silly/not practical. We are usually pretty picky when it comes to these offers, and none of them had made sense for us. BUT - when Matt called about this job, all went quiet. My critical mind silenced, and we wept. What an amazing feeling of peace and understanding that we were on the right path. Matt is being rewarded for his hard work, the relocation specifics are amazing and a HUGE reward for our family, after these couple years of mental turmoil. House on the market? God laughed, then did us one better.

The best part: I get to sit back and watch, as Matthew Jarvis reaps the benefits of such hard work. I cannot put into words how much this is deserved for him. About time, babe!

The Specifics:
We will be meeting with a relocation coordinator this week to get our house on the market, schedule house hunting trips to Little Rock, and the family move date will rest on when our house sells.

* YES, we will still have and ALWAYS have the Grace Blanket Drive each Summer!
* I will let you know when it's time / where to mail blankets - STAY TUNED!
* I will be in KC regularly to continue our blanket giving with our original love - Children's Mercy
* There is an AWESOME new Grace Blanket website coming soon to spread even more love!
* I will save the goodbye KC emotions for a later post

I had a goal this year to be able to mail blankets to our hospital friends in different cities, so this is an easy transition to take Grace Blankets further! (If you are near a big hospital/big city, I will be reaching out soon for Grace Blanket reps that can deliver for us and snap a PIPES shirt pic! I'm talkin' to you, Amarillo, Dallas, Houston, Lubbock...) :)

Things are about to get crazy. Crazy good, and crazy new and crazy cool. Sometimes even blessings feel overwhelming to our schedules. I want to get anxious about Matt leaving and me "single mom-ing it" for an undetermined time; but then I realize - I've walked through hell and back this past year. I am warrior momma and I can handle it.

Own your Warrior status, and bring on the blessings.

Some quick iphone snaps of some really cool website shots taken today. Showing KC LOVE!

Just a Drop in the Bucket...

Woo Hoooooo!  Check out the fancy new blog design! A HUGE thank you goes out to Jodie Gerling, for coming to my rescue and sprucing things up for me! You rock my face right off, woman!
***
Have I mentioned that I've been getting my head shrunk? Ain't no shame in my game. Since February 2015, while Piper was still alive, I've been going to a therapist. I love to talk...I love to talk about myself...I love therapy. 
The result: my overly egotistic self now thinks I'm a psychologist. (Duh!)  In all seriousness though, this has really helped me dig into the how and why I want to grieve, give back, and tap into coping skills while incorporating my faith in this recovery process. 
Something I've been mulling over for a while now, is me getting tinges of anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. I've analyzed, then OVERanalyzed why; and have come to this conclusion: (I'm billing you for this session later.) I get SO excited to help, to make a difference, to give back, to have Piper be remembered...that I regress into the thoughts that everything I can do is too small. I look at this big ole' world and have the humbling realization that I am just a mere drop in the bucket. Just a small tiny blanket drive lady, trying to make a difference, but just a drop in the bucket that is children's hospital philanthropy. 
Blankets, hospital committees, NICU meals, bereavement bath products...does it make a difference? Have you ever had thoughts like this? "Am I even making a difference?"
This is when I have to stop. Slow my roll, and tell myself, "Hell YES it does!"  Now, all my psychotherapy comes in handy when I am so excited to share with you my thoughts on giving back... Do NOT let being, "just" a drop in the bucket, extinguish your flame! Your drop means something to someone. Your light has a purpose. Hold that light out and shine the way, baby! 
Matt and I have had discussions recently about our faith in God as youngsters. We were raised as Christians, and were pretty darn boring teens. No crazy fall to rise from, no huge mistakes, prude - boring teens. As a Christian, and a quiet one at that, this led me to feel like I had no real profound testimony to share with others. I always had God's light within my heart, and carried it with me through this life. 
What Piper has done, is allow me to take my light, extend my arms, and hold it out for all to see. Piper's life has given us a reason to shine that light for others, regardless of how big or small the audience. My drop in the bucket is awesome, my flame will be bright, and I will shine it for you, Pipes!
While compiling my words for this post, a song from childhood came to mind that I'd love for you to hear. It's perfect for this topic. (The YouTube video might be corny, but the words touch my heart.) I urge you to give it a listen, and think about how you use your light.  Go Light Your World ***
NOW, it's time for another PIPES shirt order!!!!! Some of you missed the last order, and we are excited to offer these again! T-shirt money goes straight into the Grace Blanket account and has been used in these ways thus far:
   * Blanket purchases to stockpile for August hospital delivery    * Bath product purchase for NICU bereavement team    * Website domain purchase    * Non-profit filing process    * NICU family meal event (we fed over 50 parents this January!)    * Footprint keepsake supplies for NICU nurses to create for families    * Blankets blankets blankets for NICU/PICU babies!
In short - Y'ALL ROCK. This is YOU shining your light! Thank you so so much!
Here are shirt ordering specifics! Call, text and email me ASAP!  817.319.8116 or tarajarvis13@gmail.com (yes, shirt prices are increased from last time...I spent waaaay more on tax & shipping than I bargained for!)
* $18 - Adult Sizes S - 3X * $12 - Child Sizes XS - XL * $10 - Baby Onesies NB - 24mo
When you call, text or email, I need from you:
* how many & what size * your shipping address * I can take cc payment over speaker phone, you mail a check, or meet me with cash! * your order isn't recorded until payment received. Emailing me doesn't ensure you get a  
  shirt...money talks, baby!  * I'll text or email you our address for check mailing. (Just not posting it here, duh!) * Checks payable to: Grace Blankets or Tara Jarvis DBA Grace Blankets 
SHIRT ORDERS/PAYMENT DUE BY MARCH 5th! (2+ weeks)
Questions? Call me. Text me. Email me. 
Check out all these fine folks sporting their Pipes shirts! How amazing! What a great way to get the word out about our blanket drive cause, CDH awareness, and remember such an awesome person!
We love you all! Can't wait to talk soon! #PipersPod

 

 

 

Our Life Lately...In List Form

I cannot express the outpouring of love our family has received since Piper passed in June.
We have been keeping our heads down, wrapped up in Grace Blanket busyness, and have tried so very hard to soak up every bit of the support you all have sent. Thank you, for your words, your prayers, and most of all - for keeping your memory of Piper Grace in your hearts always!

I have too many updates to tell you about, and don't want to wait to blog them one at a time, so today, I will throw at you LISTS! Kind of like the David Letterman of blog posts, if you will. Please take the time to scroll through, and check out how YOUR love and giving has impacted our family and this community as of late.

Grace Blanket Drive Grand Totals

* 2, 512 blankets were donated to Children's Mercy Hospital this August!
* From 172 donors
* From 80 cities
* From 17 states

TOP DONORS: (based on boxes received)
  1. Kansas City Metro - 61 boxes
  2. DFW Metro - 36 boxes
  3. Tx Panhandle - 23 boxes

I have gotten message after message from our NICU nurses about the blanket craziness that is going on at the hospital right now! Every baby with a brand new blanketed bed...every night. It's like Christmas for them, and we cannot thank YOU enough for your giving! As a result of all the new blankies, the hospital was able to donate their old worn out linens to our Great Plains SPCA!

PLEASE keep Grace Blanket Drive on your mind for this event EVERY year in Piper's memory. We will make this drive bigger, better, and share more love each and every year!

T Shirt Orders & Donation Opportunities

We have officially begun "Pipes" t shirt sales for the Grace Blanket Drive fund! Sport your Piper pride and help us fund further philanthropy with your purchase.

* $12 per shirt (sizes Youth Small through Adult 2X)
* Call Tara @ 817.319.8116 to run a credit card over the phone / or to plan local meet up!
* Email Tara (tarajarvis13@gmail.com) for address to mail checks for shirt payment
* Payment Due: 9/19/2015 - no late wiggle room at all!
* Shirts are expected to be completed / shipped by first week of October.

Grace Blanket Drive is excited to be providing a NICU parent meal and creating a nursing school scholarship this year with the help of your giving. We have a TON of ideas coming down the pipe (pun intended) for future philanthropy. Stay tuned!

With our new Grace Blanket Drive Fund: we are able to accept monetary donations year round, and even set up monthly commitment donations! Email Tara for more info! The Lord is working through Piper Grace's tiny life, and we are in awe!

Shirt Graphic!

A Piece of My Momma Heart

As many who have grieved the loss of a loved one know, many days you have your guard up. A "wake up - buck up buttercup" mentality that gets you through the day. I admit that most days, to function with this crazy 3 year old I have, I have my guard up. The blanket drive, tshirt sales, and Tallan have kept me busy and moving...but like I learned with Piper, some days just call for being still. Some days call for the lump in your throat to be released. Some days call for counting the minutes till bedtime, so you can cry with your spouse. Some days call for allowing memories to flood, while you be still.

As a fairly sentimental person, I can feel when "Piper" days are upon me, and am good about acknowledging the emotion I feel. Fighting this emotion does not honor Piper's memory...so I've chosen to open my arms to it. It allows me to be a better mom, and be grateful for every single Tallan quirk. It allows me to be a better spouse, as these days remind me to check in with Matty to see how he's coping. It allows me to be a better person, because I understand the silent strife and struggle the stranger next to me might be dealing with.

My "Piper Days" are often purposely triggered by a quiet drive, and a playlist that will forever be linked to this past year of our lives. My soul is so touched by music, and I've found that Piper's Playlist helps me reset, remember, and love this journey with my whole heart. I'd love to share this playlist with you. It was played at her memorial service, and each song touches my heart for a different reason. Songs you may have heard before, but may take on a different meaning now.

   * A Thousand Years (Christina Perry) - I think of a mother's love being infinite.
 
   * I Won't Let Go (Rascal Flatts) - unwavering support. I think of this as my song to Matt, or God's song for our family.

   * Never Grow Up (Taylor Swift) - Piper's sweet innocence.

   * You Decorated My Life (Kenny Rogers) - An oldie! This one has special meaning, as it was the song my Dad sang me to sleep with when I was little. How a love for someone can change everything.

   * I Will Carry You (Selah) - 100% the theme song for our journey. My favorite. Brutal!

   * See You Again (Wiz Khalifa)  - what I will say to Pipes when me meet again!

   * To Make You Feel My Love (Garth Brooks)  - the undying love Matt and I had for Piper, and how we wanted her to know so badly, how much she was loved.

   * I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe) - duh!

   * Though You Slay Me (Shane & Shane) - praising God through the hard times.

   * Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Katharine McPhee)  - uh...duh!

   * Word of God Speak (MercyMe) - my daily reminder.

  I'd LOVE to hear how one of these songs speaks to you. They will forever be my Piper songs.

A Thank You

Since last Christmas, I have planned on blogging a HUGE thank you to the staff at Children's Mercy. This was when I thought I'd blog Piper's home coming. This thank you now carries a different meaning for me. Not a thank you for getting us healthy, for sending us home....but a thank you for loving our daughter when home was no longer an option.

NICU doctors and staff face miracles, struggles, and heartache every single day. They all could choose to protect their hearts, and distance themselves from patient journeys. Our family at CMH did no such thing. They fought for Piper and celebrated as she succeeded. They fought for Piper when she backslid and struggled. They loved her when she wasn't supposed to live a day. They found fun in the good days of Piper's 10 months of life, and made our NICU journey bearable.
They continued to love her when we realized her fight was ending. They chose to love her even when heartache was eminent, and for that, we will always love them. I miss them every day, and cherish their friendships. I'm grateful for what they taught me, and I'm so proud of their choice to love each baby, every day, regardless of circumstance.

I'd love for you to jot down a couple names, and add them to your prayers, or happy thoughts list. These people have all laid their healing hands on Piper Grace. Hands that I believe are blessed by God to do his work here on Earth.  (If I miss anyone, it is unintentional! Just going from my scatter brain's shotty memory and scribbled notes!)

Fetal Health Gals: Cristy, Kristen, Andrea, Amy, Karen, Valerie

Primary Nurses: Ashley O., Allison, Marcela, Katy, Ally, Jenn, Claire, Michelle, Sarah

Day & Night Nurses: Julie, Kara, Hilary, Coleen, Stacie, Tina, Lindsay, Christina, Michelle J., Ashley S., Jen S., Kayla, Becca, Dot, Robyn, Annie, Brittney, Jenny, Lauren, Stephanie, Jayna, Greta, Katelyn, Shayna, Sam, Jessica, Tess, Christie, Elaine, Susan, Amanda Ab., Kristyn, Rachel, Sarah W., Melissa, Sara C., Amanda Ar., Linda, Jen K., Stacia, Annie O., Amy S., Julie T., Carla., Alicia., Mary, Carrie, Brenda, Jenny H., Patti, Amy Sl., Maureen, Sheena

Respiratory Therapists: Callie, Maggie, Matthew, Brian, Caree, Theresa

PT / OT / Music Therapy: Stephanie, Mich, Liesel

Nurse Practitioners: DELO, Lisa, Jill, Sara J., Kerry, Daphne

Doctors/ Surgeons / Fellows: Dr. Cooper, Dr. Olsen, Craig, Dr. Petrikin, Dr. Iqbal, Tim, Dr. Palatto, Dr. Kilbride, Dr. Nyp, Dr. Troug, Dr. Weiner, Dr. Sharma, Dr. Lachica, Dr. Oshode, Dr, Bernbaum

PaCT Team: Dr. Linebarger & Nurse Tonja

THANK YOU all for loving so hard, for caring so fiercely, and for being the biggest badasses ever to grace a NICU!

Grace Blanket Drive is up and running!

Thank you all so much for loving us through this past week after saying goodbye to Piper. We are overwhelmed with the kindness of others who have surrounded us with prayer and compassion as we navigate through this loss. This blog is pretty "down to business," so I will save my sappy words for another post, on another day.

A couple months ago, I had been contemplating having our Grace Blanket Drive take place in August, Piper's birth month. The outpouring of people wanting to give back in Piper's memory has led me to believe that that is  FABULOUS IDEA! Consider it done.

We will officially be accepting blanket donations to gift to the NICU at Piper's amazing Children's Mercy Hospital, here in KC. We cannot express in words, how grateful we are for this sweet place. Let's blanket them with love and warmth! (See what I did there?)

Spending so much time in the NICU has allowed us to observe many needs that others may not think of when donating to a hospital. Donating a blanket not only reaches one family, one baby..... donating a blanket means adding to the NICU's linen closet supply. This supply blankets over 75 beds per night with clean linens; and why not add a touch of warmth and flare to these beds! A new blanket can give the feeling of home and comfort to a new NICU family, that blanket can be laundered, circulated, and make baby beds for as long as that little blankie can hold up. One blanket....will add a touch of love to multiple babies...and THAT, my friends, is awesome! 

Feel free to click back through our original Grace Blanket Drive blog post for further back story on our decision to pay it forward to our favorite hospital. Please join us, recruit your office, tell your friends, and let's cover these babies in love and prayer from around the nation!

THE NITTY GRITTY:

CONTACT: me, at tarajarvis13@gmail.com for my address to mail blankets to.
TIME FRAME:  Please have all blankets in the mail by AUG. 1st, 2015.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

• NEW baby blankets of all types, colors or prints! Have some fun, and use your creative gifts! Nurses love a fun spiffy new blankie!

• Sew your own! - About a square yard of fabric will do. (flannel & cotton hold up well to industrial washing.)

• Buy a Blankie!
• any medium sized baby blanket or throw 
• cotton or flannel receiving blankets 
• crib sheets & fitted sheets are great too

INSIDER TIPS:

• Hospital Rules - new/new with tag blankets only please. This ensures the safety of patients. 

• DIY Fleece Tie Blankets - are known to NOT hold up well to all the hospital washing. We will absolutely still accept these as donations, but use these as gifts for NICU families/babies to take home. They will not be able to stay in hospital linen rotation due to short laundry life span...those poor fellows. 

If I am missing anything, please shoot me a message! I try my best to reply asap.
Again, thank you all for helping us shower love on this precious hospital. I cannot wait to start getting blanket mail, it will do my momma heart good.

One more question: Grace Blanket Drive donated 930 blankets to the hospital last year...

DO YOU THINK WE CAN BEAT THIS??????

Pipes - snug as a bug in her custom threads!

Here's to Y-O-U!

WOW. You guys rock!
We set out to provide some bed change blankets for the 75 NICU bed spaces; and the results were above and beyond what we could have ever expected.

God is working through each and every one of you; and let me tell you about all the warmth you have provided this hospital!

• GRAND TOTAL of 930 blankets!
• From 119 different donors
• From 62 difference cities
• Mailed with love from 11 different states!

AMAZING!!!!!!!!
To preserve donor anonymity, but also explain the scope of your love, I'll proudly give shout outs to the fun fabulous places that sent fluff our way:

• Abilene, TX
• Amarillo, TX (2)
• Amistad, NM (2)
• Arlington, TX (2)
• Bedford, TX
• Blue Springs, MO
• Burleson, TX (2)
• Canadian, TX
• Chula Vista, CA
• Claude, TX
• Dalhart, TX (7)
• El Dorado, AR
• Fayetteville, NC
• Ft. Worth, TX (4)
• Garden City, KS
• Garrison, TX (2)
• Gladstone, MO (2)
• Grandbury, TX
• Grapevine, TX
• Harrodsburg, KY
• Hewitt, TX
• Highland Village, TX
• Irving, TX
• Katy, TX
• Kansas City, MO (15)
• Kingwood, TX
• Leawood, KS (2)
• Lee's Summit, MO (2)
• Lefores, TX
• Lenexa, KS
• Lillian, TX
• Lipan, TX
• Lubbock, TX (5)
• Mansfield, TX (14)
• McKinney, TX
• Mission, KS
• Nacogdoches, TX
• Newberry, FL
• North Richland Hills, TX
• Oceanside, CA
• Olathe, KS (2)
• Overland Park, KS (8)
• Paola, KS
• Parkville, MO
• Pearland, TX
• Prairie Village, KS (2)
• Richmond, TX
• Rockwall, TX
• San Antonio, TX
• San Augustine, TX
• Seabrook, TX
• Seagoville, TX
• Seguin, TX
• Seymour, TX
• Spring Hill, KS
• Spring, TX
• Stewartville, MN
• Weatherford, TX
• Wheeling, WV
• Wichita, KS
• Winters, TX

Again, I am in AWE of your love and kindness; and am incredibly humbled by your support. I've heard from doctors, nurses, administrators and chaplains who are so so grateful for the love sent with these blankets.

Fleece tie blankets were walked around the NICU and given to parents with small babies in isolettes.

The majority of blankets will be laundered and dispersed throughout the hospital for linen closet stocking of NICU, PICU, and patient floors.

Social Work has stocked their supply closet as well, to be able to provide a very special blanket to a child or family in a time of need.

Up at Piper's crib the other day, I ran into a chaplain, who thanked me for our blanket drive. She had had the privilege of baptizing a small baby in the NICU, and presenting her parents with one of our donated blankets, that was embroidered with the word "Blessed." BE. STILL. MY. HEART!
You just thought you were covering beds...but your donation just covered a new baby with the faith and love of baptism. Again, WOW.

Thank you seems like such a small phrase to use at a time like this...but it will have to do.

THANK YOU for taking the time, over the holidays, to buy/make & mail in blankets.
THANK YOU for thinking of others with your donations.
THANK YOU for the love sent along with prayers for these babies.
THANK YOU for proving that this world still has people who will lean in and support one another.
THANK YOU for being our prayer warriors...and allowing us to lean on you.
THANK YOU for loving, and crying, and being still with us! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

My wish is that you feel the warmth that your blankets have provided in your soul. You made a difference, and we will never forget it. So right now, as you read this, take a moment, stop what you are doing, open up your arms....and feel the love and warmth we send right back to you.
You. Are. Awesome. We love you all. Feel the warmth!

TV Times & Blankies!

Hey all!
While there are some things in the works for updating about Miss Piper, I thought I'd touch base about 2 other very cool things! Blanket Drive and the documentary premier event!

First off, HOW COOL IS THAT BLANKET DRIVE LOGO!?!?!?!?!?!

Our great friend, Bobby Cooley, was awesome enough to donate his time and talent to create that for our cause! We will be using it for future flyers, thank you cards, donation letters to the hospital, info cards and all sorts of other fun ways! Thank you, Bob, for making us look and feel official. You rock our chucks off! 

REMINDER: BLANKETS DUE 12/20!

About 30 fluffy blankets have trickled in thus far, with many more on their way this week! Checking the mail for blankets has become my favorite pastime, and I look like a crazy lady stalking the mail man...but I'm excited! Nurses are excited! Cannot wait to stock that NICU linen closet; and see all the fresh new blankets with these sweet babies! You guys are doing awesome, and we are so appreciative of your help in giving back. If you need a blanket drive refresher, or need to pass info along to a friend, see our Blanket Drive Blog!

You can count on me to post a fabulous photo surrounded by fluff once all the donations are in! Feel free to email me if you need anything, or have any questions at all. 

Onto the next...........

On Nov. 18th, Matt and I, along with our families, attended the VIP Children's Mercy premier event for the Inside Pediatrics docu-series. We had a great time with hospital insiders, screened the first episode, and yours truly spoke on the Q&A panel in front of a BUNCH of well dressed people. YIKES! 

1. I did not faint - yay me.
2. I was sitting next to our favorite surgeon, Corey Iqbal!
3. I got to chat about the miracle that is Piper Grace!
4. People clapped. (They MAY have been happy to hear of Piper's progress, but I'd like to think it was because I was just so darn awesome.)

The filming of the docu-series has been a crazy roller coaster ride, and we are so excited to see it come to fruition. 6 episodes will follow a number of stories and hospital staffers; and each of those episodes will touch base with OUR journey...starting with me pregnant! HUGE and pregnant. HUGE.

I will list the air dates in full below, for our local peeps, but worry not if you aren't in our viewing area! Full length episodes will be available online, after each is aired, at www.InsidePediatrics.com

So set your DVR's, grab some kleenex, and buckle up!

Airing on 

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Episode 1: Wed, Dec 17 at 7:00 PM

Episode 2: Wed, Dec 17 at 7:30 PM

Episode 3: Thu, Dec 18 at 6:30 PM

Episode 4: Fri, Dec 19 at 6:30 PM

Episode 5: Sun, Dec 21 at 12:00 AM

Episode 6: Sun, Dec 21 at 12:30 AM

Encore presentations on 

---

Episode 1: Sat, Dec 20 at 7:00 PM

Episode 2: Sat, Dec 20 at 7:30 PM

Episode 3: Sat, Dec 20 at 8:00 PM

Episode 4: Sat, Dec 20 at 8:30 PM

Episode 5: Sun, Dec 21 at 8:00 PM

Episode 6: Sun, Dec 21 at 8:30 PM

 

Help Us Pay it Forward - Grace Blanket Drive

Hey ya'll!

Just a couple quick updates before I get into the meat of why I'm blogging tonight. Since our "blip" setback a couple weeks ago, Piper has been extubated, and is back on CPAP cannula. She is alert, chatty and back to her strong willed self. We are so grateful for all the staff that helped intervene, and get her back on the mend. We are back to our old routine of wean oxygen, wean drugs, add feeds....repeat. Please continue praying for her baby steps to success!

Also, we are excited to attend the premier of Children's Mercy's docu-series, "Inside Pediatrics," Tuesday night! This is a huge deal for us and I can't wait to blog pics and more info asap!

Alright. Down to business!
For a while now, it has been on my heart to give back, and acknowledge our love for the NICU staff at Children's Mercy. I've thought a lot about how we could give back...and I've come up with a plan that can involve YOU!

Matt and I have been beyond blessed to have such amazing gifts sent to us; as well as having our own money to spend on all of Piper's adorable blankets and linens. Most of the time, in the NICU, this is not the case. Our night time nurses pride themselves on the task completed at the beginning of their shift - bathing cute babies and giving them a fresh clean bed to sleep in. Our nurses are in LOVE with all of Piper's wonderful blankies, and it hit me...that's how we will give back!

There are over 75 bed spaces in the NICU, and each baby gets a nightly crib linen change. I've been up at the hospital when nurses are scrambling to find nice blankets for these babes when the patient count is at an all time high. More often than not, stark white hospital linens are used; which are great, but imagine the warmth a new special blanket would give the staff, the parents, the babies in need! A blanket with color, a blanket with pizzazz, a blanket sent with love.

We are so excited to be doing Grace Blanket Drive for the sweet babies of Children's Mercy Hospital!!! Named after our sweet Piper Grace, and made possible by her very own prayer warriors! I am asking for your help! If you'd love to pay it forward with us, consider donating blankets to our cause! I've listed extended info and ideas for ya below.

CONTACT: me, Tara, at tarajarvis13@gmail.com for the address to mail blankets to.
TIME FRAME:  Please have all blankets sent by 12.20.2014

WHAT IS NEEDED?
NEW baby blankets of all types, colors or prints! Have some fun, tell your friends, and use your creative gifts! Nurses love a fun spiffy new blankie!

• Sew your own! - About a square yard of fabric will do. (flannel & fleece hold up well to washing.)
• No Sew Fleece Tie blankets -can be made by youth groups, as a life group activity, girl's night in, etc!
• Google "Fleece Tie Blanket Instructions" for a bajillion simple how-to's
• Buy a Blankie!
• any medium sized baby blanket or throw 
• cotton or flannel receiving blankets 

Seems simple enough, right? I am so excited to get started, and I hope you are too. These nurses, and this NICU have blessed us with their unwavering love and care for Piper Grace, and we cannot wait to give back. We are counting on your help! Please do not hesitate to email me with questions! Here's to warming hearts, by blanketing babies with love.