Yippee! I Won!

Well, it was more of providence at work than any sort of actual talent...  OK, it was ALL providence and NO talent... BUT, I am still SUPER EXCITED that I WON!  Yesterday, I got this package in the mail... from my cookie friend, Anita, over at Sweet Hope Cookies.

You see, there are these cute critter cookie cutters that are all the rage in the cookie world right now.  When I entered Anita's contest, I really HOPED that I would win, and now, I have my very own set!!!  


The Froggie is my very favorite!   And, if you think the cutters and the critters are cute, you should see the cookies Anita made to match them!   She is AMAZING!!

The long and the short of it is, the odds were good.  And, well, my name got chosen out of the mixer!

So, why is this providentially super cool?  Because, Anita has a passion for ALS Awareness.  She lost her "handsome, loving, funny, and brilliant brother" named Randy to the disease. Anita now bakes all of her cookies to raise funds to help fight this debilitating disease.

UMDF Awareness Ribbon
HOPE.  ENERGY.  LIFE.

And, as many of you know, I have been working for the last week or so, on cookies for Mitochondrial Disease Awareness.  Well, I also learned this week that ALS and Mitochondrial Disease are linked (along with Alzheimer's Dementia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington Disease, mental retardation, deafness and blindness, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and stroke, and there is increasing interest in the possibility that mitochondrial dysfunction might play a role in the etiology of autism.).  "Over 50 million people in the US suffer from these chronic degenerative disorders.  While it cannot yet be said that mitochondrial defects cause these problems, it is clear that mitochondria are involved because their function is measurably disturbed." UMDF.org

The exciting piece is...

"It is clear that research into mitochondrial disease offers hope to the millions who are afflicted with these other common conditions and diseases." UMDF.org (emphasis added)

So supporting UMDF offers HOPE to millions...  and not just the individuals personally afflicted by the diseases, but those that love them, that care for them, and that keep working for a CURE.

So, in closing I offer you this striking thought...

The last few days, I have found myself checking the mail box a couple of times a day with the HOPE that my box from Anita would arrive.  Curious K had HOPE that she would get to keep the froggie critter. (See P.S. below.)  But there are MILLIONS of people and caregivers and friends, who HOPE every minute of every day for a CURE.

If you would like to learn more about Mitochondrial Disease, please visit UMDF.org.

If you would like to read about my sweet friend Tricia, who has Mitochondrial Disease, please see my earlier post, and make sure that you take a minute to watch the amazing video that she put together.

If you would like to support the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, please consider pledging to support Team Tricia for the Energy For Life Walk-a-thon.  Any pledge of support, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Sarah

P.S. -  As as special, added bonus feature... you get a funny story, and a picture of my three beautiful daughters!  (I know, just exactly what you were HOPING for..)

So, when I got the cookie cutters, shown above in the mail from Anita, I was so excited  that I snapped a pic.  Of course the Frog was my favorite. Then, I went about my work.  When I walked by the cookie cutters about 30 minutes later, they looked like this....



It was during "quiet time" so my girls were supposed to be in bed... However, when I questioned Curious K. about it, this was the look that I got.  (Notice, the hands behind her back.)

After she backed down the hall to her bedroom, we had a pretty serious talk about taking thing that don't belong to you...

Fortunately, I am a forgiving Momma, ("because Jesus always forgives me"), and when it was all said and done, I still let her and her sisters split up the cute little critters.  (I still, however, kept the cookie cutters and my Froggie! ;^)  At least until she has learned her lesson, then, I might just give it to her... ;^)

The girls played happily with them for an hour before dinner and the older two went to bed with their critters in hand tonight. ;^)

"Thank you Mrs. Anita!"