Sending All My Love to You: Love Can Save the World

Since I was a child, I have been fascinated with the organization Care and the amazing work they do in impoverished nations throughout the world, especially the work they do for women and children.

I started following Care more closely in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and when one of my beloved college classmates began working there. I can't think of another organization with such a focus on the lives of girls and women and young children as this one. The work they are doing is mighty. And I believe in it with all my heart and I want you to feel the same way.

Yesterday, I received a message that I have to share. It's about an easy way you can help women around the world break out of the cycle of poverty.

This Valentine's Day give your true loves gifts that allow you to share your love, not only with them, but with women and children throughout the world.

Full Circle Exchange has teamed up with Care and is offering custom-created boxes of organic, fair trade chocolates and customizable gift sets including their organic chocolate bark paired with their organic, fair trade coffee.

When you make your purchase, Full Circle Exchange and their philanthropic partners will match 100% of your purchase price and donate it directly to Care.

Hurry though! In order to guarantee delivery of your gift by February 14th, orders must be placed by Friday, February 4th.

What better way to show your love how big your heart is than by extending it to those in need?

I feel like I've just awoken or broken free of a fog that was shrouding everything I've done for the last 36 hours or so. After getting very little sleep on Valentine's night, I had another rough day and night of it all yesterday. Thankfully, school was out so I didn't have to rush to be anywhere and was able to sleep until 7:30 when Beckett was up for good. I also had the blood drive yesterday, which went well. When I was there from noon until 2 p.m. we had already collected 20 pints and that wasn't counting the five or so of us who were there at the same time. Not too shabby.

It was kind of a zoo with kids all over the waiting room. The Red Cross provided a cake as well as the normal Nutter Butters (my favorite thing about giving blood!) and Cheese Nips, and there were actually people who had just come to donate who ended up doing it in Claire's honor.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted. I've never reacted well to giving blood. I usually bruise severely, as in from the elbow to the shoulder. This time, I barely bruised at all, but it took over 30 minutes for them to drain me and they had to keep readjusting the needle. My arm hurts from the elbow to my fingertips, especially when I clinch my fingers for any reason. I was also exhausted. I felt as if I could just fall asleep standing up last night. So, naturally neither boy slept well although Scott helped me go to bed early. The boys or at least one of them was up at 1 a.m.; at 3:00 or so I had to get Beckett a bottle. Then, Brendan ended up in our bed and at 4:00 a.m. started whining because he was congested. I moved him to his bed and tried to sleep with him, but he woke up whining again at 5:30 and stayed up. I tried sleeping in the recliner in the living room, but he kept talking to me, so finally I left him there watching Banana Splits or whatever other nonsense is on at that time of the morning and went back to bed until 6:30 when Beckett started crying. I tried to ignore him, hoping he'd find his way back to sleep, but Brendan showed up at my bedside to tell me his brother was crying and that I needed to get him up. Finally, I caved in and cried while I was changing Beckett's diaper because I haven't felt this tired since Beckett was born and I had yelled at Brendan to leave me alone and I hate the way being exhausted changes my personality and makes me mean.

Thankfully, Beckett went down for a nap around 10 a.m. and while Brendan watched a video and played trains, I got an 1 1/2 nap while Scott ran interference for me. Then, later both boys took afternoon naps and I had a luxurious soak in a hot bath using all the delightful Aveda products Scott lavished me with for Valentine's Day.

I felt like a new woman. Now, both boys are asleep; Scott and I are watching the NBA Skills competition; I'm cozy in my new jammies; and hopefully tomorrow will be a new day.