We GET To !!!!!!

Today’s Blog post is slightly different – Firstly I would like to introduce you to a good friend of mine – Denise Taylor. We have known each other for a few years now. I began following her journey during her daughter Jonnae’s 3 yr battle with leukemia and Heavenly Birth, with tears of sadness, moments of joy, gut wrenching sorrow and heart warming strength. I have been blessed to share moments with Denise during her journey of publishing her book ~ “Heavenly Birth – A Mother’s Journey ~ A Daughter’s Legacy”. And also shared a room with her in Denver when we took part in the 2009 marathon. We were part of a huge team of people who raised $211,000 for the Make A Wish Foundation. Denise is a Soul Sister to me. Every day I wear my purple I GET TO bracelet ~ One simple word really can change your life.

Here is Denise’s Mini Bio – to help set the scene ~

Denise Taylor is an author, inspirational speaker and high-energy visionary.  She navigates life owning and exemplifying her optimistic and hopeful message, moving countless people internationally to do the same.

Although Denise’s mission was revealed to her through her daughter’s illness and “Heavenly Birth”, her dedication to sharing life-changing lessons that came from her loss has never wavered.  As a result, Jonnae’s legacy and “I get to” message is being carried out into the world through children, teachers, business leaders, parents and people from all walks of life.

Denise speaks to groups, clubs and organizations of every demographic.  Now more than ever, people are hungry for her message because what she speaks about is universally relevant and transformative.  Her passionate philosophy will alter the way you live, heal, and travel through life, regardless of any adversity you may experience.  Denise is tireless as she teaches the keys to infusing gratitude, purpose, connection and faith into their hearts and lives of all she connects with.

Today Denise is Celebrating Jonnae’s 3rd Heavenly Birthday with a Special Wacky Wednesday Themed Event called the “Wack Attack”

Here is a reasonably quick description from Denise, sharing what Wacky Wednesday is and how it started … …. I hope you don’t mind :)

Wacky Wednesday is a program Jonnae and I had envisioned creating, let me give you a brief recap. She was going through a bone marrow transplant, had been in the hospital for a couple of months, and received an email about spirit week back home at her school (we were in Cincinnati a couple hours away) During spirit week students were encouraged to dress Wacky on Wednesday.

It is said we are motivated by one of two things – desperation or inspiration. This was a case where I was motivated by the former; desperate to give Jonnae (us) something to smile about. I suggested we could get wacky wherever we are and asked if she’d like to create a wacky look for me. She lit up like a Christmas tree. Her spirit filled smile had a way of creating a contagious joy. As she grabbed the eyebrow pencil out of my makeup bag and drew a unibrow on my forehead and blacked out one of my teeth, we both shifted our focus from the seriousness and stress of her sickness to the silliness. Turns out laughter truly is the best medicine and the side effects are great.

Jonnae proceeded to give me ridiculous ponytails and pulled items out of my wardrobe that should never be worn together. I blacked out one of her teeth and put a tattoo smack in the middle of her forehead. Head to toe we looked ridiculous. So much so, my husband didn’t want to exit the elevator with us to indicate we were ‘together’ lol.

I must admit, when the kids left the house in years prior, dressed abnormally for the spirit week’s Wacky Wednesday, I never thought, “Wow! That looks like fun. I want to do that!” 3 years into getting Wacky on Wednesday, I still don’t always embrace the fun that can be wrapped in getting wacky. It’s not a great deal of fun, nor am I comfortable, having people look at me like I’m a ‘wack job’ instead of the visionary behind weekly healing doses of worldwide laughter through Wacky Wednesdays.

It’s been a great experience for me. I used to talk myself into being ‘brave’ and just doing it. Then I’d walk into a child’s hospital room and be reminded, bravery isn’t leaving your ego and vanity at the house to go out into the world wacky, it’s within these walls as our babies and young ones fight courageously to live. It’s interesting to think, as a country, we embraced Casual Fridays to be comfortable and bless ourselves, but we’ll opt out of being Wacky on Wednesday at the thought of being uncomfortable to bless others.

This year we are celebrating Jonnae’s 3rd “Heavenly Birthday” one day early with a special Wacky Wednesday where we’re attacking whomever, wherever, with wackiness :D Here locally in the Kentuckiana area, we’ve got a gym, bank, orthodonist office, workshop facility and restaurants participating and sponsoring the Wack Attack. Staff, tellers, and servers will be dressed wacky and each establishment is doing something to raise funds for the furthering of Wacky Wednesday. These funds will be used to stock the cart we have for supplying the patients with wacky items, printing materials for promotion of the program and training under Patch Adams in November. In hearing about Wacky Wednesdays he’s invited me to tour with his group to Russian orphanages, clinics and hospitals for two weeks. And he’s promised to implement Wacky Wednesday in his hospital, Gesundheit Institute, when it opens. (they broke ground last September).

A Celebration of Life:

A short while before Jonnae’s Heavenly Birth, Denise, her family and an extraordinary group of friends from around the world held a Celebration for Jonnae’s Life, Jonnae was the Star of the day. Many were not able to attend, due to distance, yet we were there in spirit and at a set time across the world hundreds of people released 15 Purple balloons, I am grateful to have been one of those people. Today I am releasing another 15 balloons (metaphorically and visually) to help spread Jonnae’s Legacy.

The WE GET TO Message:

This blog is getting long now – so I want to introduce a quick video of Denise and the I GET To Message

We Get To Promotional Video for Denise Taylor from We GET To on Vimeo.

I hope that you are inspired to change just one word in your vocabulary – each time you catch yourself feeling ‘I have to’ or even saying it – Just remember You GET To, some people aren’t as lucky. Changing just that one word can change your life – literally. It increases gratitude, changes your outlook, has ripple effects on those around you and really makes a difference in this world!

Denise’s Links:)

Website – www.WeGETto.com

Facebook – We GET To

Twitter – WeGetTo

Simple Positive Steps You Can Take Now ~

In Gratitude

Jaki :)

 

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