It's our favorite time of year...time to buy, wrap and deliver gifts to Methodist Children's Hospital patients and their parents who will be in the hospital with them during the holidays.
Rowan helped me get started by stocking up on big fluffy "Won't Go Flat" pillows.
We also had some "Sleep Number" Pillows donated this year.
After stuffing them into some nice soft pillowcases, we had some great gifts for the parents.
We decided to add to the parent gifts this year and gave them travel coffee mugs and Starbuck's gift cards so they could go get coffee in the food court, or refill at the hospital nourishment room whenever they wanted.
The Child Life Department had let us know that teenagers and infants were sometimes overlooked,
or that they didn't have age appropriate gifts to give them. So, we tried to fill that need this year too.
For the older kids Rowan signed cards and gave them I Tunes gift cards inside.
We also bought t-shirts, sports memorabilia, games, crafts and magazines
for the children who were a little older.
I had lots of fun buying bath time products and bright colorful infant toys for the littlest patients.
Then, as we have done every year, we also stocked up on lots of fun flavored chap-sticks
and brightly colored socks for all ages and sizes, to comfort the kids while they are in the hospital, and stuffed animals to bring some comfort and cheer.
More toys and crafts for school age children...
And of course we couldn't leave out the wonderful nursing staff, that care for these children daily, and even miss spending time at home with their own families to do their job at the hospital.
A little chocolate can go a long way on those long shifts:)
We wrapped box after box of goodies for both the patients and their parents,
and got them ready to take to the hospital a few days before Christmas.
Our car was loaded to the brim, and one of the other Foundation Board Members
also had her truck filled with all the pillows and 60 blankets that were made by the Linus Project
and donated to our Christmas Giving Project again this year.
Thank you "Linus Project"!
Rowan was pretty wiped out at first, but he perked up once we started delivering the goodies.
Thank you to the amazing Child Life Staff for helping pick up all the boxes from the parking garage and for delivering them to the patients and parents who so deserve to be treated and pampered.
You have blessed Rowan and I again and again during our long stays, so it is an honor to give back.
Thank you to Sandra, Stephanie, and Maris for your work on the Board
and for helping make my dream of turning Rowan's Story into something good,
for helping him help others like himself. We couldn't do it without you!
(Thank you to our daughters for helping us make this day happen as well:)
Merry Christmas from the Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation
As if this day wasn't already a blessing and a joy to be a part of,
today I received a remarkable package in the mail from New Orleans.
Rowan's fireman friend Matt Ducote, and his wife Megan Ducote,
had been collecting blankets and chap-sticks as well, to add to Rowan's Christmas Project.
Look at all the soft beautiful blankets and chap-sticks that they sent us!
Looks like Rowan and I will be making another trip to the hospital for New Year's Eve!
Thanks for helping us bless even more patients!
(By the way Matt, did you notice what shirt Rowan wore to deliver presents?
He is honored to wear your Fire Department's shirt and your personal badge number.)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Rowan
and The Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation!
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