Raffle for New Wheels!

Sometimes you can never expect what life will bring, how it will change us. A little over six years ago, I was getting ready for my wedding. Jem, by beautiful friend here behind me, and her husband Ben, also in our wedding party, had married a year earlier. Jemimah had spent most of the year sick with Glandular Fever. And they had just moved to country NSW to mentor young people in a small Christian community, open to people who wanted to explore faith, life and spirituality.

So when, soon after our wedding, Jem started to feel tired and sick again, we all wondered if this virus was taking longer to budge than we thought. Then came the exciting, yet unexpected news. Jem and Ben were pregnant! And they were 16 weeks already! AND there were TWO! 

Then, only two months before this photo was taken, Ben and Jem, at only 23 years old, were told they were having triplets. These beautiful babies, born five weeks early, were welcomed with great celebration and trepidation! They were named Anwen, meaning beautiful, Mahalah, tender, and Gideon, powerful warrior.

18 months later, after a million trips to Sydney, tests, appointments with specialists, Ben and Jem were told the devastating news why all three kids were still not sitting up, crawling or weight-bearing. Anwen, Gideon and Mahalah were all diagnosed with 'Merosin Deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy', a rare, genetic condition which effects the protein in their muscles. It's not degenerative, like the more common form of Muscular Dystrophy, but impedes muscle strength and development their whole life.

They did not know it at the time, but for Ben and Jemimah, each child they conceive has a one in four risk of having Muscular Dystrophy. Incredibly, all three of the triplets were affected.

You can imagine the work, and change of goals, this has meant for Ben and Jem, who have both had to put other work on hold to become full time carers. They have born this with courage and strength. In fact, we named our little girl, Eve Lily Jemimah, after Jem because of they way she has strived to find beauty and hope in such challenging circumstances. I've watched her parent with patience and kindness and listened as she explained to the kids why they can't run around like other kids. I want Evie to grow to be courageous like her.

Gideon, Anwen and Mahalah are now 5! Socially and mentally, they are just like any other five year olds, they are just really skilled at buzzing these chairs around!

And now they have outgrown them. And I'm helping Jem and Ben raise the $55,000 they need for new ones. Want to join in? There's lots of prizes!

A remnant pack of Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks! This includes a bundle fat 1/4s, fat 1/8s, 1/4 yds of this super soft and bright cotton voile!

Then, for the boys, we have a spunky pair of shorts (your choice of size -1-6yrs- and colour), matching flannel bibs and a cool monkey from Monkeys in the Kitchen!

For the little girls, check out this amazing bundle! A $20 gift voucher from Twiggy Nest's Madeit store, a Pinny from Tickle & Hide, an adorable owl hat from Bubz, Bibz and Bobz, a beautiful headband from Dan's Headbands and some yummy flannel bibs!

For Newcastle (Australia) locals, we have a wonderful gift for mums! A $25 gift voucher from the beautiful Hopscotch Sundays Market and 3 pairs earrings/clips from Cloudberry!

And for the BIG prize!

A "Meet the Gang" Drawstring Quilt by Tickle & Hide, a custom pair of boys/girls shorts by Corduroy Corner, a $40 gift voucher for the very popular CocoCooie's funky wall art and a beautiful pair of glass earrings by Cordelle!

Wow! Thank you so much to all these little businesses for their generous donations! All their links are on my Facebook Page. Please visit and 'like' them! Want to know how to win?
I'm running this one on my Facebook Page this time. This is how you enter:
 - Head over to http://www.everydayhero.com.au/readtriplets and donate to the Read kids' fundraising page. It can be as much as you like and as little as a dollar - every little bit helps! You need to include your name in the donation which matches your Facebook profile/business so we can check.
- Then click on my Giveaway Album and leave a comment to say you've donated. 
- Then, if you want, 'like' the photos you'd like to win. It will help me delegate prizes at the end!
 - Share the album (publicly) on your profile/business page for a FREE ENTRY (only after donation, please)!

Thank you for helping me support some very dear friends! Winners will be chosen randomly on the 14th April! International entries welcome!