Two logos that have become a part of our family.  Mama Bracelets and ellaWEAR Jewelry.  Both businesses inspired by children, both businesses benefitting children. Mama Bracelets started out as nursing reminder bracelets.  It quickly evolved into personalized jewelry as well as jewelry that supported various causes (Rett Syndrome, Autism, Lung Cancer, and SIDS).  Once Ella was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) the focus turned toward SMA research support.  To date Mama Bracelets and its customers have domed just over $3,200 to the research efforts through organizations such as Families of SMA (FSMA) and the Jennifer Trust for SMA (JTSMA) to name two.   In 2013 ellaWEAR Jewelry was created to help fund the purchase of a home for Ella and the necessary modifications therein.  Borrowing the "party" idea we raised over $2,500 in pure profit for Ella needs. Both businesses rolled into one with the goal of helping children & fami...

I carried Ella down to the basement as I've done for the past three-and-a-half years.  The trip down has gotten more precarious.  Her size, weight, and lack of a center of gravity makes for a dangerous trip each time it's taken.  If there's a toy or anything on a stair it could lead to disaster. As we reached the bottom and found her little wheelchair she said to me, "I wish I could walk.  Then you wouldn't have to carry me." "I know you do.  And maybe someday you will."  I replied.  "They're working very hard to get rid of your SMA." "Ok." was all she ever really says when we have these brief conversations about her walking.   A few days later we were out and Ella saw a little girl who was just about her age.  The little girl was crawling on the floor pretending to be a baby.  Ella watched.  Her expression was stoic.  I can only imagine the thoughts that may have been going through her head.  The little girl ...

Casten's Key to Learning I have been teaching 4th Grade at Lincoln Elementary School (Elmhurst, IL) since 2001.  Before that I worked as a Daycare Supervisor & Summer Daycare Coordinator/Supervisor for Hephzibah Children's Association (Oak Park, IL) for 8+ years. Needless to say, I enjoy helping kids and their families.   When our oldest, Ava, was born we decided to have Lindsay be a stay-at-home mom as we planned for two more kids.  We knew that going from a two-income family down to a one-income family would be difficult at best.  We were right.  Along came Henry and our budget grew tighter.  We worked our budget, cut corners where we could and planned for our third child.  Ella came to us and we were feeling like a complete family. Enter SMA.  The diagnosis obviously threw us for a loop.  Quite unexpected and made quite a difference in our plans.  We adjusted our budget, our lifestyle, and our existence. Lindsay had ...

Something's been happening to me as of late.  Every time we begin talking about moving in order to provide Ella with a house that will work for her my stomach turns, my mind shuts down, and my defenses go up. I listen to what Lindsay has to say and it all makes perfect sense to me.  I don't, however, want to think about it.  For a while I really didn't understand why, either.  I just knew the topic was something I'd rather avoid than engage in a conversation about.   After trudging through the latest conversation and offering little to it, I began really thinking about why my world seems closed up around this topic.  And then it hit me...like a ton of bricks. The life changing event that we are embarking on further brings the reality of SMA to the forefront.  My natural tendancy is to not want SMA to exist at all, least of all in our own child.  But it does.  It exists.  It exists in our child.  It's there. And it really ...

Lately I've been struggling a little bit. I've been struggling with the fact that our kids are growing up. On the one hand, growing up has been great!  We're done with diapers, naps and all of the "baby" routines.  Our kids play with each other and can hold meaningful conversations with one another and us. But on the other hand, growing up is not quite what we planned it to be. Many of my friends have children close in age to Ava, Henry and Ella.  And their kids are growing up as well.   But it's different for them. Their children are becoming independent .   Ella is not. We can't just let the kids go off and play on their own.  Ella needs help with almost everything she does.  From going potty, to getting toys, to changing her location, to eating.  We need to be there with her almost constantly.   We can't just send the kids outside to play in the snow.  We have to be right there with Ella.  We won't be able to s...

     Things are moving forward and we've a feeling they are going to be moving quickly!  As of the beginning of 2014 we have raised just enough money to actually make the move we've been working on.  The next steps are to: Get our current house ready for the market and get it listed Begin seriously looking at houses to purchase Begin the "purging" before the "packing" Move the Fall/Winter ellaWEAR Jewelry Collection out      The last bullet point about the ellaWEAR Jewelry has been a point of discussion for some time.  The Fall/Winter Collection, its parties, and general sales provided a wonderful boost to our efforts to raise money for "Ella's House Fund".  We would love to continue this project!  We do, however, have to be realistic about what is coming up and how best to use our energies.      Our thought is to put the ellaWEAR Jewelry Collection personal parties on hold until we actually purchas...

     The first morning of 2014 greeted us with a steady snowfall coupled with chilling temperatures.  The flakes are small and light; they whirl in a seemingly aimless descent...each one finding its final resting place among its peers.      2014 is here.  2013 has lumbered out of time and 2014 swirls its way into our lives.  The promises it holds gives way to optimism, hopes of a brighter future, and uncertainty; simply falling in line with what time really does offer us as we traverse through it.      Several months ago we made the decision to seek out and purchase a house that would be more conducive to handicap accessible modifications than our current house might be.  With this in mind we shifted our family business to encompass a wider variety of products thereby making it possible to invite people to hold "ellaWEAR Jewelry" parties to help raise funds for "Ella's House Fund" .  We started a Facebook Page, ...