4tunate

Gift: Jen Murray (left) looks at photos after giving a survival kit to Sara Scott, 28, whose premature quadruplets have been in a neonatal intensive care unit at St. Vincent Women’s Hospital since Nov. 25. – Matt Detrich / The Star

Our NICU Survival Kits Made Front Page News!  You can read the full article here.  Keep spreading the word!

We are grateful for the many ways YOU are contributing your own efforts towards this project through blankets, lotions, ideas, time….Lives are being impacted and touched! 

I’m super excited about some things in the works of how you can personally get involved….

A special thanks to Josh Duke and Matt Detrich for their ability to articulate this story through their gifts! 

Update: Isella went to be with Jesus this afternoon.  Although her 3 days on this earth were short, her impact on this world will be long lasting.  Please keep her parents Myka and Ben in your prayers as they face the difficult days ahead.

My heart is heavy for several babies currently struggling in the NICU.  My friend from high school FCA, Myka, gave birth to a sweet daughter named Isella.  There were complications during delivery and things are very bleak right now.  We are praying for a miracle and trusting God’s sovereignty in her sweet little life! Another family friend’s niece delivered a baby boy named Broyan today at 24 weeks. He’s 1 pound 12 ounces and so far is fighting and stable, but the days and even weeks ahead will be very critical.  Another little guy Noah was born recently, even though his due date wasn’t until December.  Would you join me in praying for these sweet precious gifts from God, Isella, Broyan, and Noah, the medical staff, and their families?

Since our last media post on the NICU Survival Kits, I’ve received several emails of referrals, prayer requests, suggestions, and offers to help make preemie blankets and hats for the kits.  This is super exciting to us, because we really want this project to be a blog community effort.  Many of you are contributing just by visiting our blog, because a portion of the modest revenues we receive from advertising on this blog are used to fund the NICU Kits, which cost about $40 a piece to assemble.  THANK YOU!  We are truly blessed to have you as faithful readers and supporters of our family! 

For those of you who are interested in becoming more involved in this project here are some suggestions for things we need.  We would appreciate your ideas, feedback, and any resource suggestions as we continue with this effort!

~ We are in need of a good container/bag/box to put all the goodies in.  Currently I’ve been dressing up a regular large gift bag, which does the trick, but I have visions of a custom box or reusable bag with a nice label on it.  Ideas?  Suggestions? 

~ We are in need of crotcheters and knitters for preemie blankets.  Think “doll blanket” size.  Most of the blankets that I’ve received have been in the 20×20 range…a little longer is fine.  I have a stock pile of about 20 blankets, but we are assembling quite a few lately and they are going quickly. 

~ We would love to find a discount to buy the book, On the Night You Were Born, (affiliate link), in bulk.  We have checked with the publisher (Feiwel & Friends), but were not able to get a bulk rate.  If we order through Amazon we have to pay shipping per book.

~ Ongoing Items in Need:  Gum, Snacks, Hand Lotion, Journals, Disposable Cameras, Chapstick.  Keep your eyes peeled for discounts and sales and tell us about them!

Again, we are not asking for your $ or even donations, just your dag-gone amazing resourcefulness! 

Feel free to leave me a comment here or we’ve set up an email account specifically for our NICU Survival Kit Project at

Thank you for helping our efforts in a project that is sooooo dear to our hearts!  Thanks again for your prayers for Isella, Broyan, and Noah.

Monday a local news station, Fox59 News, spotlighted our family and our NICU Survival Kit Project in their “Female Focus” segment.  I was grateful for the opportunity to spread the word on this project.  They did a top-notch job on our story, and were very generous at covering my nervous jitters, ramblings, and word fumbles.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQDih7WuvEk]

The video, pictures, and dialogue of this story, is a great reminder of our own journey with 4 little miracles and the blessing they are in our lives. Our desire is to reach other families experiencing the uncertainty of the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), that became our boys first home for their first 3-5 weeks of life.  If you would like more information on our project, check this link or the toolbar menu labeled “NICU Survival Kits” or contact me at quatro_mama {at} yahoo {dot} com .

PS  Hope my Quad Mama Sistas enjoy your Shout-Out!