Sugar Magic!
Yep, it’s that time again – another one of my hopeful entries into an HP Blogger Magic Giveaway. What can I say – I really, really, really would love to win this amazing prize package! It would be such a huge help to my slowly growing VA business, and a great way to share some fabulous equipment with friends and family who don’t have the cash to own it otherwise (this post and this one have more details on my ideas of how to share such a great prize with people who will appreciate it). And between the prize and my old equipment that would be replaced by a couple of the prizes (ok, I admit it, I’d keep the touchsmart, it’s so pretty!) there would be plenty to share!
But Sugar, from Living – In Theory, wants us to talk about what we are doing to make an impact on the lives of others for her HP contest. So that’s what this post is going to be about!
I think we all impact other people’s lives in so many ways – by being a good friend, by trying to be loving and supportive parents, by helping out our family when they need it. And I do all of these things, at least most of the time. Some days it is hard to make sure that impact is positive, when I’m tired and the kids are screaming!
I’m proud to talk about another area I work to have an impact in. When I first started planning my VA business, I read a suggestion that a great way to get experience was to volunteer. So I did some research and found an organization that needed my help AND that I cared about the cause! I started working as the secretary of my local VBAC association. We’re a small group but when a woman is pregnant with her second or third baby and wants desperately to finally have the vaginal birth she has wanted all along, we are there for support, answers and guidance. When we get emails saying that a woman is about to be pressured into a repeat c-section, it feels so good to be part of the group that can help her get the result she wants, or to be there for her if the c-section does happen. It’s not always easy finding the time to do volunteer work, especially with 3 young kids and a husband whose work has irregular hours and even works out of town. But I am committed to staying involved with this organization because I know that we can do good – and sometimes those little ripples of positive action can mean more than we can ever realize.
Well that’s my story and my entry – hope you like it! Now I’m off to read everyone else’s posts and to tweet about the contest!
***ADDED Friday am – Reading all of everyone’s ideas for sharing the contest winnings – I have to say I’m so impressed, and if I’m fortunate enough to win I may take a further look at the suggestions and find something great to try with at least one of the computers! I quite like the idea of giving it to an aspiring VA!
***ADDED Dec 16/last day of contest! If you haven’t entered yet make sure you do so today!! I’ve enjoyed commenting on other’s entries so much that I just had to add a little postscript and share some of my favorite entries right here on my blog! Be sure to check out:
- Nikolas’ great post – a young guy with a good heart who is coping with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
- I’m pretty sure I’ve been to Shera’s blog before, A Frog In My Soup (the name is so memorable!!) but I didn’t notice until after reading her entry that she does blog design, especially for mommy blogs! Beautiful work and I recommend you check it out, especially if you need some work done or maybe some mommy cards, which she also designs!
- Courtenay had a great and inspiring post about community work and it reminded me to go and donate blood this holiday season. It is the gift of life after all!
- Paisley Raven’s post shows how truly thoughtful some people can be. Not many of us open our homes so freely to those in need.
- Gwynne’s post about living on so little really reminds me to be so grateful for all that I have.
- Roguepuppet’s Bridges post was so wonderful!! And Roguepuppet found out after entering the Living in Theory contest that she actually had won one of the other 50 HP Magic contests – wow, huh?!
- Definitely go watch the video at the Mommy Gossip entry if you have a chance – so touching!
- A truly well written entry came from Sarah at The Third Degree – didn’t even realize it was an entry until the end!
Honestly – there were so many amazing entries and I’m so glad to have been introduced to these blogs. Some made me laugh, some made me cry and some made me want to jump up and DO something! Sure hope you all find time to read them, oh and don’t miss Sugar’s own “impact” post on her blog – it’s about a refrigerator….
Laurie
Congrats on making time to volunteer, even though you have 3 kids. That can become such a juggling act. You should feel very proud of the work that you are doing.
Thanks for the comment! I’m lucky that I can help the organization mostly from home!
What an awesome volunteer opportunity… very cool. And thanks for visiting my blog!
What a great organization to volunteer for. Like Roguepuppet above mentions – kudos on giving your time to volunteer. You have my respect for managing that and a family at the same time.
Good luck with the contest!
I am sure those moms appreciate your support more than you know. Having hospital and homebirths to compare… and loving homebirth so much, I can imagine how good it makes a mom feel to be able to not have a repeat c section. There is a video on youtube that made me cry. So beautiful a homebirth vbac after 2 c-sections. So incredibly beautiful! If it weren’t 2am I’d hunt it down for ya!
That’s neat. Last year, my aunt’s doctor told her to have a C-Section, and she was lucky to pick that option because the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck. Thankfully it was a success, and now the baby’s walking all over the place (my first male cousin, too, come to think of it). Best of luck to ya on the contest.
Hey thanks for the comment. It’s great to hear that you’ve been volunteering even with 3 kids! Must be such a chore eh!
Thanks to you all for your comments. And to Shawn – not actually a chore – it’s a true pleasure to be involved in this organization!
So many women need someone like you to help them gain knowledge and make good decisions for themselves, then find the strength to assert themselves when faced with medical professionals who want them to do things their way! How awesome that you are there for them!
Each birth that you help to happen must make you feel so good!
Thanks Maureen! You really captured how important this is for some women (and therefore for me!)!
Thats great that you volunteer, even with 3 kids, Gud luck to you and Merry Christmas
Peter
http://peterifranco.wordpress.com/2008/12/11/hp-magic-giveaway-living-in-theory/
Thanks Peter – and good luck to you too!
Thanks for the comments. Starting a business is hard and I’m sure that the computers would help a great deal. Best of luck in both your business and life!!
Sounds like such a wonderful organization. Awesome that you are an active volunteer.
Good luck with the contest and enjoy peace and joy this holiday season!
Without this post I would have never known this was an issue! Dealing with the medical profession can be difficult sometimes, especially when you are pregnant and hormonal, so it’s good that the women you owrk with have an advocate to help them talk thorugh their choices and make decisions that are best for them as individuals. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, best of luck in the contest!
So great that you do all you do, and still find time to volunteer. I wish you the best of luck in the contest(s) and continued energy to keep being you!
I did like your post and think that it is awesome that you volunteer. Best of Luck.
Your post is impressive, good luck to you.
Thanks to all my new commenters! I really owe a huge thanks to Sugar too, I’ve never had so many comments!!
Thanks for the love, lady! I was an admin for years and years… thankless years… but with the additional burden of having to pay childcare. How awesome would things have been if I would have had the opportunity to work from a home office and be there for my older kids when they came home from school. I was always torn between being there to give the kdis an after school snack and actually being able to afford that snack. It’s nice that you are considering an aspiring VA.
And you’re right… all the good that we do, however small, does change the world. Imagine the impact of one word of encouragement for a person who has had the worst day or week.
I love how actively you are commenting on all the other blogs. Great spirit of community!
Yep, been there and done that with paying for childcare while working in admin. I only stopped working out of the home with my third child cause literally my take-home pay would barely cover childcare! Thank goodness I found information about starting a virtual assistant biz – it makes me feel like I have a chance of a career and time with my boys!
Good luck Laurie
Thanks Chris – it would be so amazing to win this prize and share it with some deserving people, but I feel good knowing that someone worthy is bound to win with so many great entrants! And I’m finding so many interesting people through the Mr. Linky!
thanks for your comments and best of luck to you too…
Wow, your organization sounds so neat! I know it must be a huge blessing for the women you assist!!!
Thanks for visiting and commenting at technomomreviews.com!!! I love to make new friends!
I, too, will give away a computer to one of the people who have entered this contest because I have been so moved by everyone’s stories! Share the sugar – share the love!
Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog, I really appreciate it. Your story is so nice. Good luck to you!
Happy Holidays
-Nik
Ooooh – more comment love! I might hit 30 at this rate – thanks so much everyone!
Thanks for the traffic and the great compliment about my entry! I didn’t want to ruin the mood by “announcing” the contest.
I absolutely love what you’re doing. I think that you are a great person for helping/volunteering to help women get the birth experience they would love to have. I think it’s great that you are doing this while still maintianing your home.
Since I’m going to school for computer science (bachelors degree) I have decided to volunteer my time at our local ministry that helps the homeless learn the basics in computers. I’m sure they could use my help as I’m pretty knowledgeable in the “basics” so far…LOL.
You have a very Merry Christmas!!!
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your kind words.
Thanks for stopping by. What a great organization you have. I had never even heard of this issue (having delivered both of my children vaginally) until another blogger was contemplating the decision. Thanks for organizing support – I know you’ve touched many lives.
First of all, let me say, that your doing a wonderful thing with your organization!
If you’re interested in helping fellow moms and winning some fabulous prizes, you should try: http://www.sharesavvy.ca/cities/toronto
Just scroll to the bottom to read the prize winners and especially, the prizes! Basically, you can win an awesome prize (like a brand new stove) by simply sharing your local expertise with other moms, like if you know of a great place to buy green diapers.
I’ve been on it and I love the advice the other moms post. Though I didn’t win the stove, I’m going to keep trying because I can’t wait to find out what the next prize will be!
You are truly an inspiration!
Take care,
Victoria