The little princesses

As most of you know, I accepted nominations earlier this month for a little girl to get a special princess tutu and hair bow for the holidays. What started as one princess set ended up becoming three princess sets because there were such wonderful stories I couldn't choose just one. Today I'm going to share these stories with you.

The first little princess is 3-year-old Malia. Earlier this year Malia and her family received the news that her "tummy aches" were caused by a large tumor in her abdomen. It was wrapped around major blood vessels  and pushing against her kidney and heart. It was discovered that she has a very aggressive childhood cancer knows as stage 4 neuroblastoma. It has metastasized into her bones and bone marrow. Her family moved from their home in Florida to Massachusetts to begin treatment on her cancer. She has had six rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, radiation, surgery, and blood transfusions. She is a very brave little girl who is an inspiration to those around her. She has shown such bravery and determination this year. It is remarkable what the spirit of a three year old child can do! Here are photos of the first gift.

The second princess is Graycie. She is almost three years old. She has struggled from the day she was born. Her mom had an abrupted placenta and Graycie nearly didn't make it past birth. She has endured feeding tubes, surgery, GERD, hypotonia and more. Her family has been plagued with other medical issues with her siblings, unemployment, and even robbery at gunpoint. Yet, they endure through their faith in God. This is truly a family whose beliefs have made it easier to get through the curve balls life has thrown their way. Graycie has also shown courage and strength well beyond her years. I received a very nice email from Graycie's mom after she received her package. Graycie was so excited about her princess goodies, she could barely hold still long enough for her mom to snap a picture to send to me. Here are photos of miss Graycie wearing her tutu shirt.

The third princess is KyLee. This is a little girl who from her young age of 5 is well on her way to a career in philanthropy! KyLee started a community service club in her town. She wanted to make new friends and give back to the community at the same time. She developed this idea on her own and through the help of her mom have had several meetings, hosted a guest speaker on service and completed their first service projects. It is amazing to me the compassion this young girl demonstrates. She should be an example to all of us that it doesn't take any heroic measures to become involved. Each of us can donate a little time toward the greater good of the places in which we live. I received a picture of little Kylee in her outfit, too.

These girls are just three examples of the amazing people growing up today. I read many more stories about girls who were also deserving of a princess gift. I wish I could have made something for all of them. Thank you for sharing their stories with me. My small gift pales in comparison to what these kids are giving back to the people around them.

Simply because the holidays are coming to an end, please do not lose that holiday spirit. Continue to do your own random acts of kindness. I know I feel much happier living in a world of kindness and generosity. Challenge yourself to donate time to a local charity or cause for which you believe. Make a resolution to reach out on a monthly or weekly basis and do something nice for those around you. Remember the basic manners you learned as a child and USE THEM. A smile goes a long way toward someone who receives it.