May 2014

Peekaboo May 2014

Happy Mother’s Day! Northwest Arkansas’ Family Magazine

the PEEKABOO family Kimberly Enderle

Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com (479) 957-0532

Ava. Grant. and Holden.

Jonathon Enderle

Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com (479) 586-3890

/

Distribution/ Circulation Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas Colleen Cook Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

Peekaboo Publications, PO Box 1036, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 Peekaboo Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions.

Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call (479) 586-3890 Peekaboo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.

Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

What’s Inside

peekaboo nwa May 2014

14 |A Dramatic Entrance: Meet Ellie by: Tara Limbird

18 | Prevent & Detect Skin Cancers by: Teresa McKinney, PA-C

20 | 2014 Party Trends: Graduation by: Jennifer Cristofaro

22 | Living the Good N.E.W.S 26 | A Timeless Slumber Party by: Katie Baskins

28 | The Jackson L. Graves Foundation

30 | Kids and Finance by: Rachel Cruze

34 | Girls on the Run by: Kim Enderle

36 |Trike Theatre

48 | Bringing Home Sylvie by: Jenny Marrs

54 | Counseling Approaches: Meet them Where They Are by: Hollie Weber

56 | Amelia the Amazing by: Erica Curry

60 |Everlynn Faith by: Noelle Ciganek

64 | Blogging for Beginners by: Stephanie McCratic

70 | Vintage Market Days by: Marisa Lytle

72 | Dad’s View

with Ben Lacy

77 | Arkansas Missions of Mercy by: Marisa Lytle

80 | Girls Night Out by: Kim Enderle

On the Cover Ellie Brooke, 3, with Mom Tara Harvel Limbird, of Bentonville.

Cover photo by Sweet Portrayal Photography www.sweetportrayal.com

10 May 2014

A

pril showers bring May flowers... or, at least that is what I am hoping for, anyway.

Flowers represent friendship, purity, innocence, and love. It doesn’t take a field of flowers, or even an expensive bouquet of roses, to make a powerful statement. A single flower picked by your little one-- whether it is a “true” flower or a weed disguised as one-can melt a momma’s heart like nothing else. Especially when it is handed to you with a “Here, Mommy, I got this for you!”

(Maybe this is why Mother’s Day falls in May... plenty of flowers to hand out.)

Speaking of Mother’s Day, we are so excited to bring you an issue full of stories from amazing moms that live right here in Northwest Arkansas.

Each time stories like these graces my inbox, I feel like I am given a special gift, since the opportunity to read these personal stories is like getting a piece of the “mommy manual” we all wish was available. Even better than reading and learning from these stories myself is the opportunity to share them with the rest of NWA. Being a mom is one of the toughest titles any of us will ever hold. Take time this month to not only honor your own mom, but to also honor the strong, amazing, inspiring women in your lives--your sister, your aunt, or your grandmother.

To help make your gift buying even easier, we have collected some of our favorite products for her, all of which can be found on page 40.

Getting the chance to be someone’s mom (or three little people’s mom) is a reward in itself. Last month I got to make some

amazing memories with Ava, Holden and Grant, both together and separately.

When I was asked to attend the ‘Girls on the Run’ luncheon and interview guest speaker and Olympic athlete Sarah Hendrickson, I immediately knew I had to take Ava with me. We got to have a lunch together during a weekday that didn’t include baby G throwing snacks or a game of “copy cat” from little brother H. It is sometimes easy to forget that moms are also just “one of the girls,” so we have also included a few fun, unique and exciting “girls’ night out” ideas.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful women across Northwest Arkansas!

PS - Don’t forget to visit our camp guide online at http://www.peekaboonwa. com/2014-camp-guide-preview

A Dramatic Entrance: M

y feet are swollen.

My back aches.

Judging by how hard my brain is pounding against my skull I’m convinced that it is attempting to escape. Either that or its spelling out a message in Morse Code that says “WELCOME TO YOUR SEVENTH MONTH OF PREGNANCY.”

Meet Ellie

It was the week before Christmas in 2010 and my husband, Nick, and I were expecting our first child. I needed to be out finishing my Christmas shopping (and by finishing, I mean starting--let’s be honest) but instead, I found myself spending the weekend with my feet elevated to help with the swelling. Monday rolled around and nothing had improved. Instead of visiting my doctor, I spent the entire day shopping, as we were leaving the next day to spend Christmas with Nick’s family in Little Rock. Tuesday morning, I decided to make a quick trip to the doctor, just in case.

Nick volunteered to go with me, but my great advice was for him just to stay put and finish packing because I was sure everything was going to be just fine. Little did I know, we would, in fact, be making that trip to Little Rock, but for an entirely different reason.

I waltzed in to my doctor’s office and within 30 minutes I was told that my Christmas plans would be changed.

A quick test revealed that my protein level was off the charts because my kidneys were not doing their job.

Add to that the fact that I had swelling and high blood pressure and I was a textbook example for preeclampsia.

14 May 2014

by Tara Limbird

I was immediately admitted into Mercy Hospital to monitor my protein levels for the next 24 hours. I was convinced that everyone was completely overreacting. I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about! Things started sinking in a little when, 24 hours later, the doctor asked me if I preferred Tulsa, Springfield, or Little Rock. “For what?” I asked.

I quickly got my answer. I was being transported by helicopter to one of the three. I needed to have the baby pronto. The doctor told me that we were both in great danger and needed a hospital with a high-risk neonatal unit.

Since my husband and I are both realtors, our selfemployed insurance isn’t the greatest, so, of course, I found myself totally stressed about all of this (which certainly didn’t help the high blood pressure thing). I asked the doctor if the helicopter was really necessary and if it would be okay if we could just drive. Looking back now, I can’t believe what denial I was in, even after being told that protein levels between 3000-5000 are extremely dangerous... and mine were three times that.

So, the evening of December 22nd, I took a wonderful (and incredibly expensive) helicoptor ride to UAMS in Little Rock. What a shame that I was on a stretcher and couldn’t even look out the window at Christmas lights! I found it somewhat amusing that the staff on board who were monitoring my blood pressure kept telling me to relax. You try to relax at 31 weeks pregnant, and being flown to a hospital that is better

equipped to handle you all because you and your unborn baby are in serious danger!

Going to Little Rock was an easy choice. It was nice to be greeted immediately by my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. They were complaining about how hard it was to find a parking spot that evening. Lucky for me, we landed on the roof just like Ol’ Saint Nick, so parking was a cinch for us! I can’t help but admit that I was a little nervous that I had left my husband behind to pack my bag and handle our 4 dogs, our cat, and more. At least there was no baby bag to pack, because we hadn’t purchased anything yet. We thought we still had plenty of time for that.

The next 48 hours I was monitored every hour on the hour and pumped with an IV full of magnesium sulfate to help prevent seizures and strokes. With that combination of high blood pressure and constant fluids, I began to look like the Goodyear Blimp. The swelling was so bad that I couldn’t even wear my contacts because the lining over my eyes was swelling.

I looked like a full blown freak show, but I guess the “good news” was that I felt so horrible from the magnesium sulfate that I didn’t give two cents as to what I looked like.

“ ” It was Christmas, for crying out loud, and I was in the hospital about to give birth nine weeks early to my first child!

We spent Christmas Eve in the hospital. My husband brought in a holiday cocktail (for himself, of course) and we watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I remember staring at the TV but not really paying attention because of the discomfort and constant interruptions from the staff drawing blood and taking my blood pressure.

Christmas dawned on my 4th day at UAMS. That morning, I was in a ton of pain on my right side. The doctors came in and told me that, in addition to my kidney problem, my liver was now failing, which was causing all the pain. They said, “Well, it looks like we are having a Christmas baby today.” What they didn’t know was that our little Ellie Brooke was already a strong-willed girl, and she had plans of her own.

The nurse wheeled me down the hall into an elevator to go to the Labor and Delivery floor. I remember her trying to crack a few jokes, but I felt like a zombie.

All I could think was that I could not believe this was happening and that I was about to have a baby. I didn’t feel like I had had time to prepare myself. Don’t get me wrong... Nick and I went to all the baby classes a few months before, which Nick still says was a complete waste of time. Nothing we went through was like anything in our class. I like to plan things, so I just didn’t

feel ready to go through this. After all, it was Christmas, for crying out loud, and I was in the hospital about to give birth nine weeks early to my first child. To say that I was panicked just doesn’t quite cover it.

My parents were hosting Christmas lunch at their home in Van Buren that year. They had just sat down to eat when they were notified that “it was time.” I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. My mom and dad said they told everyone to sit down and eat fast, because they had to clean up and leave! My uncle still jokes that he was chewing his food when they were backing out of the driveway. My parents and sister, Lindsey, rushed to be by my side, but it turned out there was no need to hurry. Ellie had planned to take her sweet time.

The doctors thought it would be a good idea to induce me and see if we could get things going that way versus a C-section. Keep in mind I was still on all sorts of medication for blood pressure and who-knows-what.

I just kept trying to sleep, thinking it would all go away, but then I would wake up and vomit (sorry, but it’s true) because it was all making me so sick.

In the wee hours of the morning, they decided to give me an epidural. They tried four different times before

[ story continued next page

they got it right. That was a traumatizing experience in and of itself. The thought of needles in my spine doesn’t exactly excite me to begin with, and then doing it four times was pure torture. Nick, bless his heart, pounded energy drinks all night. Things were not looking great. The doctors had decided that if things didn’t happen very soon, they would take me back for surgery and have a C-section.

I remember my dad saying he didn’t want to have to lose one of us to save the other.

About 6:40AM on December 26th, something snapped me out of my coma. I didn’t know what was happening, but I knew something felt very different, and this new, different feeling hurt -- A lot! I found out later that the epidural we had tried so hard to get going had been turned off because it was messing up my blood pressure. I screamed to my parents to get both the nurse and Nick and to get out of there! The nurse told me she had just checked on me and said everything should still be okay. After a quick check she said, “Oh, baby is here!”

She requested that I “hold on” because they were having a staff change that morning. I told her there was no holding on now, I had only been “holding on” for almost 24 hours. Nick came running around the corner about the same time the doctor told me to start pushing. I tried. Nothing happened. The doctor told me that I was going to have to try harder. I was squeezing Nick’s hand and thinking, “I have already been at this for twenty hours and I am DONE!” That was all it took. I gave everything I had and more, and game over... Ellie Brooke Limbird had arrived.

She weighed just 2 lbs and 10 oz. She stayed on oxygen the first couple of days just as a precautionary measure, but, thankfully, the steroid shots I had endured just before her birth helped her lungs develop. After those

first couple of days, Ellie was never on any kind of oxygen or respirator again. She had a few ups and downs with jaundice, some constipation issues, and heart bradys. We learned more about premature babies than we ever thought we would and found out ‘premie’ girls typically do better. Ellie was and still is a champion and a fighter!

I was convinced that we would have to be there for months, so I was shocked that on day 27 they said that we might be able to go home in a couple of days.

What?! I didn’t think I was ready. I liked her being at the hospital, where I knew she was safe. I didn’t know how to take care of a baby, much less a baby who still only weighed four pounds! She ended up being in the hospital for 29 days and, after she learned to eat on her own (basically swallowing and breathing at the same time), keep her body temperature up on her own and passed her car seat test, we were released to go home.

On that 29th day, we began the trip from Little Rock to Bentonville. My memories of the car ride home are senior citizens passing us left and right on the interstate because we were driving so slow and listening to Guns-n-Roses Lullaby music.

Well, that’s my story. I never thought I would even have children, and now I am the mother of a beautiful and, most importantly, healthy 3-year-old. My experience taught me how precious life is and how it can all change so quickly. The best compliment I get these days is when I tell others that Ellie weighed 2 lbs and 10 oz when she was born and they look at her, smile, and say, “Well, you’d never know it.”

Tara Harvel Limbird is a realtor for the Limbird Team at RE/MAX Real Estate Results and lives in Bentonville with her husband, Nick, their three dogs, one cat, and “baby Ellie.”

feature by: Teresa McKinney, PA-C

Prevent and Detect Skin Cancers “April showers bring May flowers” is typically how we view May, but for those of us in dermatology, we see May as a month to educate and emphasize the importance of sun protection. Many people are unaware of the prevalence of skin cancer . According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. It is greater than the incidence of breast cancer and lung cancer. Currently, it is estimated that one in five Americans will have a skin cancer in their lifetime.

In the month of May, we also focus on the deadliest form of skin cancer, which is melanoma. The first Monday in May is designated as Melanoma Monday by the AAD. Melanoma is the most common skin cancer for young people ages 25 to 29.

Research has shown that there are several risk factors associated with developing melanoma. These include intense sun exposure that resulted in blistering sunburns, relatives diagnosed with a melanoma, a weakened immune system, fair skin, greater than 50 moles and tanning bed usage. There has been a large amount of research dedicated to tanning bed use and its association with melanoma. Current research shows that tanning in a tanning bed increases the risk of melanoma by as much as 75 percent. Another concerning statistic is that unlike other forms of cancer that are decreasing in incidence, melanoma incidence continues to increase.

One of the best ways to prevent melanoma and other forms of skin cancer is to use good sun protection, including appropriate clothing and sunscreen.

Picking a good sunscreen can be difficult with all of the various claims and the plethora of choices. Some basic information on sunscreens is very helpful. It is important to buy sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB light. UVB light is responsible for sunburns and is associated with skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. UVA light is able to penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin, causing aging, sunspots and melanoma. A good way to remember the two is that UVB causes burning and UVA causes aging. The SPF, or sun protection factor, indicates how long you can be exposed to UVB light without burning.

... remember the importance of taking care of your skin. It is the only skin you have!

Beyond UVA and UVB protection, there are two types of sunscreens. The majority of sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb the sun’s rays. These sunscreens are advantageous because they are usually cheaper and widely available. The disadvantages of sunscreens that use chemicals are that they are less effective against UVA rays and they degrade in the sun more quickly.

There is also evidence that the chemicals are absorbed into the bloodstream. The chemicals utilized can also be a skin irritant and cause a contact dermatitis. The other type of sunscreen utilizes physical blocks to the sun in the form of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

This type of sunscreen is more effective in protecting against UVA rays and skin cancers as well as preventing skin aging. The cons of this type of sunscreen are that they are more expensive and not as widely available.

One last important note for sunscreen use is how much is necessary to apply for good skin protection. It is recommended that an entire ounce of sunscreen be used per application every two hours. This equates to roughly the size of a golf ball in the palm of the hand.

Another important way to prevent and detect skin cancers is monthly skin cancer self-exams. It is important to know your moles and to know if they are growing or changing. The mnemonic device to remember for skin checks is ABCDE: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter and Evolving. The AAD has a downloadable body mole map that is available on their website that describes how to perform a skin cancer self-examination. As important as self-examination is, it is also important to visit your local dermatologist for a full body skin exam once a year. This is a great way to have an expert evaluate your skin for possible skin cancers. Another great opportunity to take advantage of in May is that many dermatologist offices will host free cancer screenings.

So, as we move from those April showers to the beautiful May flowers, remember the importance of taking care of your skin. It is the only skin you have! Let’s reverse the increasing trend of melanomas this May and begin to protect your skin with wide brimmed hats, clothing and sunscreen. Your skin will thank you.

www.hullderm.com

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Living the good N.E.W.S. How one local organizaiton is encouraging fitness in not only people of all ages, but, more importantly, school-aged children, so that early knowledge and application of exercises can prevent diseases associated with adolescent obesity.

P

arents and teachers want the best for their children–for their kids to be successful in everything they put their mind to. Whether it’s their kids’ education, physical appearance, goal-setting, athletic ability, mental stability, social skills, or anything else that can give a positive light to a child’s mind, we all want these kids to develop into intelligent and healthy individuals. After all, one of these days, they will be taking care of us!

If you could help develop that foundation of healthy lifestyle choices, remedy the obesity and diabetes epidemic in our state and lower the state health insurance costs all at the same time, would you be game for it? What if it was free and available to everyone from age 5 up? One such organization is doing their best to achieve this dream and share it with the public.

The NWA Fitness & Health Foundation is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is, as they put it, to “promote fitness and health to everyone in every community.” The NWAFHF does this via three pillars of community involvement that naturally flow from their mission: First, a youth fitness initiative called the SuperFit campaign; secondly, their community fitness and health clearinghouse partners; and, third, through local fitness, health, and wellness events taking place in the community.

health. While cheerleading for the Razorbacks in college, he was introduced to bodybuilding, and won his very first show! With determination, focus, research, application and commitment, Joe earned his natural bodybuilding ‘pro card’ in 2008. This made him Arkansas’ first natural professional bodybuilder, and two years later he won the Mr. Arkansas title in Little Rock--all without steroids. He is married to his beautiful wife, Kelly, who is an elementary teacher in Bentonville Public Schools, and they have two wonderful little girls together. “I started this foundation,” says Wilson, “because I want to see all students become more successful in school with healthier lifestyle choices.”

Their fitness and health initiatives through NWAFHF help develop the foundation of these healthier choices which will, in turn, improve grades, student selfesteem, physical athleticism and body composition, behavior, and overall health.

The founder of the NWAFHF, Joe Wilson, is an Arkansas native and a teacher in the Bentonville Public School District. Joe grew up in Conway and was bullied, both as a kid and throughout high school.

He found relief from bullying and relaxation in the weight room. He learned many exercise techniques and nutrition strategies, not only to help change his physical appearance, but also to achieve optimal

The foundation’s youth fitness initiative, the SuperFit campaign, is a very unique program designed for kids ages 5 through 13, but can be utilized by anyone.

This program helps provide the necessary aspects of living a healthier lifestyle by living the “good N.E.W.S.”.

This “good N.E.W.S.” is meant to be used an acronym for those all-important basics of health: Nutrition, Exercise, Water, and Sleep. Participants of the SuperFit campaign are to journal their “good N.E.W.S.” in a database designed on the website to earn points and achieve levels of accomplishments. Each candidate that participates in the good N.E.W.S. campaign has an opportunity to share their experiences and progress with their supporters, either online at any time or with an automatic weekly progress report.

22 May 2014

At the end of the school year, the NWAFHF has their

flagship competition, the Pump & Run Obstacle (PRO) Course. This is developed as the final fitness assessment for these SuperFit candidates, or for anyone interested in entering this kind of event-similar to the famous “Tough Mudder,” “Warrior Dash,” or “Primal Challenge.”

This PRO Course will have multiple obstacles, including but not limited to a slip-n-slide, hay bale jump, mud crawl, paintball target shoot, multiple wall climbs, sandbag drag, tire carry, balance beams, “horrible hurdles,” a powdered chalk gauntlet, and many others. The cool catch is that a burnout set of push ups or bench presses must be performed before the 1 mile, 5K or 10K run portion. For every repetition completed, 10 or 20 seconds respectively is taken off the 5K or 10K run time (starting with a negative time). This incentive is also held as the pledge fundraiser portion for the NWAFHF. For every pushup/bench press repetition done by the competitor, a pledge is raised by the supporter for the SuperFit campaign to help share the good N.E.W.S. to more communities.

So, let’s make NWA the healthiest place in the midSouth! Support the mission and live like your body depended on it!

Mark Your Calendars: MAY 31st PRO Course, NWA Team Throwdown, NWA Fitness & Health Festival Memorial Park in Bentonville “Every person who experiences this sports festival is able to take away something new that they did not know before regarding new products, competitions, nutritious eating habits, or methods of exercise. We want to help these people add this new knowledge to their own lives and benefit not only themselves, but help others achieve their goals as well.”

Editor’s Note: NWA Fitness and Health Association is looking for SuperFit campaign partners to help initiate this program through after-school programs and to support fitness programs already implemented within the school district or community organizations. Please visit www. nwafitnessandhealth to contact the organization, or you can email info@nwafitnessandhealth.com.

Any business/corporation can support and partner with the NWAFHF. All monetary yearly contributions will be considered a charity writeoff for services rendered from the NWAFHF. They also want to help local certified and accredited personal trainers who want to gain exposure for their services and build their clientele base.

www.nwafitnessandhealth.com

Feature by: Katie Baskins

A Timeless Slumber Party

I

can’t exactly remember the day when our tradition began, but I know that it was one evening in the seventh grade at my house.

Clad in oversized t-shirts and pajama pants, the four of us gathered for the ceremonious rite of passage that solidifies adolescent friendship: our first slumber party. If I were to guess the topics of that evening, they would probably include the subjects that typically barrage the mind of a girl in middle school-popularity, grades, boys-shallow, yet terribly important. Our evening consisted of snacks, make-up (oh, we were so awful at doing make-up) and staying up late. It seemed like a pretty typical slumber party, but what we didn’t realize was that in the midst of our conversation riddled with pre-teen ideology, something quite poignant was taking shape in our lives. That one slumber party grew into another slumber party, then another as we maneuvered our way through middle school and high school. Gathering together once a year, we stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, discussing ... stuff. Shallow or not, it mattered to us, and those conversations created a safe place for us to air our fears and hopes, as we stood in the trenches of teenage angst, peering over the edge to see the daunting inevitability of adulthood. After graduation, none of us attended the same college, and the slumber parties took on new meaning. Coming together suddenly took effort and planning around breaks and jobs, which only enriched our gatherings.

As we started to take our own paths in life, none of

26 May 2014

our paths overlapped, except for those yearly slumber parties. What had once been a convenient opportunity for snacks and movies had now evolved into an event that provided something that our new lives could not: familiarity.

There is a connectivity that happens when we gather together. As we grow older, we take on an array of new roles-in our careers, in our relationships-and when we come together for our yearly slumber party, the pressure of those roles begins to fade. We ease into conversation as we begin to catch up on each other’s lives, and, despite our different paths, we find ourselves connected by a single thread: friendship. We are women who started this journey as girls. I think it’s pretty remarkable that in the context of the slumber party atmosphere there are so many things that do not change. Our discussions have traded the agony of pimples and boys for the complexities of marriage and the challenge of finding and defining ourselves as adults. Rather than popping open cans of Dr. Pepper and commiserating over algebra, we grasp mugs of coffee and share our spiritual journeys and the bumps we’ve encountered along the way. As the evening wears on and the late hours of the night approach, the defenses that inhibit vulnerability begin to weaken and the walls come down. And then, we laugh.

Oh, we laugh. As stories and memories come tumbling out, the laughter gets longer and louder.

Yes, I remember that I wore only my brother’s T-shirts in high school. Remember that awesome dance you

performed in the middle school talent show? And I won’t bring up the time you ignored me for an entire month (you’re forgiven) and the way I was insanely boy-crazy (I’m sorry). The stories just keep rolling.

And, inevitably, a video tape surfaces, typically from one of our high school slumber parties, and perhaps this time it’s the one with the four of us in ridiculous costumes lip-syncing to the Spice Girls, complete with a haphazardly choreographed dance. It was decided then and remains true now that I am the least coordinated of the group. As the four women on the couch watch those four girls on the screen, the feeling in the room is one of surreality. Were we really ever

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As the evening wears on and the late hours of the night approach, the defenses that inhibit vulnerability begin to weaken and the walls come down. And then, we laugh.

that young? And... dorky? After the video is over and our throats are hoarse from hysterical laughing, the surreality gives way to a feeling of deep gratitude.

Through it all, we had each other. The pimples, the

oily hair, the bad attempts at make-up. When life was hormonal and dramatic, we had each other. Through dating relationships and college acceptance letters, we had each other. Through new jobs and weddings, we had each other.

And life keeps moving forward. Through terminal illness of loved ones. Through miscarriage. Through brokenness. Through the dark times that strike in the hard places. Distance cannot diminish what time and love have fostered. When life pours out the good things or hurls down the bad, we have each other.

And it all started as a simple sleepover between four seventh graders.

It’s been nineteen years.

Next month, we will all meet up in Chicago for our next slumber party. It’s been a year, and it’s time. We know we will be different-we were different a year ago, just as we were different the year before that. But when the sun sets and the coffee brews, the conversation will start, our packed bags still by the front door where we dropped them, and we will be as we have always been: four friends who have each other.

And the tradition, the laughter, the commiserating ... they carry on.

(With or without the Spice Girls.)

angels

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T decade.

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he Jackson L. Graves Foundation’s story is one of love, loss, repurpose, and showing how the tiniest little angel has continued to impact the lives of so many for almost a

The Jackson L. Graves Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to improving care for very sick infants in need of complex medical attention.

The mission of the Foundation is to improve the quality of life for neonatal and pediatric patients and families involved in critical care situations. It exists to provide family-centered care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) environment to make trying times as comfortable, complete, hopeful and peaceful as possible.

taking care of Jack through his NICU stay. Getting to know his family, being with them through the ups and downs of Jack’s life, and praying for Jack to get better and go home—it touched my heart. I frequently think about Jack, and the impact this sweet baby has had on ACH and the families who are going through similar times.”

Jackson was a fighter. He spent four months and one week at ACH in Little Rock struggling to overcome his significant health challenges. Throughout it all, he showed a tremendous combination of intelligence, determination, spirit, happiness and love despite being very sick and often in discomfort as a result of all of his many ailments. Jackson’s wonderful and inspirational life — all of which was spent in a neonatal intensive care unit — motivated his parents to do what they can to improve care for children who have extended stays in intensive care, and to improve the experience for the families of those children.

Inspired by the fantastic medical care that allowed his parents to spend time with him that they might not otherwise have been blessed enough to have, James and Angie Graves established The Jackson L. Graves Foundation (JLG) in memory of their firstborn son in 2005. Foundation supporter and family friend, Mandy Shoptaw shared, “Jackson would be just a little

On October 12th, 2004, tiny Jackson Lee Graves entered this world eight weeks premature at University Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was born with an abdominal wall birth defect known as a giant omphalocele, which is a defect at the base of the umbilical cord wherein an infant’s intestines and some other abdominal organs are in a sac protruding through the defect.

At birth, Jackson weighed three pounds, thirteen ounces. The sac containing his organs had greatly expanded and filled with fluid during pregnancy, causing it to rupture at birth and leave his abdominal organs exposed to infection. Born with his heart slightly out of position, Jackson experienced breathing difficulties caused by his prematurity. He also faced a life-threatening condition causing constriction of the blood vessels to the lungs called persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN).

Jackson was immediately taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), where, upon his arrival, he had the first of many surgeries. ACH Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse, Audra Hutchins said, “I had the honor of

younger than my son. I remember that I was feeding my healthy baby boy as he giggled in a high chair when I got the call that Jack had passed. You feel so helpless when your friends’ hearts are breaking over the loss of a child. It seems so unfair. When James and Angie established JLG, it was not only an outlet for turning their grief into something positive, but the JLG also allowed us, as friends, to show our support to this young couple. I am also so very proud of the difference this selfless family is making in the lives of others dealing with a stay in the NICU--from parents facing the toughest challenges of their lives to the doctors and nurses who benefit from the advancements the JLG helps bring.”

The JLG has funded numerous projects in partnership with Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Willow Creek Women’s Hospital, and Washington Regional Hospital.

The Jackson L. Graves Foundation partnered with the Lahav Lab at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA by supporting their continued research on the effects of noise in the NICU on the development of infants.

JLG has partnered with Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville to fund the completion of their milk lab with the addition of two waterless milk warmers, as well as a recliner to aid parents in Kangaroo Care.

The Foundation also partnered with Willow Creek Women’s Hospital in Northwest Arkansas to provide CD players and classical music for each bedside and implement a noise monitoring system for the NICU. Currently, the JLG provides funds for the hospital to utilize the noise monitoring technology in order to enhance the healing process in a peaceful environment.

JLG is also currently partnering with the Arkansas Children’s Hospital to provide toys, books, clothes, toiletries and other items for infants and toddlers, as well as their families. ACH NICU Nurse Hutchins commented, “The JLG has been there for the parents, providing things to help make their stay a little better.

I loved the backpacks for the pump supplies for the moms—I thought of Jack every time I saw one! Also, to help with noise control, they financed the Vocera system. The foundation has helped fund the new south wing, which increases our ability to provide quality family-centered care. I know Angie has also been very supportive and visited with some other families who have had children with omphalocele—that means so much to our families because it’s something we, the staff, who haven’t been in their shoes, can’t really do.

The Jackson L. Graves Foundation has worked in conjunction with the medical directors and nurse manager to help where the need is. I love what the foundation has accomplished, plus it helps increase awareness for omphaloceles! Awesome!”

The Jackson L. Graves Foundation would like to invite YOU to help build better beginnings through neonatal care! Please join us at our 10th annual “Red, White and Baby Blue” on June 27, 2014 at The Garden Room in Fayetteville from 7-10PM. It will be a fun night of live music from Christopher Key Cash, delicious foods, festive beverages, silent auction and a chance to win a dinner for six with Razorback legends—including Scotty Thurman, Ken Hatfield, and Quinn Grovey—plus keepsake photographs from NWA Photography!

For more information, please contact Audre Darling at audre@jacksongraves.org or (479) 799-9592.

Kids & Finance

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Money Principles to Teach Your Kids by: Rachel Cruze

When you really boil good money management down to the basics, it’s all about four things: working, giving, saving and spending. That’s it.

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oney doesn’t have to be difficult, so why do we make it that way?

So, when you teach young kids about money, all you really need to do is show them a simple version of what you are (hopefully) doing already.

These are the four principles of money that my parents taught me and that my dad and I write about in our new book, “Smart Money Smart Kids.”

Work Here’s a truth that applies to both adults and children: The most powerful wealth-building tool you have is your income. When you teach your kids the value of work, you set them up to succeed later in life.

What does work look like for an eight-year-old? My parents paid me a commission, not an allowance.

In other words, I got paid to work, not to breathe!

When I completed chores around the house, like feeding the dog, taking out the trash, or helping clean the dishes, then I earned a commission. Use the same approach, and you’ll teach your kids discipline and work ethic.

Give This is what it’s all about. The whole point of building wealth is to change your family’s future and to give like crazy.

Sit down with your kids and let them pick a charity.

Instead of giving them a dollar in the parking lot at church, let them use their own money to tithe.

When it’s their own, they’ll really feel the impact of giving. Then, follow up and show them how the money they gave helped a specific person or organization.

To win with money, you have to make giving a part of your life!

Spend This is the easy one, right? Who doesn’t know how to spend?

Well, that’s exactly the problem. Spending is too easy for most of us. And, unless you teach your kids healthy ways to spend, they’ll fall right into that trap. As soon as they get a $10 bill, they’ll go out and buy something they’ve forgotten about by this time next month.

It’s all about priorities. It’s fine to love spending as long as you teach your kids the importance of the other principles, too.

Save Saving seems so boring, I know. But it’s one of the most important things you can teach your child.

If your son heads off to college without understanding what it really means to save, he’s probably going to graduate with a load of debt—or start digging a debt hole once he starts working.

Start talking to your kids about saving early. Help them see their money as it grows by using a clear jar or piggy bank. Then, once they are old enough, open a basic savings account.

Continue reinforcing these four principles as your kids get older. Don’t just talk about them once and leave it at that.

If you’ll talk about money early and often with your kids, you’ll be amazed by the impact this will have on their lives as they grow into adults.

Rachel Cruze is a seasoned communicator and presenter for helping Americans learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt.

Her first book, “Smart Money Smart Kids,” coauthored by her dad, Dave Ramsey, was released last month. You can follow Rachel at rachelcruze. com, or at facebook.com/rachelramseycruze.

by: Kim Enderle

Being a girl is beautiful, exciting, energizing, connective and... hard. REALLY hard.* *Disclaimer: I’m sure that being a boy is very challenging too, but since I cannot speak from personal experience, I will stick with the above statement for now.

Neverending body image issues, the pursuit of good grades (or being an amazing boss/coworker/freelancer/ employee), making and keeping friendships and fending off bullying--sometimes within those very same friendships--are all very real to girls of all ages.

We have all heard the term “mean girl,” and most of us have seen the movie. Honestly, it’s not too far off from the truth, and the pressure that even friends put on each other to be perfect is suffocating at best. Then there is the whole gender equality aspect. Girls in the past have been expected to either step aside all together (in things like sports, academics or politics), or, if they wanted to be taken seriously, they had to outperform their male counterpart in order to achieve mere equal recognition.

Then, if all of that wasn’t enough, add on the fact that many times a girl’s worst enemy is herself. Where “mean girls” fail, the amount of negative self-talk females engage in with themselves picks it right back up. Personally, growing up, and still today, I was my own worst “mean” girl. It wasn’t necessarily other girls telling me that I wasn’t as pretty as them or as smart as them--it was me comparing myself to them and forcing a sense of inferiority on myself. I was terribly shy. I so wanted to have lots of friends, but making new ones outside of the group I had established was scary. Speaking up in public? Scary. Going anywhere without the comfort of having my mom around?

Scary. You get the picture. I was scary shy.

I have made a point since having a daughter to make sure she never sees me stress in front of a mirror. I have never let her hear me doubt myself, even when I

am thinking it. Even if I am nervous to talk to a group, or even a single person, I make a point to do so, so that she sees that it is okay.

Unfortunately, nature can be a pretty dominant competitor in the ol’ nature vs. nurture debate. I know this firsthand, because, even though I have nurtured Ava to be a confident, social, outgoing little lady, she is a carbon copy of the girl I was at her age.

Even though Ava is one of the most wonderful, smart beautiful 7-year-olds I have ever known (and I am not only saying that because she is mine), she still shies away from the same “scaries” that I shied from. I can encourage her and push her all day long, but when a girl her own age compliments and encourages her it is worth a thousand times more.

A young girl being lifted up by other girls her age is probably one of the most powerful feelings. A nod of approval by a teacher or a parent is wonderful, but a kind word or encouraging hug from a peer is priceless to a young girl, and incredibly validating.

Girls on the Run is an organization that not only understands that philosophy, but puts it into action every day. The program is a life-changing, nonprofit one for girls in grades 3-8. Their mission is “to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.”

One coach at the luncheon told the story of one of his participants who struggled academically, socially, and had even been caught, on more than one occasion, stealing from the teachers classroom. After joining Girls on the Run, her whole outlook seemed to change.

She made the friends she had struggled to find, and even began staying after school to help her teachers in their classroom instead of stealing from them.

Girls on the Run includes three parts: “Understanding ourselves, valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape the

world at large.” Running is used to inspire and motivate girls, encourage good health and fitness habits and build confidence through accomplishment. Working toward and completing a 5K at the end of the season shows firsthand what can happen when you reach for a goal, work hard, and see it through-- a priceless life lesson.

I sat in the luncheon in awe of what the speakers were saying, because they were describing the exact kind of program every parent has searched to find. It is one of those programs where you can send your daughter and be confident knowing that the coaches are working to instill and to reinforce all of those positive qualities that you want to see shine through your child. Most of all, they’ll be in an environment where they are encouraged to be themselves--their best selves.

In the spirit of reaching big goals, I asked Ava to interview the Girls on the Run’s luncheon guest speaker and Olympic athlete Sarah Hendrickson with me. She stressed the entire way there that she was nervous and just wanted me to talk, and she worried through the lunch that she wouldn’t remember what to ask, but when it came time to sit down with Sarah, she did an amazing job... just as I knew she would.

Sarah was a true embodiment of what a positive female role model should be. She was encouraging, inspiring, humble, and kind. Even though she had been running here and there for days and was nearing the end of her time in NWA, she sat down with us, giving Ava her undivided attention. She talked about how she skis because she loves the sport for all that it is, and holds onto that truth when she is pushing herself through the pain of a knee injury or the nerves of a big jump She knows that she is living a dream that she worked very hard for and makes sure to make the most of every experience. At 19 she is wise beyond her years, but still she is still young enough to make my mini-interviewer feel like she was just sitting down with a friend for a chat.

Here are a few fun take aways from Ava’s interview: Sarah’s favorite food is: Tofu.

Her favorite color is: Teal.

Her favorite movie is: Baby Mama.

Her best friend is: her brother.

Her other top sport is: college.

Sarah admitted that she could be stubborn at times because she didn’t always like asking for help, but encouraged Ava to do so. She plans to attend the 2018 Olympics, but then wants to go to college.

Funnily enough, she used to cling to her Mom when she started ski jumping at age 7, but through the encouragement of her coach, her family, and believing in herself, she was able to push through these fears to become the very first female ski jumper in Olympic history.

If you are interested in learning more about Girls on the Run, visit www.gotrnwa.com.

T

rike Theatre, Northwest Arkansas’ own professional theatre for youth, is an innovative arts non-profit that empowers youth to forge deep connections with themselves, their community and the world by seeing, participating in and learning through theatre. Trike Theatre was founded by its executive director, Kassie Misiewicz, in 2008 because

she saw a need for quality youth arts programming in Bentonville. They are a resident theatre company of Walton Arts Center and, to date, Trike has served over 40,000 people throughout the NWA region and Arkansas with: ➢ ➢ ➢

Academy classes, camps & youth theatre Theatre for youth productions Outreach & community partnerships

“We believe in building community. In our academy camps, classes, and youth theatre productions, we create a safe, inclusive space where we all take risks, celebrate our mistakes, and find our artistic voices by deepening and expanding our individual talents,” says Megan James, the education director of Trike.

Trike’s exciting line-up of summer camps are happening in both Bentonville and Fayetteville. In Trike’s fine arts camps, the youngest actors (from four years old to second grade) will explore a unique theme through drama, creative movement and visual art. The young actors’ performance camps aimed at 1st through 4th graders offer aspiring actors the opportunity to work together to develop, rehearse, and perform a play, all in one week. ‘Broadway Blast,’ for young actors from 5th through 12th grade, will create opportunities to sharpen singing, acting, and dancing abilities while working with professional actors at University of Arkansas. In the ‘Young Company: Improv’ camp, students from 3rd through 8th grade will learn to trust their instincts and think on their feet.

Through an exciting partnership with the Amazeum!, students in ‘The Magic School Bus Fine Arts’ camp and ‘Young Company: The Science of Acting’ camp will explore concepts with children museum educators and then discover how those concepts relate to acting.

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experiences that challenge and inspire us and our audiences. In our Theatre for Youth productions, we hire professional actors, designers and directors and select or develop material specifically for our young people,” says Julie Gabel, Production Manager.

Upcoming performances include Cinderella Confidential by Eric Coble. In this offbeat rendition of the classic tale of Cinderella, two investigative reporters compete for the scoop of the century by interviewing storybook characters who have information that may help to solve the mystery… the true identity of the owner of the lone lost glass slipper.

This show is perfect for elementary-aged audiences.

Public performances will be held Saturday, May 10, and Sunday, May 11, at NWACC White Auditorium.

Two exciting youth theatre production camps for students in grades 3rd-12th include The Jungle Book and Suessical Jr. Both production camps will allow cast members the opportunity to work with professional directors and designers, deepen their acting and technical theatre skills, and create a weekend of public performances. Auditions are April 26 and May 3, 2014.

“We believe in courage. Cultivating courage builds empathy and the self-confidence that allows the imagination to flourish. As a professional theatre for youth, we push ourselves toward new artistic

Also happening in May is Here Comes Gosling! by Sandy Asher. This fun, interactive performance is perfect for pre-school aged audiences. It will take place in Trike Theatre’s newly renovated black box theatre just off the Bentonville Square. Public performances run from Friday, May 23 through Sunday, June 8.

Trike will announce their 2014-2015 Theatre for Youth performance line up in June. All ticket information is available at www.triketheatre.org.

“We believe in the creative process. At Trike Theatre, we give everyone permission to play and experiment, encouraging sharing, reflection, imagination, exploration and creating work that is original and of value,” says Jason Suel, Trike’s outreach director.

Through their outreach programs, Trike Theatre’s professional teaching artists partner with community organizations to use theatre as a way of deepening connections to core subjects or skills. Their unique ‘Dramatic Book Club’ and ‘Literacy in Action’ programs incorporate multiple drama strategies to enrich literacy skills for pre-K through 8th grade students. Trike Theatre provides arts integration training to more than 500 teachers a year and collaborates on educational programs with Walton Arts Center, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Amazeum!, University of Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Boys and Girls Club, and Camp War Eagle. Even the adults get a chance to try out what the children are learning through adult improv classes.

In everything that Trike Theatre does, they create ensemble. This is an intentional effort to bring together a group of people, involve everyone in the creative process, nurture their courageous imagination so that they can take risks, learn about themselves and make a difference in their community and their world.

Through Trike Theatre’s unique 360˚ approach to theatre, young people have the opportunity to see, participate in and learn through theatre.

38 May 2014

Mother’s Day Must Haves~

Personalized Platter from Southern Sweetys No gift is more special than one that is made just for that special person. These personalized platters make the best Mother’s Day gifts because they are custom designed just for her! They can, and will, be used over and over again all year long. http://southernsweetys.etsy.com

Mini Masterpiece Collection Each piece is custom-made from your child’s own artwork or handwriting and cast in bronze or silver. A keepsake to cherish forever!

www.HipToBeMe.com

Enter Code MOM2014 in May and receive 10% off your order!

David Adams Fine Jewelry From the Heart to the Hand.... Mother’s Ring

A unique piece of jewelry to commemorate the birth of your child. One ring per child and designed to be stackable, these rings are unique and special--just like the bearer of the name engraved on each.

David Adams Fine Jewelry, Fayetteville / www.davidadams.com 100 West Center Street, Fayetteville

From our hearts to your child’s hands Maternity shirt, nursing cover, infinity scarf, car seat cover: All in one! 15 styles to choose from.

Avery Jane Designs has everything for the momma in your life, specialized and personalized to fit their every need and want. Great gifts for all year long include carseat covers, nursing covers and nursing ponchos, burp cloths, blankets, biscuit quilts, leg blankets, paci-squares, taggies, and more! www.facebook.com/averyjanedesigns

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Unique pieces.. affordable furniture and one-of-a-kind finds.

Every mom loves a special piece to make her house even more a home. Little Darlings children’s store offers great furniture and decorative pieces at affordable prices.

Little Darlings. 401 SW 24th Street. Bentonville.

(479) 464-8492.

I love shopping! What mom doesn’t? My secret is that I have a favorite store in downtown Bentonville that always has fun, stylish trendy pieces. Elysian is a chic yet affordable women’s boutique for stylish women of all ages. From great tops, to pants, to dresses, to shoes, to jewelry, bags, accessories, scarfs... you get the idea.

Perfect stop for your Mother’s Day gift shopping.

Elysian Boutique. 106 SE A St. Suite 4, Bentonville, (479) 464-9261. www.facebook.com/shopelysian

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Earth Day at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR

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Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30P - 7:00P

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12 Baby Bookworms at the Fayetteville Public Library at 9:45AM Toddler Time at the Fayetteville Public Library at 10:30AM Baby

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Downtown Fayetteville Block Party! 11am to Dark

19 Bentonville Public Library 1:30 PM-Dramatic Book Club with Trike Theatre 4:30 PM-Teen Volunteer Summer Training

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Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30P - 7:00P

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Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30P - 7:00P

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Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30P - 7:00P

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

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1 Fayetteville on College and 6th St. Bentonville on Walton Rogers on Walnut and Pleasant Grove

Pinnacle Hills Promenade and the NWA Mall

First Thursday Cinco de Mayo Party on the Fayetteville Square

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Little Sprouts Program at Botanical Garden of the Ozarks at 9:30AM or 10:15AM--”All About the Garden” for preschoolers!

Preschool Storytime at the Fayetteville Public Library at 10:30AM

14 Preschool Art Class Crystal Bridges 1 to 2:15 pm For ages 3 to 5 with an adult. Each session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. $30 ($24 for Members) / 3 classes.

Register online or at Guest Services

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Preschool Art Class Crystal Bridges 1 to 2:15 pm For ages 3 to 5 with an adult. Each session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. $30 ($24 for Members) / 3 classes.

Register online or at Guest Services

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Preschool Art Class Crystal Bridges 1 to 2:15 pm For ages 3 to 5 with an adult. Each session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. $30 ($24 for Members) / 3 classes.

Register online or at Guest Services

Preschool Playdate | Gardens 11:30 am - 2pm Crystal Bridges

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Monthly Preschool Playdates feature performances, art projects, story time, and creative play based on themes from our collection. Activities are geared for children ages 2 to 5 with an adult, beginning with a family-friendly performance in the Great Hall at 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by The Hershey Company and The Original Wet-Nap. Free, no registration required.

Baby Bookworms at the Fayetteville Public Library at 9:45AM

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Arkansas Razorbacks Baseball: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Texas A&M Aggies at 6:35PM at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, AR

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5th Annual National Public Garden Days / Native Tree & Plant Sale Compton Gardens and Conference Center www.peelcompton.org Compton Gardens hosts an annual event, National Public Garden Days, in conjunction with our highly anticipated annual native tree & plant sale.

Rogers’ Best Ever Downtown Shrimp Boil, 5-8PM at the Frisco Stage

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Toddler Time at the Fayetteville Public Library at 10:30AM

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Kids’ Day at the Farmer’s Market in Siloam Springs, AR

Washington Elementary 11th Annual Tour of Homes 12:00pm - 5:00pm Fayetteville, AR melner18@yahoo.com

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Children’s Class Crystal Bridges May 3, 10, and 17, 1 to 2:30 pm - Artists at the Beach Children ages 5 to 12 will learn about the artists in Crystal Bridges’ collection while making art inspired by their work.

Cost includes three consecutive Saturdays. $45 ($36 for Members) / 3 classes.

Register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335

Afterschool Art Class Collage-making Crystal Bridges May 8,15, and 22 4-5:30

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Children ages 5-12 will have fun discovering works of art in the Museum galleries and exploring the world around them through mixed-media with our engaging art instructors! Cost includes three consecutive Thursdays. $45 ($36 for Members) / 3 classes. Register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335

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Here Comes Gosling! Trike Theatre Performance at their Black Box Theatre, 209 NE 2nd St, Bentonville, AR at 10:00AM, General Admission tickets $5 Monster Trucks at the Rodeo of the Ozarks at 6:00PM-6-7PM Free pit party!

PRO Course, NWA Team Throwdown, NWA Fitness & Health Festival Memorial Park in Bentonville nwafitnessandhealth.com

Bringing Home Sylvie by: Jenny Marrs

by: Jenny Marrs

Four years after God first laid adoption on our hearts, our lives were changed forever on Nov. 12, 2012. This was the day we saw our daughter’s face for the first time.

Our daughter was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The statistics of our daughter’s birth country are grim: The DRC is the poorest country in the world and has been repeatedly named the worst country in the world to be a woman, due to the violence against women and oppression of females.

Most heartbreaking of all is the fact that in Congo only about half of all children live until the age of 5.

Excerpt from my blog post in November 2012 — We have fallen in love with our girl through a couple of photographs and a longing to know her. The only way to describe this is to liken it to the feelings of love a pregnant mother has for her unborn child. She doesn’t know this child’s personality or temperament or what he or she will feel like in her arms. Yet, she knows that she loves this child with every fiber of her being. She anticipates the child’s arrival into the world by preparing the nursery and daydreaming about her baby. She frames ultrasound photos and prays for her child’s health. This is where we are now. We have a framed photo of our girl and it’s not an ultrasound. It’s a photograph of her perfect face and big, sad eyes and it is framed and hung on our wall. We pray for her when we wake in the morning and in whispers and pleas throughout the day. We pray for her at

48 May 2014

mealtimes, fervently pleading that she is being fed.

We pray for her as we cuddle our boys at night, beseeching our God to ensure that she is being held and comforted when she cries. We pray for her as we lay our heads on our pillows at night, asking that she is safe as she sleeps.

Our 9-month-old daughter was living in an orphanage with no funding and extremely limited resources. Nearly 40 children slept together on tile floors in the dark of night, as the orphanage was without electricity. They drank unfiltered water. They played in the dirt courtyard with no shoes and were fortunate when fed one meal a day. No toys were present in this place. Caretakers were scarce, and no adults stayed overnight with the children.

We spent many days and nights on our knees praying for her safety and her health. We ached knowing that she was living in these conditions and was often very ill. Over the next several months, she contracted malaria, typhoid fever and giardia repeatedly.

Thankfully, we were able to move her from the orphanage into foster care in June of 2013 to live with a Congolese physician. This was an answered prayer and an immense blessing for our family.

This past August, we finally passed court and were able to meet our daughter for the first time. We also were able to visit two orphanages, including the orphanage where she had spent the majority of her young life, to deliver aid — water tanks for water storage, food deliveries for a month, mattresses for the children sleeping on dirt or concrete floors.

We were able to bring donations that totaled over $14,000. We were in awe as we watched God provide for these children through gifts from friends, family and many strangers. It was incredible to watch the body of Christ move in response to the need of 100 children half a world away.

Excerpt from a blog post in August 2013 — It really happened. I am still pinching myself. I held my daughter. I kissed her sweet cheeks. I laughed with her. I rocked her to sleep. I looked into her eyes. I told her how much I love her. I prayed over her. I received a small glimpse into her sweet, feisty, affectionate, adorable personality.

I really don’t know how to accurately describe the despair and emptiness and gripping desperation we saw and experienced that Tuesday afternoon in a small orphanage in Kinshasa. As we drove through the dirt streets covered in garbage and waste and inhaled the fumes of diesel and charcoal and thick smog in the air, I strived to take a mental image of the scenes as we drove past [I so badly wanted to take a photo but knew it was illegal, so my mental images would be all I had to carry home with me]. I attempted to force to memory the image of the little boy running through the dirt with his handmade stick car being pulled by a tattered twine rope. I

observed the women balancing heavy buckets on their heads while they carried young children on their backs. I tried to absorb the sights and sounds and smells and commit them to memory.

As we inched closer to the orphanage, her orphanage, I knew that we were passing the streets where our daughter spent her first months on this earth. My heart ached as I gazed out the window of our van. I had to remind myself to breathe, as I sat in disbelief watching this world, her world, pass by. It was truly unlike anything I had seen or experienced before. Knowing that our precious girl had lived here in this place left me numb.

Our arrival at the orphanage was met with shrieks of joy and sweet, quiet voices whispering “Thank you!” in an effort to express gratitude in our own language.

I tried to look into each set of eyes as they came up for hugs. I wanted to just hold them all tightly and tell them they are dearly loved by our Father in Heaven. I wished I could sweep them away from this place and show them that the world outside of those gates can be bright and vibrant and beautiful.

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The creation of this program was a blessing and a joy as we continued to wait for our daughter’s homecoming.

In September of 2013, we received the heartwrenching news that the DRC government announced a suspension of exit permits for adopted children. This is the last letter we needed for our daughter to leave the country. Even though she is legally our child and holds a United States VISA, she is stuck in the Congo indefinitely. We are unable to leave the country with her.

Bringing Home Sylvie Excerpt from a blog post in August 2013 — Their eyes each told a story. A story of loss and despair. Each set of eyes reflected a haunted little soul beneath. I will never, ever forget these children.

They are etched in my heart always. The way they eagerly reached out to touch our arms and legs, craving affection. The gratitude they felt for small things that I would normally take for granted. A soft mattress to sleep on at night, a cold drink, a small toy. Small, simple things.

These children. They are living in conditions that are literally worse than anything we would allow animals to live in here in the U.S. Yet, they are so sweet and kind. They look out for one another. The older kids take care of the younger ones. They laugh and smile. A flicker of hope still shines.

Dave played soccer with the boys with the small ball we brought, while I just sat and held children. They piled on my lap and played with the hair on my arms, thinking it was so funny. It was so hard to sit there with these precious, innocent children in my arms knowing that this was a special luxury for them.

They do not have anyone to hold them when they are sick or scared at night in the darkness. For this one day, I was able to give them the gift of a momma’s arms to hold them tightly. If only for a brief moment, I was given the awesome privilege of showing them that they are special and loved.

Since that first visit, we have been able to work with two organizations, Mwangaza International and Linked Through Love Foundation, to establish a long-term feeding program for this small, rural orphanage. Together, we created the program Feed Their Tummies in order to supply daily meals for these children. We also hope to obtain resources that will allow us provide medical care and an education for the children living there.

This past February, my husband was able to visit again to hold our daughter and deliver resources for Feed Their Tummies.

Excerpt from a blog post in February 2014 — He held her, he laughed with her, he showered her in love and prayers and he had to say goodbye to her once again. This was the hardest thing he has ever had to do. I’m not trying to be overly-dramatic ... leaving the child that has been knit into your heart, a child that you love passionately and fiercely, a child that needs her momma and daddy desperately, a child that is sick... it is the most helpless, hopeless, defeating, rip-your-heart-out-and-stomp-on-it, painful experience we have ever had to endure.

And, my strong, tender, loving husband has had to do it twice.

He was able to remind her that we are still here, fighting and waiting and praying every moment of every day for her. And to remind her that she is worth every ounce of energy expelled calling, emailing, letter writing and begging anyone/everyone we can think of for help; she is worth every tear; she is worth all of this heartache; she is our daughter and we will never give up fighting to get her home.

When we first accepted our daughter’s referral, we were told to expect six months before we could bring her home. It has now been 18 months, and we continue to wait. We continue to watch her grow in photos. We continue to pray for a miracle.

You can help us bring awareness and much-needed action to our case and to those of hundreds of other families who are in exactly the same position. We are working with the national advocacy campaign Both Ends Burning, run by Kelly Ensslin, to resolve this crisis. We have started a petition that has generated more than 108,000 letters and emails to Congress in less than one week.

You can sign the petition asking for the release of our children at: www.petition2congress.com/14960/ please-help-resolve-pending-adoptions-fromdemocratic-republic-co/?m=5272303.

You can also partner with us in Feeding Their Tummies each month here: www.purecharity.com/ feed-their-tummies.

Meet them where they are:

by Hollie Weber

Counseling Approaches For Teens and Kids

ost children and adolescents communicate differently than adults, making the Experiential Model an ideal way to allow young people to express themselves.

Children can use all of the senses to face the unsolved emotions that they experience, as they are unable developmentally to participate in therapy with full understanding. Teenagers, on the other hand, can participate in purely cogniitve dialogue with a therapist and have excellent results.

playroom, creating their own “facts.” Often, children are told what do from the time they rise until they lie down for bed. In play therapy, the child has the ability to decide. This is not only empowering, but also helps build positive rapport with the therapist. Young children are developmentally unable, in a majority of cases, to verbally process and find insight for therapy. Play therapy allows the child to grow and heal because there is a safe environment without an agenda for the child to follow.

Play motivates children to learn, and therefore, it is only natural to teach them in the way they will learn the The Association for Play Therapy defines play therapy best. Many parents want their children and adolescents as “the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish to be able to resolve the problem on parental terms. an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists If the child or teenager does this on their own time, use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients however, it will increase self-confidence and prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and competence. Remember that this process achieve optimal growth and development.” is flexible, because every child and “You can discover Play is important for physical, motor, therapist is different. Be patient and let more about a person in social, emotional, and even intellectual the therapeutic process evolve, though an hour of play than in a development, and is a natural way it can be expensive and frequently gets year of conversation.” that children can express themselves. worse before it gets better.

-Plato Experiential therapy allows the healing (Greek philosopher 427–347 BC) nature of play a chance to happen.

As far as teenagers go, they are completely able to communicate their issues verbally Therapy has far less to do with the actual facts with therapists. They just need a safe than the interactive process (communication environment. Solution-Focused Therapy seems and behavior), interpersonal relationships, and your the ideal model for teenagers who will be permitted to feelings about all these. Starting with play therapy allows talk as much as they need to in order to process thoroughly. the child time to have control of his/her time in the Oftentimes, teens feel neglected or voiceless, unable to express themselves. Language , then, can overpower play for adolescents. Anyone who has worked with adolescents, perhaps if even only for a day, will know that adolescents know what they want. Solution-Focused Therapy provides just the right outlet for this type of dialogue. The SolutionFocused therapist helps adolescents find their own solutions by using solution talk, as one of many solutionfocused techniques.

Whether it is in a counseling office or at home, engaging your children in play allows them to express themselves at a level that is most natural to them. This helps facilitate a deeper bond between parent and child because it allows the child to see that you, as a parent, are willing to engage with them in ways more easily comprehended by them.

Hollie Weber is a therapist at the Center for Psychology and Counseling and is currently accepting new clients.

(479) 444.1400 see ad next page..

“ Amelia the Amazing We found her to be both the most miraculous and scariest thing.

Shelbi.

Amelia, and holas, Erica, ic N . ily m fa Curry Pictured: The

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onday, April 29, 2013, started out like any other day. I had just started my third trimester in my pregnancy and my husband, Nick, and I had already named the little girl I was carrying: Amelia. We were happily anticipating her arrival in July and could not wait to meet her.

Nick and I had just finished our work day, and had made plans to go fishing that evening. However, I felt more tired than usual, so I gave Nick my blessing to go fishing without me. Nick had been gone for about an hour when he called to check on me and said that he would be leaving his phone in his truck while he was out on the water.

Not long after that phone call with Nick, I began to feel unwell. I felt bad enough that I called my boss to ask her opinion. She said that I should go to the emergency room just in case. I drove myself to the hospital, and as soon as I walked into the emergency room, I began to cry. I instinctively knew that something was not right.

The triage nurse quickly applied the fetal monitor and blood pressure cuff. The monitors indicated that my blood pressure was very high and that I was having contractions. I could not believe what was happening.

I have always considered myself a very healthy and active person, and I certainly did not expect to find myself in this situation. I was 28 weeks pregnant and had a basically textbook pregnancy up to that point.

Dr. Gorman was the obstetrician on call that night.

After a brief period of monitoring me and Amelia, Dr. Gorman felt it was best that I stayed overnight for observation. In the meantime, the triage nurses had left Nick many voicemails on his cell phone informing him of the situation. Nick was so apologetic that he had not gotten to his cell phone earlier.

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As a registered nurse in the operating room at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital, I had seen situations like this many times, but I never thought I would be on the patient side of it. Nick made it to the emergency room, and I assured him that everything was fine and that I probably just needed some rest. It was not long after I was admitted to the labor and delivery unit that Dr. Gorman came in my room and sat next to me by the bed. I do not remember much from this period of time, as I had been medicated for my blood pressure and contractions. Dr. Gorman was intently watching the fetal monitor and my blood pressure. Nick said later that he could tell by the look on Dr. Gorman’s face that something was very wrong. It was then that Dr. Gorman told us bluntly, “We are going to have to deliver now.”

The next thing I knew, I was being rushed back to the OR for an emergency cesarean section. I felt as if I were in a state of suspended disbelief. I could not believe that where I was once the nurse, now I was the patient. I ended having to go to sleep for the delivery and, because of that, Nick could not come back to the OR for Amelia’s birth. He waited anxiously outside the OR doors alone for 45 minutes before he heard any information on how Amelia and I were doing. He thought he had heard a tiny little cry, but he wasn’t sure if it was Amelia or not.

When I awoke from surgery, I found myself surrounded by many of my co-workers and Nick. They

www.northwesthealth.com

were all in tears as Nick told me that our Amelia was born at 10:58PM and that she was a petite one pound, eight ounces. Amelia was currently breathing on her own and was doing well, considering her situation.

Nick told me that Amelia was strong and a fighter. He was right.

Amelia’s neonatologist told us to expect what he called a “rollercoaster ride” of a stay in the NICU. He was not joking. Amelia required CPAP for only the first five days of her life, but, at 4:00AM on the sixth day, she had to be intubated. Her abdomen had begun to swell, and it was important that she rest from breathing on her own. It broke our heart, as they could not give her any medication to help her relax while intubated because the medication could impede her bowels from healing due to her oxygenation deprivation prior to her birth.

Watching Amelia struggle and fight so hard was the most difficult time of my life. The rollercoaster ride kept on. Each day brought victories and setbacks.

Amelia had her breathing tube removed, but then the NICU staff had to place another PICC line in addition to all the other lines she already had. Watching Amelia get stuck repeatedly by needles and IVs made Nick and me feel so helpless. Amelia could not understand what or why this was happening to her, although we knew. It was painful to watch and we eagerly waited for the day she could come home.

Eventually, Amelia became a “feeder-grower,” and on Friday, July 12, 2013, just five days before her original due date, our Amelia got to come home. It was the best day ever. At four-and-a-half pounds, we really did not know what to do with her once we got her settled in at home. It felt awkward to hold her and to breast feed her with my tall, five-foot-ten-inch frame. We found her to be both the most miraculous and scariest thing.

Every day, we worried constantly about her heart rate and breathing while we slept at night.

Once we had time to breathe, Nick and I reflected on how fortunate we were to have Amelia at Willow Creek NICU. The staff and physicians explained everything to Nick and me, often over and over again until we could process it. They understood our anxieties and concerns and went the extra mile to make us feel that we could handle taking care of Amelia on our own. It has been a long and arduous journey, but now Amelia is the happiest baby you will ever meet. Each day, she continues to impress us on a daily basis.

Nick and I wish a heartfelt thank you to all the staff at Willow Creek. Every nurse and doctor that took care of us, from the time I entered the emergency room until the day we took Amelia home, will always have a special place in our heart. It is because of them that we get to see our “Amelia the Amazing” grow into the healthy, happy baby she is today.

Everlynn Faith

B

ecoming a mom for the first time in 2007 was the best experience! I knew that this was the pinnacle of life for me… nothing else would bring me more joy or more of a sense of accomplishment than raising children. Our firstborn, Terry III, was born October 15, 2007, after an easy pregnancy, and, even though he was five weeks early, he was healthy and strong. My husband, Terry Jr., and I were thrilled two-and-a-half years later when God gave us a baby girl, Madelynn.

When I went into labor with her six weeks early, I was not too concerned because my first had been born premature, yet without any complications.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with Madelynn.

She spent 15 days in the NICU while we waited on her little lungs to finish developing. However, since we brought her home in May 2010, she has grown beautiful and healthy.

After our experience with Madelynn, Terry felt our family to be complete, the perfect family with one boy and one girl, but my heart was longing and aching for one more child! For over a year, I prayed, asking God if it was His will to give us another baby. Over the course of that year, He confirmed in my heart there was to be another little Ciganek. However, the journey for Baby #3 would not be as easy as it was for the first two!

For several months I would bring it up to Terry, but he was not on board. He had reservations because my chances were high for another premature baby, and his job as a teacher and coach required so much time away from home. He is a tremendous father, making the most of the time he spends with the kids, but struggles with the balance of coaching and being a daddy-- the thought of one more child only added to that struggle.

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Story by: Noëlle Ciganek Photo by: Bedford

After several months of trying to convince him, he realized my desire was not going away, only growing, so he agreed to give it a try. We were blessed the first two times around to get pregnant almost immediately, so we were both a little surprised and disappointed that a third pregnancy was not happening as quickly.

Finally, we found out we were pregnant in December 2012. Without hesitation we made the announcement at Christmas to our family and a few friends. Both of us were really excited, nd it was fun to see the excitement in our two children over a new baby brother or sister!

On December 29, just two weeks after finding out we were pregnant, we lost that baby. I was more confused than anything else. Here, we had finally gotten pregnant with another baby, as I believed God had confirmed in my heart was to happen, but then we to had it taken away in such a short time! I couldn’t pull away from Psalm 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” My heart was sick with a longing unfulfilled, so I asked God to please give me a sense of completion with our family of four if He didn’t intend to give us any more children.

During the weeks that followed, neither of us brought up if we would try again for a third. I knew it would be even harder for Terry to agree to it this time after now having experienced such a loss. But, God has a way of making things happen in His will and way!

Just six weeks later, on February 11, 2013, I took a pregnancy test. To our shock and surprise, we were pregnant again! After the second round of blood tests, I was called in on Valentine’s Day for an emergency ultrasound because my numbers did not look good.

After the ultrasound, the doctor could only give me a 50/50 chance this pregnancy would continue. He

agreed that only prayer would keep it going. I was to go back for another ultrasound in three weeks.

I left the office paralyzed with fear, thinking of how we just couldn’t go through another miscarriage, let alone only six weeks after our first. As I cried out to God in the car, I heard Him say to my heart, “Pray and believe!” I also felt the need to share our situation with others, inviting them to join in on the miraculous work God was beginning inside me. So, I shared with my Bible study group and the ladies I work with at our church via our email prayer list, which, between the two, consisted of more than 60 people, plus family and others who would be praying for God to grow and breathe life into this baby between now and the ultrasound. Within 24 hours I went from feeling the grip of fear to the overwhelming peace of Jesus as sweet prayers of intercession were lifted up to the Father on our behalf!

My first two pregnancies were easy with very little sickness during the first trimester, with only mild Braxton Hicks contractions throughout. However, this time I was sick 24 hours a day through week 13, and having two children to take care of already required me to keep going. I thought I was in the clear during my second trimester, feeling really good and doing what needed to be done.

The doctor had warned me to rest as much as possible to prevent another preterm delivery, but, by week 29, if I wasn’t lying down, I was having contractions.

Once again we called on our prayer warriors to pray that God would keep this baby inside of me til full term. God showed His goodness and provision for our family once again, as I hardly had to cook or clean from that point on! He sent several sweet angels to help me take care of my family while I “worked hard resting” to keep this baby in!

“... my heart was longing and aching for one more child! For over a year, I prayed asking God if it was His will to give us another baby... He confirmed in my heart there was to be another little Ciganek.”

And, once again, our prayers were heard! I made my first ever 36-week appointment, though my doctor wasn’t convinced that I would make it to my scheduled c-section on October 11. Sure enough, Everlynn Faith came on October 1, 2013, at 37 weeks, but nonetheless, she was full term! I couldn’t believe it when I found out she weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces--two and three pounds bigger than my previous two, respectively!

We went to the doctor’s office on March 6 with such a peace that we would see a baby on the ultrasound …and we did! A beautiful heartbeat and the tiny beginnings of what would be our little girl! I was humbled by all those God had brought along to pray with us for this baby and then get to rejoice with us in answered prayer! Everything looked healthy and we began the normal routine for a pregnancy.

While it had taken us some time to pick a first name, we knew her middle name would be Faith, for it had been faith that had brought her into existence. From the faith I had that God would grow our family one more time, to the faith it took to grow her body at the beginning, to the faith and rest required to keep her in full term, she is a living testimony. Every day she is a reminder to me and our family of God’s goodness and mercy and the love He desires to show us and the abundant life He alone can give!

O

zark Natural Science Center has decided to flip the gala script This year’s event is unique in two ways: It’s this year, with its “Call of the Wild” event centered around carbon neutral, which means that every resource that is used for the event is paid families instead of just adults on June 7, 2014. back through the use of carbon points.

While “family focused” may sound exclusive, this event is The other exciting thing about Call of the definitely not “just for kids.” With live music by Shannon Wurst, Wild 2014 is that all net proceeds will go an array of grown-up hors d’oeuvres and beverages, plus a live to fund scholarships for students to attend auction filled with unique experiences and artwork, adults will ONSC’s flagship fifth grade program. This program integrates Arkansas Department have just as much fun as the kids. of Education new science curriculum and As for the kids, the Wild Bunch activity area features live animal is an overnight learning experience for appearances, including indigenous birds, reptiles and “creek many students in Northwest Arkansas and critters.” It also offers engaging activities like flower pounding beyond. and terrarium building. Kids--and adults, too--will have the opportunity to pick up some exciting knowledge about the Ozark Please visit ONSC at www.onsc.us/gala. natural environment while they have fun at several activity php or call 479-789-2754 for more info! stations. Additionally, campfire songs and s’mores toasting are on the schedule.

The location for the event was cleverly planned. 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville offers a unique atmosphere, along with a large courtyard where the Wild Bunch can play. Family members can have fun both together and separately at different activities.

ONSC’s very knowledgeable staff of teacher-naturalists, along with the Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists, will educate as well as entertain during this exciting event.

When kids walk in the door, they’ll get a “passport” and a trail map. The map shows where kids can find all the cool exhibits at the event (see the current list of exhibits at right.) Wild Bunch kids will discover many surprises as they make their way along the route.

Beer, wine and a signature “Something Wild” drink will be served along with hors d’oeuvres, and families are encouraged to take advantage of local taxi services in order to have a safe, fun event.

Abundant Transportation has partnered with the organization to give a 25% discount to families who use their taxi service for Call of the Wild. A special signature smoothie drink will also be available for the kids.

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64 May 2014

Blogging for Beginners

By Stephanie McCratic

www.EvolvedMommy.com

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hen I started EvolvedMommy.com in 2008, it was a creative outlet for all of my city-girl-stuck-in-a-small-town angst (and please don’t read those early posts).

Quickly, though, it turned into the most efficient way for me to explain to the other playgroup mamas how to update their iPhone or justify the purchase of an iPad. Never did I ever guess that it would lead to a wildly energizing career in the evolving tech industry, starting at Country Outfitter and then moving to a vice president role in the dead-sexy venture capital world.

Now, I spend my days helping businesses scale quickly and efficiently using digital and social marketing...

And it’s all because of my blog.

My experience is unique to me, and if you ask another blogger about her journey, you’ll hear something just as fascinating, but utterly distinctive to her.

Blogging is an adventure that leads to personal growth, new relationships and opportunities.

So, how do you get started?

First, know your goal. It’s okay if your goals change over time (they will), but, when setting up your blog, you can save a lot of work later if you get really honest with yourself on the front end.

There are two basic types of blogs: personal journal or publication.

A personal journal blog is one that is essentially a digital form of scrapbooking. This blog is for you and your family to read. You aren’t secretly hoping to build a loyal readership of thousands of adoring fans.

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Alternatively, a publication blog can fall into one of many niches and is intended for mass (more than your mom) readership. Some common niches are lifestyle, fashion, food, interior design, tech, parenting, review, coupon, travel, regional and hobby. Most blogs fall into the lifestyle niche and comprise a curated collection of stories, recipes, fashion inspiration and favorite books from the blogger. My blog is a tech blog for women, composed mostly of tech tips and trends, but mixed with a little nonsense here and there.

Free personal journal blog: PROS • It’s free!

• Easy setup: This one is the easiest because you can use Wordpress.com (see below for more about big Wordpress or Wordpress.org) or Blogger.com.

Setup can take less than 10 minutes and you’re off to the races.

• Easy to post: You aren’t maintaining a site. Just write your post and add photos. No messing with widgets, plugins or hosting.

CONS • Long URL: Instead of EvolvedMommy.com my URL would be EvolvedMommy.blogspot.com • No ad revenue: If you think your content, influence and platform might be a valuable resource for advertisers and sponsors, move to the next option because you cannot advertise here.

• Difficult to move to self-hosted later • Less customization

Self-hosted publication blog: If you’re goal is to attract and connect with people

other than your mom, you are probably thinking about a publication blog.

Would you like to someday make money from your blog? Then you are a publication and you need to set up a self-hosted blog.

PROS • Complete control: Buy a logo, select a theme (I like ThemeForest.com) and make it uniquely yours. PRO TIP: Do not use a free theme because most of those have dirty code hidden in them for malicious purposes.

• Income and opportunities: Once you have a good bit of content up and have found your community online, you will start to receive sponsorship and advertising pitches. There’s too much about that to go into now, but just know that in reality only 7 percent of bloggers make money. It’s not the windfall it appears to be, but, if you are smart about it you can make good money.

CONS • Not free: You’ll need to buy a domain, pay for hosting, buy a logo and theme, and occasionally pay for tech help. Annually, most bloggers spend $50 to $150 taking care of their blogs.

•

Complicated setup: First, go to Name.com or GoDaddy.com and buy a domain name (stick to the .coms, not the .biz, .us or .anything else). If you don’t see what you want, keep looking. Try to keep your domain under five syllables when said aloud, and make it easy to remember and relevant to you. Once you have your URL, head over to Wordpress.org (NOT .com—they are different) and follow the instructions. This can get tricky, so you may need to bribe your favorite family tech-y with beer, pizza or actual money to help you.

Ultimately, it’s all about the content and connections.

Whether you just want your family to know about your trip to Disney or you have a rare perspective on the art of knitting as therapy, your words are exclusively yours.

When you start a blog, commit to trusting your voice and thoughts. Then let those escape through your fingertips.

Blogging is my passion, so please, do not ever hesitate to reach out and ask questions. Twitter is the quickest and easiest place to do this. I’m @evolvedmommy, and no question is too basic nor advanced. Let me help you. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll help you find it.

Summer Camps!

68 May 2014

Vintage Vintage Market Days of Northwest Arkansas

by: Marisa Lytle

‘Vintage Hippie’ is a new and exciting event coming May 23-25.

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intage Market Days offers a unique shopping experience, bringing vendors of upscale vintage-inspired products together with shoppers who have a passion for all things vintage.

Products available for sale will include original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, seasonal plantings and more – all with a vintage flair.

While VMD is a new event for Northwest Arkansas, it’s a well-established event for other regions. Up until now, all markets have been held throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri. The new Arkansas event will take place May 23-25, and will showcase nearly 100 eclectic vendors from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Arizona and Illinois. Tammy Edwards, owner of VMD Northwest Arkansas, said that she is very excited to bring the show to Arkansas and that she anticipates a large crowd. Other VMD events usually generate an attendance of 6,000 to 8,000 over three days.

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“VMD has an incredible character and charm, which really helps set the tone for what our event is all about,” Edwards said. “Our theme for [the NWA show] is ‘Vintage Hippie.’ From the moment a customer parks their car to the moment they leave with all their newfound treasures, we want our customers to feel like they were a part of something special.”

Vintage Market Days is a family event for men, women and children of all ages. Attendees should be ready to shop, shop, shop--and enjoy some good food, too! Vendors include Mama’s Sweet Tea, which serves rotisserie chicken salad on a croissant and homemade cakes and pies; Sweet Daddy Corn; Mama Carmen’s, famous first for coffee, and then salads and muffins; a concession stand managed by the livestock judging team, and more.

There will also be a vintage fashion show at midday on Saturday sponsored by Vintage Violet in Fayetteville.

The venue for the NWA event is the Pauline Whittaker Animal Science Center. Built in 1998, the Whittaker arena is the largest free-span wood truss building in Arkansas. It is located one mile north of the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. While the recently-built building itself is far from being vintage, the beauty of the natural wood ceiling combined with the enormous 10,000 square-foot arena makes it the perfect venue for Vintage Market Days.

VMD was started by two Oklahoma Christian women with a little dream to bring a vintage event to the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. Their love for working with people and making old things new again came together to create something truly special. Vintage Market Days began in 2012 as an indoor/outdoor Paris flea market-style event. As of February 2014, there are events scheduled in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Ft. Worth, DallasMcKinney, Northwest Arkansas and Wichita, KS. Each event is run by individual business owners.

The Northwest Arkansas region is owned by Edwards and her daughter Megan, who have a lengthy and successful entrepreneurial history. They started as a loyal VMD vendor (Vintage Styled Photography) and, over time, became interested in the VMD

opportunity. You can see their current work at www.

PhotographicMemoriesbyTammy.com.

The following local partners are sponsoring Vintage Market Days of Northwest Arkansas: Vintage Glam and Junque, Rockwell Farms Nursery, Back In The Day Antiques & Flea Market, Vintage Violet, Saving Grace and Feed Fayetteville. Other local partners include Clear Channel Billboards, KNWA-TV, KIX104 Radio, Variety 106.5 Radio and the Arkansas Antiques Publication for event promotions.

Tickets are available in advance online or at VMD’s local sponsor locations— Vintage Glam and Junque in Rogers and Back In The Day Antiques and Flea Market in Lincoln. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. Admission is $10 on Friday for the early event, which gets you in all weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, admission is $5.

Vintage Market Days Northwest Arkansas is open 1-8 p.m. Friday, May 23; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 24; and 12-4 p.m. Sunday, May 25 at Whitaker Arena, located at 1335 West Knapp in Fayetteville.

For more information, visit http://nwarkansas. vintagemarketdays.com, call 918-671-9712, or email nwarkansas@vintagemarketdays.com.

Dad’s View by: Ben Lacy

“why are we here? ” The following article is an update of a story written for Sports Illustrated by Rick Reilly in 1999. It is one of my favorite articles from one of my favorite writers, but it needed to be updated and NWA’d a bit.

going 80 mph on I-540 in a nice rented convertible.

We’re here to fake out the family dog with a treat for the millionth time. We’re here to win that Xbox at Fast Lane or go broke trying.

e were sitting on the fountain at the Bentonville Square having just finished the double steak burger with fries at the Station and, therefore, temporarily immobilized, when my son asked me, “Dad, why are we here?”

I don’t think the meaning of life is biting our nails worrying about what comes after, but instead enjoying all the awesome moments that come before it. We’re here to be the coach when the 12th man on a 10-man team swishes the free throw to win the game. We’re here when our kid goes 3-for-4 with 4 RBI... And especially when he doesn’t.

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Well, you know, I’ve thought a lot about that question, son, and I don’t think it’s really that difficult. I think we’re here to teach kids how to bunt, turn two and spit sunflower seeds like a sniper.

We’re here to pound the bejesus out of the steering wheel and scream as we listen to the game on the radio, 20 minutes after we’ve pulled into the garage.

We’re here to look all over the green, and especially in the sand-trap, before finally finding our ball snuggled in the bottom of the cup.

We’re here to watch, at least once, as the pocket folds around Manning and its fourth-and-the-Atlantic Ocean, or, as Mo gets the count to 0 and 2 on some poor utility infielder who wishes he had gone to medical school, or, a hole you couldn’t get a feather through opens up in front of Jimmy Johnson with two laps to go.

We’re here to wear our favorite sweat-stained Naturals hat and ripped-up sweats on Saturday morning with nowhere to go and nothing to do and nowhere to be.

We’re here to somehow come back from $100 down in Siloam and wipe that smug smile off the dealer’s face.

We’re here to get in at least one good brawl, catch a nice thick black eye and end up having a beer with the guy who landed the punch.

We’re here to tag the 412 exit sign with an apple while

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We’re here to watch Tiger lurking around the course looking for another kill and not need his autograph to prove it. We’re here to teach kids how to do a gainer, or to get the Frisbee to do things that could get us burned at the stake.

I don’t think we’re here to make ESPN’s SportsCenter.

The really good stuff never does, like heading to Dickson after the game with half of Section 508, or finding ourselves on a lonely Sunday afternoon at Devil’s Den with a full tank and a friend’s Jeep.

None of us are going to find ourselves on our deathbeds saying “Man, I wish I would have gotten one more order from Walmart.” We’re going to say “Dude, see this scar? I got that taking out the catcher in tee-ball!”

See, grown-ups spend so much time slaving away toward a better car or bigger house--that day when they are finally happy--and happy just walked by with a Superman cape and flippers on. We’re not here to find a way to heaven. The way is heaven. Does that answer your question, son?

And he said, “Not really, Dad.” And I said, “No?” And he said, “No, what I meant is, why are we here when Mom said to pick her up 40 minutes ago?”

For the ScrapBook

Spring 2014 has been filled with fabulous evenings of dining, dancing, shopping and fun -- all for good causes.

--AMAZEUM! GROUNDBREAKING-Groundbreaking festivities were held last month for the new 44,500-square-foot Amazeum! family discovery center and museum, the first of its kind in Northwest Arkansas.

Site preparation has begun. In just a few weeks, concrete will be poured, and this month the initial steel walls of the building will begin going up. The goal is to open the doors to the new Amazeum! in the second half of 2015.

The Amazeum will feature interactive space that will bring learning to life. Children and adults of all ages will be able to satisfy their curiosity and discover new things through hands-on activities and exhibits. Exhibitions like the tinkering studio, a climbable tree canopy and indoor caves will allow visitors to explore on their own terms and with their own imagination.

Giving a taste of what is to come when museum doors open, the Amazeum! broke ground in its own unique way, using lightning bolts from its logo in place of traditional shovels and concluding the ceremony with a fun, science-based performance. Afterwards, attendees were invited to get up close to learn the chemistry behind the choreographed diet soda and Mentos explosions.

--Art Experience 2014: “Butterflies and Poppies”--

Last month, families and friends of Walnut Farm Montessori got the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind art. The evening started with a buzz and ended with a bang. Attendees bid the night away on exciting auction packages, successfully raising funds to support Walnut Farm Montessori School. Emcee Brad Reed, anchor and executive producer of Fox News Edge, really set the fun tone of the evening. Guests enjoyed delicious food by Main Event Catering, refreshing cocktails and dancing to the band “Got It Covered.”

Walnut Farm Montessori, located off Central in Bentonville, is the first and only accredited school in the state of Arkansas.

76 May 2014

Arkansas Missions of Mercy

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Have you had your teeth checked lately

by Marisa Lytle

This month, anyone in Northwest Arkansas who needs free dental care will have the opportunity to receive it at the eighth annual Arkansas Mission of Mercy (ArMOM) event to be held in Springdale.

ArMOM is an annual two-day free dental clinic sponsored by the Arkansas State Dental Association for under-served Arkansans. All services are provided free of charge by members of the Arkansas State Dental Association, assisted by a host of volunteers.

ArMOM provides dental care for the relief of pain to under-served Arkansans, many of whom are from working families who do not have access to or cannot afford dental insurance.

While dentists in Arkansas regularly provide charitable work, ArMOM is an organized effort to make a larger footprint addressing the cause of dental pain.

Benefits to attendees may include dental pain relief, restorative and preventive dental services. Treaments may include diagnosing oral health needs, and, when appropriate, providing extractions, fillings, cleanings, fluoride application and other dental services similar to what one would find in a dental office setting. Also, exams may include diagnosis of medical symptoms through triage and treating high blood pressure, diabetes and other symptoms and diseases. Any antibiotics and pain medications distributed are free of charge.

Drew Ramey, assistant executive director of the Arkansas State Dental Association, explained what he finds special about the Arkansas Mission of Mercy event.

“Oral health needs are in every area of the state,” he said. “Citizens in the area, from across Arkansas and from other surrounding states will travel to great lengths to receive treatment. And most all of the attendees are very thankful to receive the help from those willing to give.”

Up to 1,000 volunteers will be involved with the ArMOM event, including approximately 150 dentists, along with hygienists, assistants, pharmacists, nurses, on-site physicians and lay volunteers. ArMOM expects up to 2,400 patients to be seen at the Springdale event.

The event is held once annually in one of five state locations: Springdale, Little Rock, Jonesboro, Monticello and Arkadelphia. The Springdale event is being financed by major grants from the Walmart Foundation and Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation.

In addition, financial and in-kind support comes from various other sponsors and donors.

In the past seven years since ArMOM’s inception, more than 12,000 patients have been seen, and $6.075 million in services have been provided free of charge to attendees.

The Arkansas Mission of Mercy event will be held Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale. The doors open at 6:00 a.m. and will end in the afternoon. There are no appointments, and patients will be seen on a first come, first served basis.

• Dental exams are completely free of charge, and no insurance is necessary.

• All children under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

• Spanish translators will be available.

• Each patient will undergo a simple medical exam prior to treatment. Some things that could prevent a person from being treated are having a fever at the time of treatment, uncontrollable or abnormally high blood pressure, or excessive bleeding in the past.

• Patients should bring a list of current medications, baby supplies for a full day and books/magazines for the wait time.

Girls W

hen the sun finally sets and the moon takes its place, a calm fills the house, and it’s finally time to tuck the kids in for bed. This is the time when all the craziness of the day and the hustle and bustle and competing for attention comes to a halt. This is when the brain takes a back seat and lets the heart do all the talking.

First stop... Holden’s room. Holden is my social butterfly, so my cuddle time with him is always a rundown of the kids in his class and the events of the day. I learn who talked to whom, who played with him in the outdoor classroom, who shared their book during rest time, and which girls had made the decision that boys were stinky, so being his friend was no longer an option -- for that day at least.

Next up is Ava. Ava is my introspective big thinker who always has lots of questions--many of which are getting to the point that they can’t be answered until the next night, because Mommy needs to do some Google-ing.

My talks with her are about what she learned that day or what she plans to build or paint tomorrow. I don’t hear much about the friends in her class, because her best friends all split up at the end of first grade to go to different schools. She never shows concern when she says she played alone at recess that day, but I always do.

Worrying whether or not Ava has enough friends is a reflection of my own fears. I want her to get a closeknit group together that will carry her through the rest of her schooling. I want to know that she has girls surrounding her who can be an emotional support team for her during the hours I can’t be.

I was blessed to grow up in a small town with an amazing group of close friends. When I graduated high school, I felt like the group of friends I had in that moment would be the only true friendships I would ever have. I entered college keeping my core friends at my core. Then, of course, life began to happen.

College began to consume each of us and pull us in different directions more and more with each passing semester. While those “original” friends had, and will always have, a bond unbreakable, they just were not in the same place in life that I was, nor was I in the same place as them, making it difficult to be the BFFs we had always claimed we would be.

Night out! by: Kim Enderle

Losing them as my 24/7 go-to girls was hard, and I didn’t really truly appreciate the value of “adult” girlfriends for quite a while. In fact, even after I had Grant, I still took these relationships for granted (no pun intended) as evidenced by my resolve that, suddenly, I could not have time to do anything outside of taking care of the kids, so much so that Jonathon would actually call my friends for me and have them take me forcibly out of the house!

But, over the past couple years I began to develop friendships with other moms that, amazingly, rivaled and even surpassed the connections I had had as a child. They are my go-to friends whenever I need a reset button on the day-to-day grind and chaos.

In that vein, our girls’ night out is a chance to recharge.

It’s a reminder of who we are as individuals, so that we can then go back to our everyday roles with a clear head and a full heart. I am fairly confident that when a group of women get together, all starving for a little release from the mountains of daily stress, they turn into a group of girls at least a third of their age. When I am out alone, with Jonathon, or with the kids, there is a certain set of social expectations and rules that I follow... and all of that goes right out the window on a ‘GNO.’ I am so lucky to have a special group of ladies in my life who I can call on to let loose with. Justifying going out for an evening and leaving my husband to man the fort requires it to be something grand, so I never take a GNO for granted and, in fact, try to make each of them scrapbook-worthy... even if I don’t exactly scrapbook.

Here are a few of my favorites:

# 1 Painting with a Twist

I’m not an artist by any means, but I figured that if Ava could create frameable artwork in her art classes, I could at least try. When Painting with a Twist opened a second location in Bentonville, I booked a girls’ night out right away. We each got to create a one-of-akind piece of... ummm... art! Some artist’s work made it to the walls of their homes, while others made it to the walls of a closet, but the creative process was the best part.

www.paintingwithatwist.com

# 2 Northwest Arkansas

Center for Plastic Surgery

Most recently, we stepped it up a notch and had our moms’ night out at Northwest Arkansas Center for Plastic Surgery in Fayetteville. We felt like real VIPs when, upon arriving, we were given comfy slippers and a menu of services for the evening. Facials, waxing, chair massages, Juvederm, make-up consultations, and Botox were on the schedule. For dinner, the Ballers food truck was on-site preparing a fun variety of foods to try.

We had the entire place to ourselves and got to enjoy a little TLC mixed with lots of fun conversation with friends. I had never tried Botox before that night, but everyone else was doing it, so, of course I had to give it a try. I have to say, if you are ever thinking of trying it, I highly recommend having your closest friends huddled in the room with you cheering you on and snapping terrible pictures of you the entire time. Definitely a night for the books! Northwest Arkansas Center for Plastic Surgery took care of everything, including setting up the food, offering a variety of services based on our interests, discounts on products, and a goody bag to rival any birthday party I had ever been too. The only downside was that I am a bit spoiled now after that experience, and don’t think I can go for a facial or even a brow waxing without taking a group of friends.

www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

# 3 The Diva Dive

No, I don’t have a risque bone in my body, and am super conservative when it comes to anything remotely sexy, but a girls’ night at The Diva Dive taking a pole dancing class is one of the most hilarious, uncharacteristic, unexpectedly athletic and downright fun things I have ever done. Our group took a limo to The Diva Dive in Fayetteville dressed to impress in our oh-so-tantalizing workout clothes. We snacked on yummy appetizers and wine (very necessary) and then... hit the poles! I don’t think I have laughed as much in a single hour as I did that night. Friends who laugh together (and at each other) definitely bond on a whole new level. Besides the fact that it was a lot of fun, the workout was insane!

None of us could move for days, and realized we had muscles hurting that we had forgotten we even had.

thedivadive.com Just because a girl gets slapped with the label of adult after a certain number of years doesn’t mean that the fun side, the silly side, the laugh-until-you-hurt side of her disappears. It is just as important to nurture the fun-loving girl you have inside as anything else in your life. Girls’ nights out truly bring that out in a group of ladies. Just like the childhood secrets you would keep with friends on the playground, GNO’s allow you to collect a whole new set of “inside jokes” that are good for a few laughs for weeks, months, and even years.

www.peekaboonwa.com

81

479.659.0999 1117 N. Dixieland, Lowell

At a Glance ARTS and MUSIC

At a Glance

Abrakadoodle (Pg 19) (479) 856-6651 abrakadoodle.com Crystal Bridges (Pg. 43) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org Imagine Studios (Pg. 61) (479) 619-6085 imagine-studios.com Trike Theatre (Pg. 37) (479) 464-5084 triketheatre.org Walton Arts Center (Pg. 11) www.waltonartscenter.org

BANKS

First Security Bank (Pg. 30) www.fsbank.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 77) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg46) 1-800-445-3316 arbetterbeginnings.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 36) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 16) (479) 633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 69) (479) 273-1011 Seeking Sitters (Pg. 70) (501) 203-3097 www.seekingsitters.com

CHURCH

Unitarian Universalist (Pg. 86) www.uubcar.com

CLOTHING / FURNITURE

Belle Boutique (Pg. 8) www.belleboutiquenwa.com Little Darlings (Pg. 19) (479) 464-8492 Northwest Arkansas Mall (Pg. 76) (479) 521-6152 www.northwestarkansasmall.com

DANCE/CHEER/TUMBLE/STRETCH

iNFiNiTi (Pg. 59) (479) 715-6840 www.infinitiathletics.com The Little Gym (Pg. 51) (479) 636-5566 tlgrogersar.com Kaleidoscope Dance Academy (Pg. 67) (479) 464-5977 kaleidoscopedanceacademy.com

DENTIST / ORTHODONTIST

Arkansas Braces (Pg. 51) www.arbraces.com Dr. Brown - Orthodontics Exclusively (Pg. 58) www.drbrownbraces.com Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry (Pg. 32) (479) 631-6377

DERMATOLOGY

Hull Dermatology and Aesthetics (Pg. 71) (479) 254-9662 hullderm.com NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

EDUCATION

Central Children’s Academy (Pg. 17) centralchildrensacademy.com (479) 443-4037 Ozark Kids, Inc. (Pg. 23) (479) 935-9992 ozarkcca.org Shiloh Christian School (Pg. 87) (479) 756-1140 Walnut Farm Montessori School (Pg. 88) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

Epic Inflatables (Pg.38) (479) 270-9982 Fast Lane Entertainment (Pg. 83) (479) 659-0999 www.fastlanebowl.com Mad Science (Pg. 39) (479) 444-0303 www.madscience.org/nwa New Life Ranch (Pg. 47) NewLifeRanch.com Ozark Natural Science Center (Pg. 39) (479) 789-2754 The Party Place (Pg. 21) thepartyplacear.com (479) 230-9494 Rogers Activity Center (Pg. 79) (479) 631-0336 Rogers Aquatics Center (Pg. 35) (479) 936-5482 rogersaquaticscenter.com Rogers Museum (Pg. 77) (479) 621-1154 Starlight Skatium (Pg.63) (479) 444-STAR The Walmart Museum (Pg.49) (479) 273-1329 walmartstores.com

FITNESS / SPORTS

Fayetteville Tennis (Pg. 4) www.fayettevilletennis.com YMCA (Pg. 81) (479) 273-9622 www.ymcanwa.org

FOOD / DRINK

Cherry Berry (Pg. 42) (479) 876-8085 TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

84 May 2014

A. R. Chiropractic (Pg. 29) (479) 236-3606 ARchiropractic.com

Dr. Jim Elkins (Pg. 73, 79) (479) 636-0300 Ginn Foot and Ankle (Pg. 23) (479) 254-1975 www.nwafoot.com Morter Health Corner (Pg. 39) (479)636-1324 morterhealthcorner.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 37) (479) 271-6511 www.tatehealthcare.com

HOME and YARD

Carpet Smart (Pg. 25) (479) 750-0117 / (866) 795-8520

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

David Adams (Pg.41) davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 77) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Bricks 4 Kidz (Pg. 17) (479) 268-4345 www.bricks4kidz.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 16) (479) 633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com LearningRx (Pg. 69) (479) 715-6870 www.learningrx.com/bentonville

MARTIAL ARTS

ATA (Pg. 53) Bentonville: (479) 273-1212 / Fay: (479) 443-5425

OPTOMETRIST

Pediatric Vision Development Center (Pg. 15) nwavisiontherapy.com (479) 795-1411

PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 57) (479) 575-9359 Bentonville Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 75) (479) 273-5437 The Children’s Clinic at Springdale (Pg. 13) (479) 751-2522 Harvey Pediatrics (Pg. 37) (479) 254-1100 harveypediatrics.com MANA NWA Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 52) Wellness: (479) 443-3471 Urgent: (479) 442-7322

PETS

Phenom-A-Dog (Pg. 82) (479) 202-5303 phenomadog.com

PLASTIC SURGEON

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

PRESCHOOL/ PRE-K

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 77) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg 36) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 16) (479) 633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 47) (479) 273-1011 Walnut Farm Montessori School (Pg. 88) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

SALON - HAIR AND NAILS

Pigtails&Crewcuts (Pg. 73) (479) 935-4121 pigtailsandcrewcuts.com

SURROGACY SERVICES

Gifted Journeys (Pg. 9) (818) 505-3026 www.giftedjourneys.com

THERAPY

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 77) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com PlayStrong Pediatric Therapy (Pg. 12) (479) 246-0101 Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson (Pg. 55) (479) 444-1400 www.terrylawson.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 37) (479) 271-6511

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Life Spring Women’s Health (Pg. 27) (479) 271-0005 lifespringhealthcare.com Northwest Women’s Heatlh Center (Pg. 7) (479) 503-2525 Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (Pg. 5) (479) 684-3000 Parkhill Clinic for Women (Pg. 65) (479) 521-4433 Siloam Springs Women’s Center (Pg. 24) (479) 524-9312 siloamwomenscenter.com Washington Regional Her Health (Pg. 86) (479) 463-5500 wregional.com