Camp Happy Family Christmas Challenge!

The other day, I was standing in the middle of my yard letting Sierra run around and the wind started to blow. There was a chill in the air and when I looked up I saw leaves from the pecan trees in my yard fall all around me. Fall is here...FINALLY! With the appearance of Fall, I begin to think about little ones in costumes toting pumpkin bags and knocking on doors in search of a trick or a treat! Then my mind wanders to the yummy smells that will soon fill our kitchens on Thanksgiving Day and how I can't wait to have some of Dad's grilled turkey and watch Texas, USC and most importantly Auburn play their rivals with the ones I love (War Eagle!).

And then, there's Christmas. Oh Christmas! Soon we'll all be together celebrating another year of health, blessings, good fortune and most importantly the birth of our Lord who is responsible for it all. One of my favorite Christmas memories is when everyone is crowded around the tree handing out the gifts we have bought one another. I am grateful for the expressions on our faces while we watch the gifts that we've bought being opened because I think that our family truly finds joy in giving to one another. How lucky are we?

This Christmas, I want to issue our family a challenge...call it the Camp Happy Family Christmas Challenge. I want to change the way I think about giving this year and I hope you'll join me. What if instead of spending our usual amounts on each other, we scaled back a bit and put some money towards a good cause? The Children's Hospital of Greenville Hospital System started a Virtual Toy Drive a few years ago. Doctors, nurses and other hospital employees send in requests for supplies, toys, and medical devices...basically anything that is needed to treat children who are sick or injured. When you go to the Virtual Toy Drive website, you'll see all of the requested items and you can choose an item (or items!) to donate by clicking on the picture of the item. At that point, the Children's Hospital will be notified that you have paid for a particular item and those doctors and nurses can retrieve it when they need it and be assured that the items donated are clean and safe to use.

When you click on the link below, you can explore all the different items that can be bought through the Virtual Toy Drive. Items range from story books and toys to therapy dolls, vein viewing machines and even scholarships to Camp Courage (a summer camp for children with illnesses that prevent them from going to a normal summer camp with other children).

Things are tight this year...believe me, I feel it too. If you just can't fit gifts along with a donation into the budget this year, I understand. If that's the case and you find yourself wondering what to give me for Christmas, I'd like to ask you to give a donation to the Virtual Toy Drive as my gift.

Let's set a goal to try to reach $250 as a family by Christmas! And when we gather around the tree to open gifts this year, maybe we can take some time to go around and share a little about the item that we donated!

http://www.virtualtoydrive.org/home.php?sponsor=175

(I've also added a banner at the bottom of this blog that will take you directly to our toy drive when you click on it!)

Much love to you all! Can't wait to see everyone soon!

Megan