What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

America

This is my little cousin, America.  She is the Children's Miracle Network Champion for the State of Kansas.
Taken from the Miracle Netork Blog:

"When America was born with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, scoliosis and club feet, it was clear she'd face tough times in life. But no one knew then just how tough this little girl could be.

She was told she’d never be able to sit up, crawl, talk or feed herself. They were wrong. She sat up on her own at age 1 and crawled on her arms soon after. Before she was 2 years old she was happily chatting away. But there is one thing she won't do: America will never say "I can't." Instead, she takes her time and continues to try.

America, 5, has her own customized wheelchair, and people in her community are amazed at how smoothly and quickly she zips around. She teaches everyone she comes in contact with that being in a wheelchair doesn't mean you can't be independent and as happy as anyone else. America loves to dance in her chair and does gymnastic moves on her therapy bars at St. Francis Health Center. Her family has been told that America is going to change the wheelchair world. After every barrier she's already broken, it's safe to say that America will make those changes and more."

The Champions program designates a champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2010 champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including genetic diseases, heart transplants and traumas, as well as life-threatening staph infections.

You can vist the  Kansas Champion Blog to see more about America or to visit your State to meet your local champion. 

We are proud of you, America!

7 comments:

  1. What an incredible little girl! Such beautiful blond curls, too. :) I bet she is just a delight to those lucky enough to know her!

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  2. What a beautiful and happy girl! Can't wait to see what tricks she pulls out of her hat next!

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  3. You know what I do for a living and I got to work with a girl that had SB. She is now in jr. college hoping to earn a teaching degree someday.

    America is a beautiful child, you need to post more about her as she grows up.

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  4. She's beautiful! And brave, and encouraging and I could go on and on.

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  5. America is beautiful and so are you!
    xo
    Pam

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  6. What a beautiful little girl--inside and out. You must be a proud cousin! (Also, I love her name.)

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  7. Her eyes smile as wide as her mouth. What a cutie and what an inspiration. With that kind of charm the donations are sure to roll in!

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