Our Neighbors, Our Friends

My heart is breaking for Oklahoma today, the storms that ripped through yesterday devastated so many lives. I know there are so many people who are wondering what they can do, how they can help. Thankfully, the #TXBloggers have put together a list of agencies that are helping the victims in Oklahoma. Let's do what we can to help out, donate to relief efforts, use your voice to spread the word, show Oklahoma some love.

• United Way of Oklahoma -  The United Way of Oklahoma is accepting funds that will then be redistributed to the organizations working directly on the ground for this tragedy. 
• Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Fund - The Southern Baptist Convention has a disaster relief fund set up to benefit any disasters in Oklahoma. Any funds you give currently will go towards relief of this current disaster.
• Feed The Children Disaster Relief - Feed the Children is vowing to help bring people the everyday goods that they need to survive after many of them lost everything. 
• Team Rubicon – Team Rubicon consists of military veterans that still want to use the skills they were trained in during their time in the military to help people recover after a disaster. They are already on the ground in Oklahoma helping in the search and recovery efforts. 

If you know of any other relief efforts, please leave them in the comments, and I'll update the list. Even if you cannot donate to one of these agencies, just spread the word. Use your voice to help those in need. 

(List via Juan of Words)

Lucky, the Not So Lucky Elephant

{via}

This is Lucky. I first saw her four years ago when B and I took a trip to the San Antonio Zoo. She was the zoo's only elephant, and her enclosure was far from nice. After seeing her, and the conditions she was in, I got really upset about it, and we left the zoo. I chalked it up to newly pregnant hormones, but the more time wore on, the more upset I was about it. So, I sat out to do some research. I found out that Lucky had recently lost her companion, but the zoo was in the works of getting a new companion for Lucky, and were supposedly working on upgrades to her enclosure. Like I said, this was 4 years ago. 

Fast forward to two weeks ago. I hate to admit it, but Lucky hadn't really been on my mind since M was born. And then I received an email about a petition going around. A petition for Lucky. After reading it, and reading more on the One World Conservation website, I learned that not only had Lucky's enclosure never been remodeled, they had finally brought in a companion, but she died back in March. The San Antonio Zoo was filing for permission to leave Lucky all alone. 

Lucky is 53 years old, and was captured in Thailand when she was only 6 months old. She was shipped to Illinois, and eventually brought to the San Antonio Zoo when she was 2 years old. She has witnessed at least 5 of her companions die since her arrival at the zoo over 50 years ago. Her companion Alport died in 2007, and Lucky was left alone for 2 1/2 years. Elephants are highly social creatures, and need companionship. The San Antonio Zoo is doing her a huge injustice if they keep her alone. 

I know that there are far worse problems in the world, but this is something that we can easily help out with. I am asking you, my wonderful readers, to please help Lucky. Bring your voice to her campaign, and help her get a better life. You can help by emailing the president of the AZA, and the heads of the Accreditation Commission and the Elephant Taxon Advisory Group/Species Survival Plan, and tell them that Lucky cannot remain alone again. Ask that the AZA intervene on Lucky’s behalf and deny the variance requested by the San Antonio Zoo. Or you can simply sign the petition and share with your friends. It's that simple. One signature can help out in the biggest way. 

To read more about Lucky, and to sign the petition and find contact information for the AZA, please check out Lucky's page on One World Conservation's website. I'm begging all of you to help get Lucky in a better place, she deserves so much more. 

For the Babes

IT'S MONDAY!!!!

I'm not really sure why I'm yelling, but I can tell you why I'm excited!

There's nothing really special about today, except for the fact that I'm blogging to tell you that, once again, I'm asking you for money.

Yes, that's exciting.

I guess you're wanting to know why I'm asking for money, right? No, it's not to support my shopping habit, that's pretty much under control. Kinda. Anywhoodles, I'm asking for money for the babies. What babies, you ask? These babies.

Y'all, I love March of Dimes. It's such an amazing foundation, and I love working with them. This is the third year in a row that I'm participating in the March for Babies walk, and raising money to benefit March of Dimes. M wasn't premature, but she did have to stay a few days in the NICU, and it broke my heart to see the tiny babies that were there for weeks and months at a time. So, as soon as I heard about March of Dimes March for Babies, I signed up as quickly as I could.

Now, this is the part where you come in. I've started a team, Southern Bloggers for Babies, along with my March for Babies buddy, B, and we're going to be walking at the Austin event in May.

(Thanks, Mandy, for making the purty picture!)

Now, there are a couple of options on how you can help! Obviously, you can make a donation, or you can just pass the word around! Word of mouth is the best advertisement, right? So, tweet about it, post it to facebook, send smoke signals, just help us get the word out that we're raising money for the babies! Also, if you're within driving distance to Austin, we'd love to have you join the team!!

I know that if all of you can either make a donation, or just pass it along, we can reach our goal!



For the Babes

Hello Lovahs!

I'm hoping you all had wonderful, love filled Valentine's Days! I have been a busy bee over here in my world, so I haven't been writing, but you can bet I've been lurking reading all of your blogs!

Anyvajazzle, I wanted to drop in for a minute and tell y'all about something that is near and dear to my heart.

When Baby Butterbean was a week old, she was admitted into the NICU. The reason was because she had had a little trouble breathing, and they wanted to monitor her a bit, but mostly because of her jaundice. We were lucky enough to only stay for two nights. But even just those two nights were the some of the most hectic nights I've ever experienced. To see my little baby girl in a place like that, absolutely broke my heart. 

But what broke it even more was the fact that there were children there who had been there for not just days, but weeks, and even months. Their doors and walls were decorated with pictures of their families, and pictures that their siblings had drawn for them. They laid in beds with tubs all around them and machines making noises all night long. It made me realize just how lucky I was that we were only there for something minor, and that I had a beautiful and healthy little girl.

It's been over a year since she's been there, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. I'll never forget the sounds, the smell, or the teeny tiny cries from the ones who were strong enough to even let out a cry.

Last year, my bloggie friend B and I teamed up to raise money for March of Dimes by participating in the March for Babies. We had such a good time, and I really felt like I was able to help, even if it was just a tiny amount. So, when the time came around to sign up for this year's walk, I knew that Baby Butterbean and I would be there. This is the point where I ask for your help. I've set a small goal of $200, and I'd really like to meet it, and, if possible, surpass it. So, I'm asking y'all, my wonderful bloggie friends, to help me. Donate, if you can, if not, then help me spread the word. Blog about it, tweet about it (@ me in your tweet, @ohheyitsj), just help me get the word out there. This is the link to my personal donation page, or you can click the badge to head straight over there. You can also add the badge to your blog, if you'd like.




Thanks so much guys! I'm so excited about this year's walk, and I can't wait to tell y'all all about it!