Spread the Love Blog Hop!!

If you are coming from Peggy Russell’s blog

then you are headed in the right direction. Your next stop along the way to spreading the love is

Kim Teasdale’s blog

Just as despair is brought down on one human being by another, hope too can be restored to one, through the love of others.

On October 4th, 4 teenagers armed with knives broke into a home in a small town in New Hampshire. These 4 boys broke into this home with the intent to rob and kill anyone inside. They stabbed Kimberly Cates to death and left her daughter, Jaimie, for dead in the driveway. Jaime’s father was away at the time. It was a completely random act; their home was chosen only due to its secluded surroundings.

This is the horrifying news that was brought to my attention by my blogging friend Ann, last week. I could not sleep that night and found myself actually wishing I had not heard this story of Jaime and her family. I have a very hard time dealing with the emotions that come with hearing of anyone’s pain or suffering especially at the hands of such evil. I felt it deeply. When I thought more about it, I felt even more awful when I realized I wanted to “turn a blind eye” to it.  When Ann first told me about the blog hop that Denise and Erin were planning, my first thought was, how will cards help this girl now?   But of course I realize that it’s not the cards, but the powerful unity of love behind them, that might send Jaime and her father a reminder that hope and love does exist in their suddenly darkened world.   If a blog hop will help do that, then participating is a small yet positive action I can take to help them.

Erin Bailey and Denise Lynn started this blog hop in response to a plea for help from Erin’s long time friend who is also Jaimie Cates’ neighbor.

Erin and Denise hope that everyone hopping around today will stop for a moment and think about Jaimie and her father and what life must be like for them now. One moment in time has changed their lives forever. They are asking that everyone reading this message please take some time to make a card and send it off to Jaimie. Please share some words of hope and love and let her know that people do care and want the best for her.

If you’re wondering what kind of card you should make, here’s a little bit about Jaimie: “Jaimie is not really a girlie girl, but she does like hot pink and black. She likes outdoor activities such as biking, skateboarding, razor rip stick, snowboarding, and karate. As you may have read, she is a black belt in karate.”

Please send your card to the address at the top of this post.

Thanks for joining us in this very special blog hop!!

If you would like to start from the very beginning then go to: Katharina Frei’s Blog

If you have lost your way, or have just heard about this blog hop, head over to http://spreadthelove-forjaimie.blogspot.com/ for a full list of participating blogs in this hop, as well as all other info for the hop.

I will be giving away a Flourishes Wreaths of All Seasons set, to one randomly selected person who chooses to send a card to Jaime.  Please leave a comment here on this post, and include a link to the card that you intend to send to Jaimie, via Mister Linky below.  The winner will be named on Monday the 9th of November.  This giveaway is now closed.  A winner has been chosen via Random.org!

Flourishes is one of my favorite stamp companies, and I wanted to mention that it is due to their generosity that I even have this set to share with you today!  It was sent to me in error, but when I told them of it, they said I could keep it and do what I wished with it!!   I would like to pass it on to one of you, in the same spirit it was given. Thank you Flourishes!!

Well, if you are still with me and reading this, thanks for sticking it out to the end of this very long post!  Thank you too, for helping spread a little love today!!

Your next stop along the way to spreading the love is Kim Teasdale’s blog!