Make A Difference

You can Make A Difference in the life of a young lady. That alone is a beautiful concept.
You can Make A Difference in the life of a young lady who has dealt with many challenges that would be entirely too daunting for many people. Now THAT is how you create blessings and good karma for yourself and those around you!

Becky has been the most courageous and positive thinking person I've ever imagined. She has obviously thrived and become a very independent woman despite having cerebral palsy and arthrogryposis, resulting in multiple surgeries, bracing, serial casting, and endless therapy.
But she also has overcome abusive situations, loss of family members who meant so much to her and has built a life with a vibrant social life and a large circle of friends.  Becky's brother & sister are extremely close to her as she has been a source of courage, determination and optimism.
That's why we are working to help Becky...to Make A Difference in her quality of life!

NYC EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Becky's trip to New York City is going to be quite an adventure! She is going with a small group of people with special needs.  No mama, none of her daily caregivers, no boyfriend.  She said she wanted to be on her own as much as possible...independent!  Families who have a special needs person in their lives will understand why this makes me so very proud; and makes me tear up with gratitude every time we get a step closer to making it happen!

Last night, I went to Las Cruces to visit with Becky.  We talked about the people who have been visiting this blog.  I want to share Becky's reactions with the kind, generous people who have donated to help Becky in her efforts to go to New York City.  

I read the blog entries to Becky and then got on Facebook to read to her some of the responses to the blog, the auction and phone calls I've received.  She was soooooo excited!  Now, if you know Becky, you know the volume and pitch of her squeals of excitement.  If you are just getting to know Becky through this blog, let me try to describe it.

When Becky is happy, she lets loose with a high pitched squeal. It sort of sounds like a noon whistle at a factory...or some kind of exotic bird in the jungles of the Amazon.

It is the sound of pure, unadulterated, uninhibited joy.  

We are always blessed and filled with our own joy when we hear it!  

I let Becky know that because of the generosity of people who care about her, people who respect her character & determination, we have raised $900 of the $3000 she will need in order to achieve her dream trip.  Again, she squealed! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crazy eBay Auction

I had put a few of my drawings on eBay in order to raise money for Becky's trip.  Some kind soul bid on the drawings early in the week-long auction and then sent me the following message:

I see this picture is only at $.99 right now. Is there a reason its not as high as the other 3 you have listed? Maybe someone spilled grapejuice on it or perhaps its on less expensive paper? Is there any reason I don't have to pay more...I need to know....fast! You may contact me....or my agent....expediently please. That means...don't hold up the butter, Chickee!
I was sort of surprised at the message because well, because he sounded like he was kind of a nut. So I sent him a message:
it's a different price because i didn't know it would be more successful to put a reasonable amount like $10 on it or to start low & hope for the best. So you are benefitting from my experiment! I'm trying to raise money for my daughter who has cerebral palsy so she can fulfill her dream of going to NYC. please check out her blog at http://beckysdream.blogspot.com 
His reply:
Fair enough Babycakes! As long as theres no grapejuice on it! Do you think I will get it for $.99 or am I the only art connosewer on ebay? Connosewer...that means I'm a pro...Sweetcheeks!
Now I was certain he was a nut!  My next message:
Geez, maybe I should look! I'd hate to find out there was grapejuice on it and i lied to you. And I hope you DON'T get it for 99cents!!!!! I hope it goes all the way up to about $99 and you''re the amazing connosewer who knows great art and buys it! And how did you know that I have sweet cheeks?
His reply the next morning:
Good morning Sunshine! Still at $.99! Can you get a friend to run it up a tad. I got $10 on it! While you're at it run up that one with the pretty woman lookin at her hands! But don't go over $xx.00 though cause thats my limit. I got $11 on the other 2 but I'll go increase my limit to $20 each if you ain't so grouchy at me! Let me know, Okay Puddin? I'm gonna go put xx on the 2 with the little girls right now and you go run that one with pretty face up to $9 and see if I'm a lyin...Then you take your pretty little finger and poke that there bid button on the one with the pretty woman lookin at her hands and run it up to around $xx BUT DON'T GO OVER less you wanna buy it! I hope you don't think I'm pullin your leg. I want them there pretty pictures cuz they remind me of someone I love and enjoy havin fun with. Its only a hunnert dollars total I can spend but if it helps you get that little girl to NYC that would make me very happy.Now go bid, bid, bid Snook'ems!  Oh, and I want them signed by the ARTISTE! and make sure you keep the grapefruit juice away from them!
Ok, then I was certain he was a nut that I must know.  I could tell from the info on the website that he was from Oklahoma.  My reply:
morning! Sad to say, I don't have anybody to run up the amounts. But if you feel like you'd like to donate more $ for my fundraising for my daughter, you can do so on the blog I created for her. it's at: http://beckysdream.blogspot.com/
I sure enjoy reading your messages. It's so cool to find someone who gets such a charge out of life! 
His reply:
Can't you get a facebook friend to do it? I see, I mean I guess you have facebook don't you? If they outbid me I'll send you the $xxx.00 I was gonna spend and then another $xx.00 cause I can be a little overbearing and some people say rude and chovenistical (whatever) I don't think so but thats what they say! And if I don't get out bid then I'll send ya something for being a good sport, okay sugar tush?
Sugar tush! Finally, the auction ended and I could see who had purchased the drawings.


Scott Robison you are a scoundrel! Babycakes!!!!! Sweet Cheeks!!!!! 
My cousin Scott is one of the kindest, most loving men I've known.  Thanks, cuz!

Special Olympics Prep

This is a picture of Becky winning the gold medal at the Special Olympics Bowling Tournament!

Going to the Special Olympics is often the highlight of the year for many of the participants as well as their families and the volunteers.  Becky began taking part in the games since she was around 8 years old.  The games provided her with a much-needed sense of independence.  Becky's first night away from me was when she went to the state games in Oklahoma City back in 1992.  She was so happy and so proud! 

Becky used to participate in the softball throw.  Even though the ball always landed just inches away, she squealed with joy and had huge smiles. Of course, her specialty has always been the wheelchair races.  She does sprints & 100 yard dashes but really enjoys the obstacle courses.

After the state games, the biggest event...the event everyone loves the most...happens.  The dance!  

I have to say that there is nothing more joyful in this world than watching the Special Olympic athletes dance.  There is none of the se-conscious awkwardness so common at most dances. They get out on the floor and boogie!  They enjoy the slow dances that allow them to pair up with a special friend. But if you are on the dancefloor when the DJ plays Love Shack or La Bamba, you had better run for cover because they simply cannot be happier or more enthusiastic dancers. 

We found out today that Becky's team is going to have to do some fundraising in order to go to Albuquerque for the state games.  That's really no problem; in fact, Becky LOVES doing fundraising for Special Olympics. It's another opportunity for her to be with her friends and it's a party atmosphere.  This year they are selling tickets for an enchilada dinner.   Because Becky has to be transported in her electric wheelchair, she has to take a big van on the trip to Albuquerque....which means lots more gas.  Plus, because of her physical needs, she has to take along two caregivers to help her get from her chair to bed and vice versa.  So Becky's expenses will be higher than the others as she will be responsible for providing the caregivers with a hotel room.  


Oh well, there are always obstacles that make life challenging, huh?  Guess we'll meet those obstacles like Becky does with everything else...with a huge smile.

Challenges of Being Limited By Your Body

I'm lying in bed with my laptop propped up on my knees...recovering from a very busy day of pushing my body's limits by having a garage sale.  I've been reflecting about how challenging it is to do fundraising projects when a person is limited physically.  It's given me a fresh perspective regarding my amazing daughter, Becky.


You see, I have Lupus; my body's immune system attacks itself and today it thinks it's winning. Lupus makes me have extreme fatigue...what i call "sick tired".  Like too tired to get up from a chair, but too tired to sit in a chair. It also gives me bad episodes of pain, especially when I do alot of activity....like walking, lifting boxes of junk at a garage sale.  
But it seems fairly wimpy for me to whine and complain too much.  I mean, if Becky never whines or complains...how can I?


Becky was born with cerebral palsy and arthrogryposis.  Arthrogryposis is a connective tissue disorder.  The simple way of explaining it: Becky's muscles were not attached to her bones in the right way and some muscles never even developed as a result.  When she was born, she had 2 dislocated hips which made it impossible to even put a diaper on her at first. Both her knees were unable to be bent and her kneecaps were behind her knees instead of in front. Both of her feet were clubbed with the bones of her feet being all jumbled up, going every which way. Several of her fingers had joints that were fused, unable to bend.  When she was born, she held her fingers in the sign language position of "I love you".  We took it as our first message that she was going to be a strong, loving girl with a determined spirit.  Well, she definitely proved we were right about that!


Becky has had surgeries on both hips, both knees, 2 surgeries on each foot, and surgery to put rods in her spine to correct severe scoliosis.  She wore casts on her legs for long months at a time and by the time she was 6 years old, she had been in casts for a total of half her life.  She endured being stretched after surgeries and would cry, but would then comfort me or the therapist stretching her afterwards.  Becky loved doing her exercises and had to be told to stop or she would exercise too hard & too long.  In one exercise, she would lie on the floor with a horizontal bar placed over her so that she could do "pull-ups".  She would work at it so hard, she had "white knuckles" from the exertion.  
She's always been a very stubborn and determined young lady.  When she had to use a manual wheelchair, she worked & worked at finding a way to make the chair go straight...because she could only use her right hand/arm to make it go. Naturally, it wanted to go in circles but Becky found that if she pushed it forward hard and then pulled it back a bit gently, she could go control which direction she went.  She's always wanted to go her own way, under her own power.


And she's never complained. Never whined. Always assumed that she could do pretty much anything she wanted to do...although she might have to do it in her own special way.  


So I'll take today to rest...I might take several days to rest. But I won't be whining or complaining. (much)  
I had to laugh last night. Becky called me and asked why I sounded sick.  I told her I was just very tired from the garage sale.  She was surprised!  She told me garage sales were easy to have and fun to work.  Compared to crawling the length of a house without using my legs...like Becky did...she's right.  Compared to being strapped in a standing frame and having to hold my body erect while also working out my arms...like Becky did...she's right.  

Exhausted, But Happy

Well, the yard sale is over and it was a success!  We raised $176 for Becky's trip to NYC and got rid of alot of stuff we didn't need anymore.  

I am super exhausted so I'm going to take a loooooooong nap.  

Whew!

We've been getting ready for another big yard sale. It's been a pretty constant pace of gathering and pricing and today will be all about getting it organized, scrounging up tables to put stuff on.  I'm certain that people with wads of money will be on my driveway waiting for the garage doors to open up!

I had a yard sale for Becky about a month ago and raised $250 to go toward her big trip.  We had several big ticket items which made it go faster.  That yard sale was at Becky's old house in Las Cruces, NM.  It couldn't have been timed better as she was moving to her newer, smaller apartment and needed to get rid of extra furniture, etc.

This yard sale is being held in El Paso at my house.  My boyfriend recently moved out of town and donated several items to the sale and my oldest daughter has also put in a bunch of items.  We have enough to almost fill one side of a two-car garage.

This will be my last big fundraising effort that requires actual physical exertion! Since I have Lupus, physical activity is often very challenging for me.  I'm definitely feeling the effects of all the exercise I've gotten getting ready for the sale.  That's how I came up with the idea of using the internet to help me raise $ for Becky.  I can sit and be on the internet all day...or even lie in bed like I am right now!

Wish us luck!