giveaway #2 (please read the entire post, i know its lengthy)

this giveaway is going to be a little different. 

to enter this giveaway you need to be nominated. 

anyone can make a nomination. 

there is no limit as to how many people can nominate the same birthmother. 

you can nominate as many birthmothers as you want to. 

you can even nominate yourself - but only once. 

there is a catch though. 

This giveaway is only for birthmothers 'in need' for lack of better verbage 

 in need of support, in need of love, in need of a positive lift, in need of being acknowledged for the amazing mother she is. 

perhaps you know of a birthmother who is deserving and/or in need of a little extra sumpin sumpin. maybe she is struggling with post placement grief, maybe she never had any support at placement, maybe she is on this adoption journey alone, maybe she is stressed with contact arrangements, maybe her open adoption was closed by the adoptive family after placement, maybe she has had a negative adoption experience, maybe a reunion has not gone well... i could go on and on, there are a myriad of reasons as to why you might know that she would truly be 'in need'.

we really want to reach out with this giveaway to those who have not been as blessed as we were when we placed our babies. 

when you make your nomination you do not need to state why you are nominating this birthmother, or why you are nominating yourself.  please please please be mindful, this giveaway is for someone who truly deserves it. for example, it would be completely inappropriate to nominate myself or jessa.


so what are we giving away?
Gina and jenny at birthmother baskets {bmb} are very kindly and graciously donating a basket for our giveaway!!!

an example of a birthmother basket

Who/what is birthmother baskets?
well, let me just tell you!! nah, better yet, ill let gina tell you, shes the mastermind and amazing  birthmother behind the whole wonderful thing....

a closer look. each basket is unique based on the donations received at that time. 

welcome to birth mother baskets {bmb} oct 2009

The Birth Mother Baskets {bmb} actually started as a small service project for me to do for Christmas in 2002. I wanted to show support to other birth mothers and let them know it’s ok to talk about your placement, to be proud of your decision. I wanted something that the birth mothers could take home with them, after placement. I didn’t want them to go home with empty arms. That’s when I thought of a gift basket full of items, just for the birth mother, to show her she is not alone. I took ALL the resources I had at that time (which wasn’t much). I then called around to every local business that I thought might donate. My small goal of filling 20 baskets became 60 and I was thrilled with the response. I then distributed them to local hospitals and social services to give to each birth mother.

With such a great outpouring, by those around me, I was able to continue filling baskets for about four years! Some of these donations came from businesses, friends or speaking engagements that I have done here locally. In those four years, I have successfully filled over 300 baskets!!
Mostly, running it on my own and out of our tiny condo. The local social services and hospitals were constantly stocked with gift baskets. It was truly an amazing blessing!

These gift baskets hold so much more than just the tangible items inside of them. They are filled with LOVE, warmth and support. Many of these birth mothers have no family support, no friends and no one to tell them what to expect in their journey, of placement. {bmb} provides a loving voice saying, “you are NOT alone, you are loved, you are brave and yes someone has felt this unbearable pain before.” {bmb} give the mothers something to take home, with them from the hospital. No birth mother should leave the hospitals or social services with empty arms. I have seen first hand, a brand new birth mother leave with a {bmb} in her arms and a smile on her face, with a peace in her mind that she too, had just made the best decision for her baby. I know, with all of my heart that these baskets provide a moment of stillness for these birth mothers, whose emotions will become so deep in their first few days of placement. My hope is that they will, for just a moment, feel that ache disappear by placing a {bmb} in their arms. I will do ALL that I possibly can do to fill these baskets. I know, truly, they are so much more then just a gift basket.

As the years have gone by, my speaking opportunities have slowed down and my resources are becoming drained. I’d hate to see this year go by without one single basket being filled. 
Please, help me tell these birth mothers they are appreciated.
Let them know there are thousands of adoptive couples or families whose lives have been touched by adoption. Please, help me thank these brave women for truly giving the greatest gift of all... selfless LOVE. 
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amazing right?!?!

please please please times 100000000000000000 make a donation either in the form of the following items (starred items are very much in need right now) or 'cash' via the paypal link or snail mail addy on the {bmb} blog. 100% of proceeds go to the birthmother baskets. 

Journals

Lotions***

Bath Salts

Bath Bubbles

Movies

Jewelry

8 x 10 or 5 x 7 photo frames***

Music CD's

Inspirational Books

Hair Products

Make-Up

Fingernail Polish

Manicure/Pedicure Sets

Photo Albums

Magazines

Small Blankets

Slippers

Stuffed Animals

Gift Certificates (massages, spa treatments, pedicure, manicure, movies or book store, etc.)

Large Baskets (Gina recommends laundry sized wicker baskets at Wal-Mart for only $4.00)

Tissue Paper

Ribbon

Candles

and of course CASH (for shipping)***

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you can find the button on our side bar, please add it to your adoption blog! 


can you tell? we are so excited about this giveaway!! bonus - you will love reading the {bmb} blog! 

nominations for the giveaway will be accepted, aka leave a comment, for ONE week, ending at midnight PST on weds aug 4, 2010. 


be sure to leave an email addy in your comment/nomination for yourself or for the person you nominated, we'll need it to get the basket to the deserving birthmother.
for example - i am nominating jane doe, janet doeson and jen doener. myaddy@gmail dot com

ps. you might want to let them know they were nominated ;-) remember there is no limit as to how many people can nominate the same birthmother.