From the Xander Zone Blog Hop and Auction

Welcome to the Xander Zone!!  You should have had  quite a trip through todays Blog Hop and Auction.  Our dear friend Betty Roberts, owner of Simply Betty Stamps has just found out this week that her 17 year old son Christian has Stage 1 Throat Cancer.  He will be having surgery next week and many months of Therapy to follow.  (To read more from  Betty on what’s going on please go HERE)

Betty’s DT and the Crafty Sprouts DT along with a few friends have come together today for the From the Xander Zone Blog Hop and Auction!  If you are stumbling into this hop please head to Crafty Sprouts to catch the beginning of the hop!

If you hopped here from  Susan then you are right on track!

As you hop along today you will see cards created with Xander, the first in a new series to be released called “From the Xander Zone”.  He is available with a donation to Betty’s family.  Christian will be undergoing Surgery next week to remove his tonsils from there, the next steps to start working on the throat cancer will start.  It is unknown how long therapy is, what to expect and etc.  could be weeks, months, it is unknown until i t all begins and dealt with.

                                                                

There is also  a contest running through October 16^th and Christian will pick a random winner who will receive the whole collection!  The details on the contest are at the SBS blog.

As you hop today you will also see many cards and projects up for Auction.  In order to make a bid on an item leave a comment on that person’s blog with your offer AND your name and email address.  Please remember that it might not be you who gets the winning bid, so check back if you really want it! 

At the end of the Hop (Tuesday night October 11^th at 9pm EST) the auction will come to a close.  Winners will be sent a paypal invoice and the Winners will be announced Wednesday on the Simply Betty Stamps blog.  Please note that we are asking for timely payment, with 48 hours of the announcement on Tuesday morning or the runner up will be chosen.  This is for the simple fact that Betty’s family needs this money as quickly as possible for all of these unexpected and out-of-pocket needs.

If you would like to send a card to Christian please mail to:

 Christian Ford

P.O. Box 132314

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

If you got lost along the way, here’s the hop order!

Crafty Sprouts  

 Cyndi

Kristi 

Suzi 

 Zeni 

Wendy

 Rebecca

 Vicki

   Alison  

   Raven 

  Lea  

Lelia 

  Sandra 

Aeryn

 Nicole  

  Elsa 

  Cheri  

Carley  

 Linda

Pam  
Susan

Simply Betty Stamps 


 Thanks so much for hopping with us today!


 A note from Betty:


It is truly touching to have so many crafters come together for me and my family.  My son has been reading the comments, listening in on my conversations with my DT gals and is very thankful for all the well wishes.  He has told me that it amazes him that even though all that have left good wishes, sent donations, and made purchases don't know him are there to help him get better.  I want you all to know that all of the well wishes have lifted his spirits.  He is doing better, and is less scared and worried.  His fevers from the Strep have finally stopped, he has been able to eat and feel normal.  He still has pain, from the infection, not the cancer as we all know cancer can at times exist without symptoms... in his case it was discovered due to his Strep and thank God and my lucky stars he did end up with strep, I know funny to say that right?  I am sure you all know what I mean by that.  As we move forward with all of this, it is unknown what is to come.  I have never been in a situation like this, no one in our immediate family has ever gone through anything related to cancer.   My mother's mother, my grandmother, did pass from cancer, but at the age of 102 and never had symptoms, I never knew, neither did the rest of the family until it was at full blown stage at the end of her life.  It is unknown why Christian got it, as I am sure it is unknown why many get it... babies, young adults, kids, the elderly, it obviously hits anyone at any time.  Ok, sorry I am rambling, but for the first time since we found out I am able to think straight and gather my words.  


As we begin treatment, operations, and whatever medical attention Christian needs I will find out just what all is involved.  The first thing is his tonsils and that tumor being removed Tuesday!  Yay!  From there, I am sure we will be faced with the next steps and move forward with positive attitudes and the knowledge that Christian will finally be rid of the pain coming from his tonsils!  Yay again!  What had him so sick to begin with was those darn tonsils and the infection in the tonsils.  I can't imagine what my son was feeling, one, two , three, FOUR weeks of not being able to swallow without minor, then strong, and eventually horrible pain in his throat!  As a mother non of us like to see them so much as with a cold and down and out.  On occasion I found my son in bed, curled up in a ball and actually crying like a tiny kid when he hurt his knee from falling off the tricycle... many of you moms know that cry.  Anyhow I am rambling again and all I really wanted to say was... Thank you each and everyone of you for the support you have given myself and my son, our family really as this will effect all of us.  Know that everything has been accepted with much appreciation and my endless gratitude.  I will never be able to express it in full effect in a blog post or an email, but please know that it has a magnitude of the whole of the world!


To my DT thank you girls so much for putting up with me before you even knew what exactly was going on and I was a complete nut... of course that is an understatement!  Each and everyone of you girls make my day and I simply adore each and everyone of you!  You gals are the gushy part that holds SBS together!  Hold me together too ;)


Cyndi and Suzi, I can't thank you girls enough for putting so much together for me.  For re-doing blog posts, calendars, and image release dates, over and over again.  I know you all wanted to slap me at some point...thank you for hugging me instead.  I am sure I will have more days like that and hope I don't get slapped eventually!  LOL  
Really, just thank you girls so much for pulling it all together for me!  


Erika and her DT thank you so much for being involved, I just can't thank you all enough for the help and involvement.


Everyone on this hop, thank you so much I can't thank you enough... I know how busy some of your are with our own new adventures and blogs and have taken the time to be a part of this, again can't thank you enough! 


There are so many of you out there that spread the word by posting on your blogs... again, I can never thank you all enough.  I may not have emailed you to personally thank you, but please know I have not forgotten you and I am so very grateful for that help!  


As we head toward our goals with Christian's being rid of this cancer, I will continue to be mindful that many of the obstacles we will over come will be with the support and well wishes the crafting community has shown us.  It consists of so many wonderful people and I am very glad to be a part of that community.


Many hugs, lots of love and my never ending gratitude to each and everyone of you out there!


Betty & Christian and Familiy