My son Abel is adopted.  He was born in Northern Kazakhstan, from an orphanage that had an old Soviet structure for a playground.  While most of the children were under four years old, the playground was for those eight and older, so the younger kids had nowhere to play.  When children are not physically challenged, they do not develop their motor skills.  The workers at the orphanage did the best they could, but there was nothing outside for the children to play on and use to help them develop and be challenged physically.

Abel became my son when he was nine months old.  When he was two and a half, we took a trip to Italy.   Abel started taking pictures with my camera.   I told him to be intentional with his pictures, not to reign in his creative spirit, but to stop him from burning through 400 photos/hour.  One day when we got home, I was looking through the photos, and was impressed with the composition and framing.   On a whim, I contacted a well-respected fine art gallery and talked through the idea of having a gallery exhibit of Abel’s work and use the money as a vehicle for change.

They agreed to exhibit Abel’s photographs.  We selected ninety photos, and a local company printed them at no cost!  A restaurant donated food, a band donated their time and talent, and by the time the exhibit was over, we raised $25,000.

We used the money to purchase and ship a Little Tykes playground that meets all the proper building codes, and will last for many years.  The shipment got stuck in Latvia for five months, and as it turned out, we were back in Kazakhstan to adopt our daughter at the time the playground arrived, which we installed…My husband, my boys and myself!  In fact, we literally went to people on the street and asked them to help as we removed old equipment, dug up the ground, hauled dirt away and installed the new playground.

Together We Play was the name of the photography exhibit, and the name of the playground (in Russian).

Some of the children from the orphanage had never been on a slide.  The joy and happiness on their faces was amazing, and Abel feels the importance of his role in creating change.  These days, he makes signs that read “If you Want to Donate to the Poor” and puts it with a box on our front porch.  I know as he continues to develop and mature, nothing will stop him, and whenever I hear him tell the story of the playground he founded, it touches my heart!

What inspires you to create change?  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Today, April 20th, 2012 is KONY 2012: Cover the Night. While Rockin’ Baby’s Mother to Mother mission is to support the thousands of Haitian mothers and their children, our hearts and prayers go out to ALL families that struggle with basic needs. Tonight is not just about providing justice for the millions of people effected by a horrible person, but to spread awareness, education, relief and love worldwide.

The video below is a follow up to last weeks “One Day Without Shoes”, sponsored by TOMS. Rockin Baby is following TOMS mission of One to One, with our own Mother to Mother. For every sling purchased, one will be donated to a Haitian mother in need, changing lives forever. Mother to Mother. What’s your life mission?   Watch the video, and then share your life’s mission in our comment section.

For most Americans, it’s difficult to imagine life without a pair of shoes.  Even if we have to wear hand me downs or purchase a pair that was previously worn, we all have at least one pair of shoes.  Yet in many countries around the world, this is not the case.  Along with the obvious dangers, preventing injuries from broken glass, pointy rocks and jagged metal objects, shoes also help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.  

Shoes help keep children healthy and healthy children have a better chance at becoming successful students.  By going barefoot today, we help bring awareness to the world that for many, everyday is a Day Without shoes.

Rockin Baby has a social mission. We are inspired by social mission. KONY 2012 is an unbelievable film showing how we can make a difference. It starts with us; it starts with us coming together with the same voice. Much less, teaching our children how they can get involved. I challenge us to involve our children in KONY 2012 and teach them that their voice matters. I will COVER THE NIGHT with my boys April 20, 2012. They will understand that their involvement matters. Rockin’ Baby is on its way to changing the face of Mothers and Children in Haiti, but we MUST support others who are changing the world! 30 minutes of this film, and I believe you will be moved to share this from the rooftops! OUR VOICE MATTERS and we FULLY SUPPORT KONY2012!!

http://vimeo.com/37119711

BebePure, a website devoted to organic, natural, green news and products, and to all things baby and mama, is giving away a Rockin’ Baby Sling.   There are multiple ways to enter – like us on Facebook, comment on your favorite Rockin’ Baby Sling on our website, like BebePure on Facebook or follow Rockin’ Baby or BebePure on Twitter.  Check out the BebePure website for all the details, and start entering to win the I Got You Babe adjustable pouch.

It’s been two years since a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the Caribbean nation of Haiti, on the island of Hispaniola. Over 3.5 million people were affected by the earthquake, with 220,000 dead and 300,000 people injured. Added to this, more than half the government buildings and schools were destroyed.  And that was all before a cholera outbreak in October 2010, infected 216,000 people, killing almost 6,000.

Even before the earthquake, half the citizens of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s largest city, had no access to latrines, and only one-third had access to tap water.

But there is hope. Today, many of the roads in Port-au-Prince have been cleared and street vendors are again open for business, selling staples such as cooking oil, pasta and eggs. The United Nations reports that 81 percent of children 6-14, who are living in displacement camps, are now attending school. Many Haitians are working in a “cash for production” program, removing the remaining earthquake debris by hand – rubble that is located in areas too difficult to reach with machinery.

Large scale organizations from the Red Cross to Doctors Without Borders and Habitat for Humanity continue their work to assist the people of Haiti.

* 100,000 – Temporary or transition-type homes or shelters have been built.

* 13,000 — Homes that have been repaired to livable condition.

* 4,600 — New homes that have been built.

* 1,400 — Households have been relocated out of tent camps and into new neighborhoods.

Yet, there is still much to be done, and Rockin’ Baby Sling remains committed to our mission: For every sling purchased, Rockin’ Baby will donate a new sling to a mother in need, and educate them on its importance. Mother to Mother.  Helping the women of Haiti is our social mission.

Since my last blog post, we have welcomed the newest member to our family, my son Aspen.  With five children all under the age of eight, wearing my baby in a Rockin’ Baby Sling in more important than ever.   The Rockin’ Baby company has also expanded:  we have more clients around the world than ever before, our Richmond, Virginia factory, where all our products are made, has taken on more space, and we’ve doubled our Rockin’ Baby team.

2011 was an amazing year for Rockin’ Baby.  Along with the growth of my family and my company,  Rockin’ Baby partnered with Heartline Ministries in Haiti, an organization devoted to helping Haitian women and children.  Working with Heartline, Rockin’ Baby completed it’s first sling drop in July 2011, supplying mother’s with new slings to carry their babies as they gather fresh food and water, while also giving them the ability to breast feed as needed.  And we’re just getting started.

2012 is going to be an even bigger and better year for Rockin’ Baby Slings.  With new designs, an updated website, and another sling drop planned for July 2012, there are many exciting things happening for the Rockin’ Baby family.  But most important, is continuing the mission of Rockin’ Baby Slings:  For every sling purchased, Rockin’ Baby will donate a new sling to a mother in need, and educate them on its importance.   Mother to Mother.

UNICEF’s Breastfeeding tents
Breastfeeding can be something that is completely misunderstood by all cultures, but in Haiti, is is devastating to know that they were told myths that led mothers to stop breastfeeding their babies after the earthquake.  Using unclean water can severely dehydrate the babies, and cause so much anguish for the mothers when their children are not well.  Good for UNICEF to put up these Baby Tents!  I can’t wait to walk through these tents and educate mothers about Rockin’ Baby Slings!

When you have four young kiddos…you have to go with the bohemian pictures!  It takes everything out of this Mama to get all of them posing in one direction; rather, tell them to be ridiculous, and, well…there you have it!  It always makes me happier when I take the “I don’t care what it turns out like” pictures.  We were traveling up the Outer Banks here, and having so much fun together. just one. big. happy. family.  Love, love being together!

ps. I think Liesl’s sunglasses are over the top, too (but, of course, she just had to have the big pink ones)!