Letter to Parents: Be Grateful!

Dear Parents,

Be grateful!

Some of us have been blessed with healthy children. And what a blessing that is! Don’t take it for granted, not even for a moment. We are given these tiny angels who depend on us completely. They are truly a gift.

Some of us, though, face more than others. Some of us have to watch our little ones literally fight for their lives. Seven years ago, my son oldest son did just that.

He was born with a heart defect. One that without treatment would have killed him. Even with medical care, this infant had to wage the war of his life. At 3 days old he had his first open-heart surgery. He was on a ventilator, and totally paralyzed by medication for the first three weeks of his life. We were not able to hold him for five weeks. He did not eat anything by mouth for six weeks. Yet, he fought for his life. And he won the first battle.

He has since had two more open-heart surgery’s, a major accident, and a vital cath lab procedure. But, if you did not know his history, you’d never guess he had a problem. There are many things he will never get to do in his lifetime, like ride a roller coaster and play football. But he has a life to live, and there is still much he can do with it.

Each of us face challenges on a daily basis, we struggle. But we must remember to be grateful. Be grateful for the struggles because they make us stronger. Be grateful for our children’s strong will. It just might save their lives. Be grateful when we fall, because it teaches us we can get up. Be grateful!

Sincerely, and best wishes,
Eve Lawson

Activity Alley: Welcome

Welcome to Activity Alley! First, I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself. Then I'd like to let you know what to expect from this site in the coming months.

As a mother of 5, my family is the most important thing in my life. I believe that there is no greater gift that I can give to my children than to spend quality time with them. Time to talk, time to play, time to read, time to share, and time to love.

If you are a parent, then you already know that the experiences our children have, regardless of where these occur and who they are shared with, shape and mold them into their future selves. The time that we, as parents, spend with our kids will affect who they become as adults since it gives us a chance to directly affect our children's personalities, value systems, opinions, ambitions, and feelings. Because we as parents have a vested interest in our children and their futures, I wanted to create a website to share this passion with other parents.

I plan to post ideas for kids activities and kids crafts on a regular basis. And I'll incorporate regular book reviews. I'd also like to include a letter to parents. In this section, we can discuss issues that arise in our families and with our children.