I just wanted to post a short note of thanks for all the great work the March of Dimes does for pregnant women and babies. We have joined with the March of Dimes for a wonderful shower at Portsmouth Naval Hospital for military moms and dads with premature babies (see our A is for Apple post here). We hope to be joining with them this year as well for a shower or two – or three.
Although I was well aware of the March of Dimes as an organization, I did not fully appreciate the great work they do until I was able to work closely with their team this past year. They have a wonderful program since 1995 — the NICU Family Support program — which they are working to expand to more military hospitals. They are also re-launching Mission Healthy Baby, to provide military service members and their families with the information they need for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy newborn. These are the programs Operation Shower is supporting, by providing showers to these same women and also helping to distribute the information from the March of Dimes.
So, thank you to the March of Dimes for their great work for pregnant military women and families — and for all families.
We are working right now on putting together a video or powerpoint presentation for Operation Shower. We want to convey our message in a succint yet powerful way. As I was reviewing some sites related to presentations, I came across Presentation Zen, which is very helpful. But, not surprisingly, I became sidetracked while I was there and became very interested in the presentation they were highlighting concerning ways to live longer and happier lives. I love this slide:
Ok, now that I have determined how to live longer and healthier, perhaps I’ll have more time to figure out how to do a presentation. . .
Last night, some of the Operation Shower team, along with other very fun women, met for our first Happiness Project meeting. It was so much fun and, I have to say it, it made me very happy. One of the things I value most is listening to other people and hearing their stories and the things they are dealing with in their lives. Although I am at heart very introverted and shy, I love to be around other people — especially in the kind of setting we had last night. A private room in a restaurant (at no extra cost) with good food and conversation. I always learn something on these type of evenings, and last night was no exception.
One of the women discussed how she loves her home and has done lots of work to it recently, but has avoided inviting people over because it’s not necessarily in the “best” neighborhood. She loves her home and loves entertaining, but just wasn’t doing it. So, one of her resolutions this year was to “bloom where you’re planted” — to love where she is and share it with others and not wish she was somewhere else.
We all loved this, and although we had heard it before, the quote “bloom where you’re planted” seemed to resonate with all of us and we wrote it down for ourselves. It was a great reminder to all of us that although our circumstances might not seem ideal at times, we should make the most of where we are at this time in our life and experience the full joy of where we are currently “planted.”
In what seemed a kind of “fate” working that night, when I told my son I was going to a meeting about the Happiness Project, he asked if he could make something for me to show the group. I said “sure” and a few minutes later he handed me the picture above, a smiling flower. He said “I think this should be your logo for your group.” How right he was. And it will be.
As I think about “blooming where you’re planted” I think about all the military families and how many families try to do just this. As they move from military base to military base or wait at home during deployments, they do their best to make each place a special home for their families. It is our goal, as Operation Shower, to help these families bloom where they are planted — to celebrate the life they have – especially when a newborn is coming soon.
(here’s a post of a favorite shower we did, which actually goes with this idea – boxes in bloom!)
I wanted to share with you a video from the PBS Series, This Emotional Life. As an advocate for military families through Operation Shower, I am trying to learn more about what their lives entail. I am not in the military, so the more I learn, the better I feel I can be of service. The issue of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is a very real issue and one with which many military families struggle. I was very touched by this video:
My son, who is 7 years old and loves to write books, stories, comics — everything — asked me this morning “Mom, why don’t you write more?” In his world, everyone should love to write. The thing is, I actually do love to write and am trying to do more of it through this blog. But, he never really sees me writing as I do it when he’s at school or in bed or just out of the house. I explained to him that I do write, but more on the computer than on paper. I think we forget at times to share with our kids what we are doing as we get so wrapped up in trying to show interest in what they are doing. I hope to share my love of writing with him more as a great way for us to connect.
As an aside, there are many wonderful ways to encourage a young writer and one of my favorites places has been through wonderful products at Scribble Press -so many fun products to get young people reading and writing (such as the superhero book, right, which my son loved!) I secretly love this store and wish I could own one myself. If not me, I could see my son starting one for sure!
Oh, and I would love to have a book-making workshop for the siblings at an Operation Shower event one day! Always thinking!
One of the things I am working on with Operation Shower (and personally) are the “Commandments” to guide our days as an organization. Gretchen Rubin has a post about happiness commandments, here , which explains where this idea originated for me. I love her first commandment to “Be Gretchen“. This speaks to me on many levels as I try, and struggle, to define — who is Operation Shower?
Here are some things I know about Operation Shower:
it is an organization started from a place of love and continuing from that place;
it is an organization put in place to help and honor military families and mothers;
it is an organization that wants to bring happiness to others;
it is small with only a few volunteers and limited resources;
each volunteer is wholeheartedly on Operation Shower’s side and on the side of military women and families;
it has very big dreams for what is possible;
it is an organization that loves a party;
it is an organization which embraces small companies and wonderful products from mom entrepreneurs;
it is an organization that strives to bring people together;
it is an organization that strives to bring understanding to others’ about military families;
it is an organization that tries hard to be “green” if possible;
it is an organization that must act like a for-profit company if we want to succeed;
it is an organization that is here for a reason — some of which we have yet to discover.
There have been many times over the past few years working on Operation Shower, when I have come across great non-profits or for-profit companies and the work they do. I would see something inspiring, then go on a tangent and start thinking “we should do that” “we should throw a fundraiser like this” etc. But, I am finally realizing that Operation Shower does not need to be these other organizations. It needs to Be Operation Shower. What works for some companies certainly will not work for all. We need to stay true to who we are and what we want Operation Shower to be, as opposed to trying to emulate others.
So, as we make decisions this year and work to accomplish great things, I can promise you, we will do a better job of “Being Operation Shower” than anyone else!
I have been a follower this past year of the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, and am now reading her just-released book and even starting a Happiness Project with a group of friends. Can you tell I am interested (obsessed?) in the concept of happiness? Just a little. I have read many parenting books on happiness and have even taken some classes concerning this concept. And, if you aren’t watching the PBS Series on happiness, This Emotional Life, you really should. I have only seen the first night so far, but it is very interesting and insightful.
How does happiness relate to Operation Shower? Well, part of the reason I started Operation Shower, was to bring joy to families that might be having a difficult time — pregnant women whose spouses were deployed. As Gretchen ( I feel like I know her well enough to call her by her first name although we have never met) talks about in her blog and in her book (and many others have discussed as well), one of the key components to happiness is social relationships and feeling connected. I felt that many women going through the struggles of raising a family, being pregnant and dealing with a spouse overseas in a war could certainly benefit from a gathering of other women like her. In addition, what doesn’t feel better than receiving an unexpected reminder that you are appreciated. (A small note from my husband this morning, made my day; I hope our Operation Shower boxes and events make their month).
In addition to providing connections and the acknowledgement, we also strive to provide, of course, needed product to these moms for their new babies and also important health information where we can. We are hoping to expand this even more this year, by really focusing on connecting the moms following the showers, and working with the March of Dimes and other organizations to provide important health and parenting information to the moms-to-be. Feeling confident that you can take care of your baby is a great source of happiness. We hope to provide some help with that.
Many persons question whether what we are doing is worthwhile, as it isn’t curing a disease or helping people in dire circumstances necessarily (although at times it is), but as I have had to learn myself, providing joy to persons (especially those making a sacrifice in their lives to serve our country) is more than worthwhile – it is fulfilling a true human need.
Finally, I realize that I am being selfish by the work I do on Operation Shower, because as Gretchen points out “the best way to make yourself happy is make other people happy.” And, it does make me happy to bring the joy of an Operation Shower event to military moms across the country. But, I think I’ll keep being selfish if that’s ok.
I am so excited for 2010 and the possibilities it holds. In case we haven’t met, I am LeAnn “lena” Morrissey, Chief Shower Officer and founder of Operation Shower. I used to have a site called “Lena’s Notebook” where I would share my thoughts on products for moms and kids and things I loved. Now, Lena’s Notebook is moving to the Operation Shower blog. Moving is so stressful, but it’s the right thing to do. I think . .
I plan to use part of this site to share with you more of my thoughts on being a mom, but also a behind the scenes look at what is going on with Operation Shower this year as we try to build the organization into something that can be sustained for years to come.
2009 was a great year for Operation Shower — we held two Mother’s Day showers — one at Ft. Hood, Tx and one at Scott Air Force base, Ill. We held our first shower with the March of Dimes at the NICU hospital in Portsmouth Virginia, where we showered 35 military moms with premature babies (picture to the left). We were joined by Army Wives actress, Wendy Davis, and by wonderful military moms and families. We had wonderful sponsors for the events this year and could never complete such showers without their support. You will hear more and more about these sponsors as we go forward. Wonderful companies doing wonderful things — why shouldn’t we let everyone know? I agree, we should.
I hope to share with you all aspects of Operation Shower as we go forward — the struggles and the great joys — of a non-profit business doing what we love, but also struggling to make it work from a business perspective. I recently learned the term “founder flounder” . Basically, it seems this is where non-profit founders struggle with taking the non-profit from a small company that follows their passion to a viable non-profit that can succeed on a larger scale. I am so glad there is a name for my affliction; now I must tackle it.
I would love for you to share the ride with me and help me make Operation Shower a force of strength and love for military families for a long time to come. Take a peek inside my notebook — just ignore the doodles.
The Operation Shower team is excited to also be joined by several of our amazing sponsors. We can’t wait to share how and why they are helping give back this holiday season.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be getting ready for our close-up.
Last night, some of the Operation Shower team, along with other very fun women, met for our first 
One of the things I am working on with Operation Shower (and personally) are the “Commandments” to guide our days as an organization. Gretchen Rubin has a post about happiness commandments, 
I am so excited for 2010 and the possibilities it holds. In case we haven’t met, I am LeAnn “lena” Morrissey, Chief Shower Officer and founder of 
