Strap on your lightsabers, fasten your X-Wing Fighter safety harnesses, and make sure your R2 units are securely aboard, everyone!
Today we’re doing something special!
We are gathering the kidlit community to send encouragement and hopefully a little bit of happiness and fun to our friend, Renn.
Renn has a challenging week ahead. He has epilepsy, and the doctors are having a difficult time figuring out how to control his seizures. He has to go into the hospital for several days to undergo a number of tests, and last time I checked, that wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. If you’d like to learn more, you can join the blog at The Brain Of A Jedi, or the Face Book Group at Purple Day, but suffice to say he is only 5, and facing some things no 5 year old should have to.
Renn is made of tough stuff – he’s got Jedi Warrior written all over him. I have no doubt he’ll make the jump to hyperspace without a hitch and come through this week with flying colors.
But I thought maybe we could make his week a little easier by helping to take his mind off where he is and why he’s there, and giving him some things to look forward to. What should we do? I asked Beth, my co-conspirator who is always willing to go along with me on my hare-brained schemes. She kindly let me bounce ideas off her and was very supportive, and then helped me write the email to invite people to join in, so please give her a big round of applause and a pat on the back! 🙂
So we are posting virtual cards, fun photos, games, activities, stories, songs, videos – anything at all we can think of that would be fun and entertaining – especially for Renn (who, if you haven’t guessed yet, loves Star Wars :)). Anyone else who has a child-friendly blog and would like to post something for Renn, please feel free to do so and add your post-specific link to the list below any time today or tomorrow. (I respectfully request that you keep in mind that he is five years old.)
Renn and his mom can come here when they have a few minutes and check the list for new posts, and each time something new goes up, Renn will have something fun to look forward to. Hopefully it will break up the long hours in the hospital with some bright moments, so the more we get the better!
And before I post the list, I would just like to say to Renn’s mom, dad, and little brother that we are all thinking of you too, wishing you strength to get through this, and hoping for the best of all possible outcomes for your Renn. If the collective thoughts and prayers of this generous-hearted community can exert any influence, please know that we are all in your corner.
May the force be with you all!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
GET WELL RENN!!! I can't wait to see your entry Ms. Hill! 😀 😀 😀 😀
Although I've got a few things going on, there's always room to pray well wishes for a super Jedi in training.. May Renn's visit be one of productivity and hopefully brevity in uncovering how best to assist him medically with what he's going through.
You are wonderful for organizing this, Susanna! His time in the hospital will surely be brightened. My warmest wishes go out to Renn and his family.
Good luck Renn and family. I hope you are able to find answers this week. (Thanks Susanna for doing this!)
Take Good Good Care, Renn and Family! Like Susanna says “May the Force be with YOU!
I'm so grateful for Susanna to have had this inspiring thought of how to help and aided me in being part of it. 🙂
Susanna, thanks for doing this. I can't wait to go through all the entries.
Susanna, you are a super star to be doing this. Thank you; I shall add mine tomorrow.
Yours is SO MUCH BETTER than mine that I'm embarrassed, Erik! Renn is going to love it!
Well you are a superstar for joining in (and I'm sure making something better than mine!) and it will be great to spread out the posts. Thanks, Joanna!
I'm looking forward to it too, Kirsten! Thank you SO MUCH for participating!
Thanks so much for joining in, Clar! It means a lot. I can't wait to see what you ended up doing. I'm sure you (and everyone else) will have no trouble putting me to shame 🙂
Thank YOU so much for joining in, Stacy. I hope it will help Renn to know so many wonderful people are pulling for him.
You are wonderful to participate, Iza! Thank you so much for what you did for Renn – I know he'll love it! 🙂
Thank you for your kind thoughts and your prayers, Angela – I know they will mean so much to Renn and Bethany.
Susanna ~ Your Star Wars Video Joke Stream is perfect! Laughter is the best medicine. 😀
And that's no Obi Wan Baloney.
I teared up reading his story…such a brave boy! And so is his family for bringing his story to all of us to raise awareness of this illness. The force is strong in this little one, especially with the kidlit community, led by you, behind him!
Susanna – I see the forks are with you too! What a GREAT idea with your video! I know Renn will LOVE it! I'll be 'flying in' a bit later – see you soon!
Love Iza's activity!
Another fantastic hare-brained scheme, Susanna! I love the joke stream-we had fun trying to guess the answers before they appeared.
Back to the drawing board, go I must. Submissions so good they are. Susanna, the best you be. Tomorrow, post I shall.
Due to our upcoming vacation, I won't be able to create a post, but, I can certainly cheer him on from the sidelines, and PRAY!
Glad you enjoyed it, Nancy 🙂 My favorite one was “use the forks” 🙂
I know, Teresa. I have first-hand experience with epilepsy, though with a dog, not a child, so I can't even imagine how hard it is for all of them. I hope it will help to aid in raising awareness and contributing to research, and to let Renn and his family know that so many people are pulling for them.
Heehee – that was my favorite one, Julie 🙂 LOVED your graphic for Erik's video – so perfect! Can't wait to see what you fly in 🙂
Oh, I know! Isn't it great? Everyone's is! You are all so creative and fun!
Julie Rowan-Zoch (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Love Iza's activity!
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Did you guess them all? Which one was your favorite? I like “use the forks”! 🙂 I loved your drawing of Renn and all the activity links!
Good it is to spread out the posts. Happy will Renn be to look forward to yours 🙂
Thank you, Jarm. I know how deeply that will be appreciated!
Your jokes are perfect, Susanna! Loved the forks one and the comments making punny jokes on it are all precious.
You are well loved. And so is Renn. Thanks, everyone, for joining in! 🙂
Glad you like them, Clar – the forks one was my favorite too 🙂 And thanks for your kind words – especially welcome at the moment when I just received 4 rejections in one email! 🙂
Susanna – your video is terrific!! You do not have to apologize for your tech skills! Thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of this blessing blog-hop. I am continually in awe of the love and support of this group of friends!
I could not guess them all! I missed Obi Wan Baloney because I guessed Ham Solo who, as my hubby pointed out, is NOT a Jedi. Oops! My favorite was the Ewok where is the fur riddle.
I thought the lightbulb one was funny–even told it to my hub–until I saw the, Use the Fork. LOL These are great, Susanna. Here's to it making lots of smiles for Renn. 🙂
Hello everyone! The force is definitely at work here…thank you, Susanna, for being the inspiration for something quite spectacular! I'm honored to be part of an effort that demonstrates all that is good and wonderful about people.
A salute to you, Susanna…your video joke box is AWESOME! I can't wait to visit all of these other amazing posts.
Prayers of healing and strength to Renn and family…may the doctors have the force with them as well so they can discover a solution and Renn can return home to complete his Jedi training.:)
I'm glad you enjoyed my pathetic attempt at video, Laura 🙂 and it is a wonderful group, isn't it? Everyone is so kind. I feel very lucky to be part of it!
Ooh! I didn't even think of Ham Solo! True, not a Jedi, but still a great guess! 🙂 And the Ewok one is funny to me because I often put a riddle inside signed copies of April Fool Phyllis and I use what side of a groundhog has the most fur 🙂
Heather Newman wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
I could not guess them all! I missed Obi Wan Baloney because I guessed Ham Solo who, as my hubby pointed out, is NOT a Jedi. Oops! My favorite was the Ewok where is the fur riddle.
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Thank you so much for participating, Vivian. I just read your RENNdition of Chicken Little and it's SO amazing! This is a truly wonderful community. I'm glad you enjoyed my feeble video – wait until you see Erik's! It puts mine to shame 🙂
“use the forks” is my favorite, Coleen 🙂 And I hope the jokes will make Renn smile. Meanwhile, I am up to chapter 4 in your book (which is why I haven't done all the work I should do :)) and it's fabulous so far!!!
You are so sweet Susanna, thank you. 🙂
I may be sweet, but I never lie! The book is good! 🙂
coleen patrick wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
You are so sweet Susanna, thank you. 🙂
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🙂
My kids have created a post! They don't have their own blog, so it's on mine 🙂
I LOVE your video (and the jokes!)!!! I tried to get my words to do the Star Wars up-thingy, but couldn't. It looks cool. 😀
what a wonderful thing you started for Renn! 🙂
Oh, I think that's terrific! I love that your kids did it, and I'm sure Renn will love that too – there's something about by kids for kids that works really well! 🙂 Can't wait to see it – I hope it's on the link list.
It is a joyful thing to see what everyone has posted. I send my thoughts to Renn, his family and the medical staff.
I'm glad you like it, Erik. I wanted the words to go slower so they'd be easier to read, but I couldn't figure that out… 🙂
This Kid Reviews Bks wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
I LOVE your video (and the jokes!)!!! I tried to get my words to do the Star Wars up-thingy, but couldn't. It looks cool. 😀
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Well it's all the wonderful, creative, kind people in the kidlit community that make it possible 🙂
Thank you, Wendy. I know how deeply Renn and his family appreciate that.
The force is strong in this one! Sending you our best wishes Renn!!!