I stumbled upon Kelle Hampton’s Enjoying the Small Things blog early last year. I followed directions well and one of the first posts I read is the one she links to with a label of Start Here If You’re New and I began my journey into the heart-wrenching, heart-warming, soul-stirring magic of Kelle’s world, complete with her daughter, Nella.
Nella’s Birth Story is honest. It’s touching. It’s terrifying and reassuring and astounding. Kelle doesn’t hold back, letting us into her reaction to realizing that her sweet, darling, beautiful girl was born with Down Syndrome. She grieves and she sobs and then… then she begins to heal. Her world is a beautiful one, baby, and that Nella? Oh, she’s amazing.
Nella’s First Birthday is coming up in 2 weeks, and to celebrate her girl, Kelle wants to celebrate all babies born just like her. She’s started Nella’s ONEder Fund, a collection for the organization NDSS, which, to take from Kelle’s post, has a mission to create a culture that fully accepts and includes individuals with Down syndrome.
Kelle began with the admirable goal of raising $15K. Two hours into the fundraiser, she bumped it to $30K. About 2 days in, she bumped it up to $47K. $47,000 for 47 chromosomes. All she’s asking is for $5 donations (or more! please, if you have it and are compelled, give more!) from her followers, the people who love her blog, love her Nella, and love all the special boys and girls out there who deserve to be accepted and cherished for the wonderful beings that they are.
Go, read Kelle’s post about the ONEder Fund. And if you feel moved to do so, please donate. Blog, Facebook, Tweet, link away. Get the word out and help make a huge difference in a ton of spectacular little lives.
