You may have caught my tweets and facebook requests asking you to wear royal blue, today. Maybe you didn't, but I'm asking you, here! Please wear one item of clothing or accessory in the color ROYAL BLUE before the end of April and email your photo to my dear friend,
Happyness Magnet, at
stateofmyheart {at} gmail {dot} com.
April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month and Happyness Magnet lost her
10-month-old daughter, Madilyne (Madi) when a licensed child care provider shook her to death. Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is very serious and much more common that we think or would like to admit. If you are a pregnant mother-to-be, I plead with you to watch the video about SBS when you are in the hospital. Your nurse will give you the option. I said, "No, thank you. I would never shake my baby." And thankfully, I knew better. But some people truly don't and some people let their emotions, sleeplessness, and frustration get the best of them, leading to a time when they don't even notice what harm can be done by
hardly a shuffle.
Happyness Magnet is bringing SBS awareness to the surface, discussing the risks with families across the country. Since the passing of Madi, my friend has created
Shaken Baby Support, which as grown from 100 to 5500 families strong in five years. She organizes yearly vigils or families who have suffered a loss due to SBS, and will be streaming this year's event LIVE on April 15, 7 p.m. ET. For your friends, family, and loved ones, I ask that you tune in.
This post is in NO WAY meant to scare you. It's meant to help spread awareness and prevention. In support, I ask that you post this blue ribbon, in memory of children lost to SBS, on your blog for the month of April. If you want to link back to
Happyness Magnet's story to help support her journey to peace of heart and success in educating families and supporting those who have lost children, I know she would be so touched.
sequined dress: Charlotte Russe
grey ruffle cardigan: New York & Company
black pumps:
Bandolina via Ross, birthday gifted by Rochellelong crystal bead and chain necklace:
Christmas gifted by MLlucky horseshoe necklace: Birthday gifted by Jen in college!
blogger bun that's mega huge:
Inspired by THIS post of Collette's
I've been *patiently* waiting for an appropriate time/event to wear this sequined stunner to work. As soon as I read Happyness Magnet's post, asking us to wear royal blue in support, I knew this was the number to help bring awareness. What better way to raise questions and get a chance to speak when people are asking me why the heck I'm wearing a disco ball to the office? I got to wear my favorite dress AND I'm raising awareness everywhere I go, today.
Take THAT for a win-win!
Last night, Happyness Magnet caught one of my pins on Pinterest, via a tweet. She wanted to buy me a dress I've been coveting for weeks. I declined and declined and hesitated, as my tweet was a sarcastic remark, like most things that come out of my mouth. When she told me, "You'd better send me your address or I'm not sleeping, tonight!" I adhered. She told me she wanted to celebrate my motherhood. During the wee hours of the morning, I was forwarded a confirmation email from Forever 21, including FIVE items from such a giving lady. All I could think was, "I am blessed. I don't know what to say..." I realized that I gave my dinner leftovers to a homeless man on the corner of the two busiest streets in town last night. And this was Karma...
the good kind. So, pay it forward, my friends. And stay tuned for Pay it Forward posts in the future. I hope you'll all join me, not only in supporting our friend,
Happyness Magnet, and all of the families affected by SBS, but also by making this little world of ours a happier place because of random acts of kindness.
It sure does feel good.
So wear your royal blue this month and please send an outfit photo to
stateofmyheart {at} gmail {dot} com
before the end of April.
Photo submissions will be used in a Royal Blue Roundup to help bring awareness to the blogging community!
