~PROJECT SWEET PEAS featured on Good Morning America!!

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Refresh/video/pepsi-refresh-winner-project-sweet-peas-11257915

~On the morning of Tuesday, July 27th, ABC network's Good

Morning America show did a feature story on Project Sweet Peas

In the month of April, Pepsi Refresh gave away $25,000 to Project Sweet Peas for our

worthy mission to help families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

(NICU) at various hospitals. Our goal is to be able to provide gift bags containing comfort and support items to

the many families that have a sick baby in the hospital, instead of at home in their loving arms.

Project Sweet Peas is an organization made up of several families that have been through the NICU experience, and sadly, many families like my own--have lost our babies to various illnesses or birth defects.

Because we know what it feels like, we are extending our comfort and support to others, so that we may be able to touch their lives and let them know that they are not alone in this very difficult, healing journey.

Project Sweet Peas specializes each bag for a boy--or a girl--and will also customize the various bags by holiday seasons, short-term or long-term NICU stays, and Memorial bags for those babies that grow their wings much too soon.

If you have any questions, or would like to donate, or request a bag for a loved one, please contact me here, or email me at melissa@projectsweetpeas.com

Help spread the word about my project NIMKEE BLESSINGS, by joining my facebook page at this link: http://www.facebook.com/NIMKEE.BLESSINGS

~Love, Peace, & Nimkee Blessings from my family, to yours,

Melissa xxoo

*More information may be found by following the various embedded links in this post*

**All proceeds from NIMKEE BLESSINGS will be donated to The Hospital for Sick Children, aka Sick Kids Hospital, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

~Reflections of our Final Day~

~Words cannot describe the searing, heart-clutching pain that a parent feels in their chest the very moment that their baby has been 'pronounced'.

"I'm very sorry, but he's gone......."

How do you take another breath, knowing your beloved has just taken his last? How can you fathom a future without this little

person by your side, sharing first smiles, sloppy kisses, and giggles galore?

One can't help but wonder "what do I do now? How will I get through this...."

The entire day was just a blur, with moments of vivid memories. I look back at our photographs taken during that final afternoon. The photographer's lens captured those heart wrenching images as we had to do the unthinkable.

"How do you say farewell, when you've just held this tiny little being in your arms for the very first time since he entered this world, outside your womb?"

I remember walking out of the hospital that night, with empty arms. I hadn't taken a single breath of outdoor air in more than a week, since the day I entered the hospital to give birth 9 days earlier. I stayed by Bennett-Chadlen's bedside night and day, never wanting to be too far away in case the worst should suddenly occur. I wanted to be right there with him should they need to page me.

I stepped outside and took in a huge breath, and held it for a few moments. I could not believe what was happening.

"It's not supposed to be this way".

I was clutching a stuffed bunny in place of him, an Easter gift to Bennett-Chadlen from his brothers.

In the days and weeks that followed I was able to look at the photos and feetprints,

I cherish the hand and foot moulds that were made with my hands, and the hands of Nimkee's siblings.

All of these items make him 'real'.

I cannot hold his hand again, but I can see his tiny fingers and feet....a lock of his hair....his gold embossed feetprints with the 6 gorgeous toes....all thanks to the little things that were done for us before we left the hospital.

~ Gzaagin Nimkee ~ We love you ~ Forever in our hearts ~ Tattooed on my soul ~

~PROJECT SWEET PEAS on GOOD MORNING AMERICA!

~I am very ecstatic and proud to announce that tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27th, between 7-9am, PROJECT SWEET PEAS will be featured on ABC's daily news program Good Morning America!!

Each month Pepsi Refresh is giving away $1 million to various winners of their grant contest. The winning recipients are featured on Good Morning America to help bring awareness to their chosen projects.

For more information on Pepsi Refresh & Project Sweet Peas, please click HERE.

Stayed tune for more information coming tomorrow following Project Sweet Peas debut!

Love, Peace, & Nimkee Blessings, from our family to yours xxoo

~FIRST NIMKEE BLESSINGS FUNDRAISER~

~Today was my first official fundraiser for my *~*NIMKEE BLESSINGS*~* Project Sweet Peas project. I have to say without a doubt that doing this in honour and memory of my sweet boy Bennett-Chadlen really did wonders for my grieving/healing heart.

I could feel his presence surrounding us today as I shared all about him, Project Sweet Peas, and our mission to help provide comfort and support items to other families with babies in the NICU, to let them know that they're not alone. All of the project leaders with this wonderful, compassionate organization know what it's like to have a child born under extraordinary circumstances. We come from a background of 'hands-on' knowledge of what it feels like to see your newborn child rushed into the NICU, instead of being placed into your waiting arms.

I held an impromptu yardsale/fundraiser to help me to purchase the items for my gift-bags which will be donated to the families in the Hospital for Sick Children NICU. This is where Bennett-Chadlen lived his entire 8 days.

I wanted my son's legacy to live on through my desire to comfort grieving families, and hope to create a 'ripple effect' that shall shine on through my children's lives as well. Bennett-Chadlen is with us always, and we aim to do him proud.

For more information about Nimkee Blessings, or Project Sweet Peas, feel free to check out the links provided above, or contact me here and I'll get back to you asap.

If you, or someone you know would like to donate items for me to sell for my fundraiser, please feel free to drop them off, or I can arrange for pick-up if need be.

Gchi-miigwech to all of you that have provided us with so much love, comfort, and prayers of peace and strength as we make our way through this healing journey.

Love, Peace, & Nimkee Blessings to you and yours,

Melissa & family