Team Getty Runners: How I Have Missed You!
From Kate:
Okay we are back into the swing of things. It is Wednesday and I have a lot of catching up to do for our SMA Warriors who will be gallantly running the CIM in December. Tonight I will be introducing 3 more amazing human beings ready to take the challenge for our Miss Getty as well as helping to raise $10,000 for research so we can help cure this horrible disease.
Every day we seem to get one more runner and then another. You are all so awesome and we are so glad to have you aboard.
Runner #1
Will Squires
Age: 25
DOB: 4/22/85
Favorite Colors: Red, Black, Green, Orange
Hobbies: Soccer, Reading, Weight Lifting, Bike Riding, Softball, Listening to Music, Watching Movies
Interesting fact about yourself: I graduated with my teaching degree following the 27+ family members in the teaching field currently.
Have you ever ran a marathon: Ran one with my mother when I was three. Always taking time out of the run to catch lizards.
Had you ever heard of SMA? Not before January 2011
Bio: I was born and raised in a small town North of Reno, Nevada. Spent twenty years in the greater Reno area before moving to California to attend WJU. Graduated in 2009 with a double major Bible Theology & Liberal Studies with a Teaching Credential.
Runner #2
Kim Saunders
Age: 44
DOB: 10/10/66
Favorite Colors: pink, black, blue
Interesting fact about yourself: At one time in my life I had 9 Great Dane puppies, and 4 chihuahua puppies in the house, they were only a couple weeks apart!
Have you ever ran a marathon? No
Had you ever heard of SMA before Miss Getty? No
Quick Bio:
I have 4 daughters who were all volleyball players at one point. After my girls, I love my dogs Claire and Jorge. One of my favorite things to do is watch my grandson, Zykah. I look forward to fighting SMA by doing this marathon. Miss Getty is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen and it’s time we find a cure!
Runner #3
Takoa Stathem
Age:34
DOB: 5/24/76
Favorite color: Red
Hobbies: Being outside, friends, reading, helping others
Have you ever ran a marathon: No, so far I have only completed a half-marathon.
Had you ever heard of SMA before? Started learning about SMA one day in July after getting a call from Kate.
Interesting fact about myself: My daughter loves running and Getty as much as I do and she is only 4! 🙂
Bio: I am passionate about learning and sharing what I learn with others. My friends are my family. Both my kids recognize Getty and think of her as their sister. Working for the foundation feeds my passion for helping others, marketing, and learning.
Will thank you for joining the team, Kim thank you for stepping up as a mommy, and Takoa who knew we would be fighting a disease together at our age, we’ve known each other since pre-school and I love you.
13
Apr
2011
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2011
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Gone Fishin’
From Kate:
We recently bought Getty a fishing pole and fish from Cerra. It is perfect for Getty because the pole is small enough and the end of the “fishing line” has a magnetic lure. Each fish also has a magnet so when the two meet, well that means she has caught a fish!
So Sunday night Getty had we very own fishing derby. I put her arm in her sling and I stuck the pole in the sling. She did amazingly! I was so proud of her. I think what struck me the most was that she made the connection between the white lure and the fish very quickly. Atta girl Getty! Your “Papa” (Grandpa) is going to be so proud of you when he sees your fine fishing skills.
12
Apr
2011
7 Comments Apr
2011
And the Lovely Lullaby Winners are………
From Kate:
I want to thank everyone that left comments, tweeted, liked on fb, etc. I had so much fun doing my first giveaway and right now I am giddy to announce who has won.
But before I announce I just want to reiterate how excited our family is to be a part of this album, Sweet Water Child~Lullabies for Getty. We simply can’t wait for the day when our family can just give hugs and smoochies to Alex, Angela, and Morgan. Watch out you three Getty’s smoochies are out of control, but they are good. 🙂
So there are five more people who will be a part of what we call Team Getty. You will now have a copy of the album and you too now have a mission to spread the word about SMA. And you thought you were just getting a free album.
So our Lovely Lullaby Winners are:
Jen B
Sarah
Nancy
Holly
Marie
Thank you all for participating and I hope in the future I can do another giveaway. For those that have won, please email me at hoot@gettyowl.org and I will send you a free download.
I hope today finds everyone well. I woke up in the best way, right next to my little owl, doesn’t get much better than that.
11
Apr
2011
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2011
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Simply Overwhelmed!
From Kate:
These past few days have been incredibly surreal. Knowing that Sweet Water Child~Lullabies for Getty was coming out on Tuesday, I really had to emotionally gear up. Acknowledging that people were going to buy it and bring it home to their families was such a wonderful feeling. I was hoping that everyone would embrace the album as much as we do, and I get the feeling it is. I will admit though, there is a track that is difficult for me and perhaps it always will. Heart of Trust is a doozie!
Emotional indeed, the words whip me up in a weepy tornado. I often look into Getty’s eyes and she responds with such loving eyes, perhaps in her way of telling me that she trusts me and the care I give her. Oh man I can’t tell you how wonderful of a feelings that is. And Alex in his talented storytelling ways had the ability to put that into words. So let’s just say I listen to that track when I am feeling super confident. 🙂
Ultimatley the album is just gorgeous, can I use that word to describe an album? Well I am now! Continued smoochies to Alex and Angela Dezen for such an amazing album!
I looked the other day at the iTunes page and found that it was not only #7 on the Children’s Chart but it was doing better than, and I am going to whisper this because if Getty’s hears, she may get upset. (In a whisper voice) Lullabies for Getty is beating Yo Gabba Gabba. I know right? Awesomeness! Sorry DJ Lance Rock. 🙁
I am really new to the blogging world. Stacey has helped me greatly in understanding how powerful the written word is and also what incredible opportunities can come when bloggers support a cause. I would like to list for you now every blogger that helped promote the album. Whether it was a wonderful post, showing an album badge on their site, a supportive tweet, hosting some album giveaways, everything has made a difference. In no particular order but in the same breath I am giving you all the same amount of squeezes and kisses.
The Suite Life of Lucy & Ethel
Uff Da Designs Emily will be donating 100% of the sales to the Getty Owl Foundation until April 10th
Isn’t this incredible? I have a feeling I missed some kind blogger and I apologize. If I find out that I missed some, I will acknowledge them as soon as I can.
Let me explain to you how important this is to me that you posted about the album, about Getty, and about SMA. As the last few days have unfolded, I have had a chance to see where people are going when they come to our GettyOwl blog. Yes, people naturally spend most of their time on the home page and learn about the album. But let me also tell where the 2nd most hits were coming from. “What is SMA?” , just typing that is making me cry with happiness. On Tuesday alone there were over 2,000 hits on that link. That is perhaps 2,000 more people that will learn about this horrible disease. That is possibly 2,000 more people that will then go and teach others about the disease. I don’t want anymore families to be crushed by this disease and diagnosis and all of you wonderful bloggers are possibly helping to minimize that, so thank you!
I can’t thank you all enough for helping spread awareness. That is priceless! You have a far greater reach with your audience than our little family could have ever done on our own. We are entirely grateful.
I am also aware that a lot of bloggers brought their readers with them and I want to welcome all of you to our family. I hope you stay and follow our journey. I hope you learn from our experiences. Some terrific and perhaps some scary but what I hope you also take away is that my family is really no different from most families. We love life, we love our daughter, and we certainly don’t take life for granted…………………………………………….. anymore. And we want what all SMA families want, a cure!
So I want to do a giveaway, I am so giddy about this! I want to give away five copies of Sweet Water Child~Lullabies for Getty! Okay so how do you win a copy?
Here are the options:
Please leave a comment on the blog.
~For more entries you can do the following:
-Post about it on Twitter and leave another comment letting me know you have done so.
-Post about it on Facebook and leave another comment letting me know you have done so.
-“Like” Lullabies for Getty on Twitter and leave me comment letting me know you have done so.
-“Like” Lullabies for Getty on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know you have done so.
So you really have 5 chances to enter to win a copy of an amazing album!
I will be using the Random Number Generator to choose the winners on Monday, April 11th.
Can’t wait to give these away!!!!!!
So here’s to Friday, hope it finds everyone well and fulfilled.
8
Apr
2011
15 Comments Apr
2011
Lullabies for Getty
From Kate:
As I drove home from work one day in October I was having a conversation with Stacey and she was telling me about a band called The Damnwells and the lead singer Alex Dezen and how he was awesome and that her favorite song was from their band and then weirdly enough Getty’s name popped into the conversation. In such a crazy turn of events, it turns out that Alex and his lovely wife Angela had been working on some songs for a lullaby album, but didn’t have a name. Then I heard those three words and I just about drove off the Capital City Freeway in rush hour traffic. They wanted to call it “Lullabies for Getty“. Read this post if you need a refresher on the story.
At that moment I realized that people were actually following our story. I wasn’t just a mom devastated by a diagnosis in isolation. Getty and her story were affecting people and I instantly felt a sense of comfort knowing that there were angels among us finding creative ways to help our family and the cause.
I dove into The Damnwells, learned as much as I could, (They are awesome!) before ultimately meeting both Alex, Angela, and Morgan from The 818. I have said this before, but the moment we all starting talking, it felt like old friends had picked up a conversation from long ago. It just felt great to spend time with them and get to know them. All three are terrific human beings and to think that they were lending their talent to help us find a cure for SMA, well I just can’t explain how incredible that feels. All I can say is that I am entirely grateful for their love and their compassion and their sense of purpose to help.
I got a chance to hear a few of the tracks early and all I did was weep. Each and every track made me think of Getty in some special way. When I originally thought of a lullaby I thought of old school songs that had a cow and an old man and something jumping over the moon. Um……these tracks are not like that. They are absolutely gorgeous songs with such beautiful meaning and could easily be played in other genres other than children’s lullabies. Getty listens to the tracks before going to bed. I tell her that “Uncle Alex and Auntie Angela want to say goodnight” and then I hit play. Perhaps one day she will start to hum with the music.
Please take the time to sample each song. Simply gorgeous!
There were many people who made this album possible and I would be remiss if I did not mention them. Thank you to Alex Dezen, Angela Dezen and Morgan Shanahan! Thank you to the Honey Agency for all of your time and effort! Thank you to Stacey Ball who seems to know everyone and I love you! Thank you to The Damnwells, Neal Ostrovsky, Ryan Marshall, The Gaynor’s, The Prendiz’s, and Wes Kidd at Red Light Management.
So tomorrow (April 5th) the album will launch. Simply go here and purchase the album. Proceeds from the album will be going straight to the Getty Owl Foundation to help us find a cure for SMA. We would be so appreciative if you spread the word on this fantastic album! Let’s send this album to the Billboards top 100. A girl can dream, can’t she. 🙂
4
Apr
2011
9 Comments Apr
2011
