May The Force Be With You, Young Renn!

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!