I am resolute.

It seems that the first set of resolutions people make are about ourselves. Lose 10 pounds, clear the house of clutter, read more books…

I make a set of resolutions at my birthday, and I’ve been working on those. Some have been super easy, some….well…the nice thing is that I can renew my resolutions at the New Year!

Something that’s on my list is to give blood. I’ve been wanting to for some time. I’m O negative, people with my blood type are called the “universal donor.” If a person  are given blood that is mismatched with theirs, it can violently trigger their immune system. Think of the worst allergic reaction you’ve ever had, but INSIDE EVERY BLOOD VESSEL IN YOUR BODY. Ew! But O negative blood cells don’t contain the main triggers that would cause a person’s immune system to recognize foreign cells. (There are other things that *should* be matched, but in a pinch, and emergency, the main blood types are usually good enough.

I was always too thin to donate (the cut off is 110 pounds, I certainly reach that now). In December, our local highschool was to have a blood drive. I had everything laid out to take Tommy down to the drive, so he could see his mama donate blood. Then….

SNOW! Grrr! So much snow! They canceled school and the blood drive. Here I thought Red Cross workers were brave!

But this year, I *will* give blood, I *will* get my children involved, and I will hopefully make a habit of it. Hopefully when the kids are able (over 17, over 110 pounds, and in good health), they will feel the need to donate, too.

Back before Christmas I posted about Share Our Strength, a foundation working HARD to fight childhood hunger. There’s no reason in this country that we should be having little children going hungry. Previously, I wrote:

1 in 6 children will worry about when their next meal will come. That’s 12 million children in America. Not “Will mom make me eat spinach again,” but “WHEN will I get to eat again.”

Hunger affects our children’s health in significant and long-lasting ways, predisposes our children to behavioral difficulties, and impedes our children’s ability to learn and perform academically.

Part of Share Our Strength’s brilliance is that they team up with big names and big companies that want to affect big change. This time, I want to help Quaker Oats, and The Parents Blogger Network get the word out about the newest Share Our Strength partnership campaign “Start with Substance.”

From January 12 through February 28, for every UPC from a Quaker Oatmeal hot cereal product families enter at www.startwithsubstance.com, Quaker will donate one bowl of oatmeal to Share Our Strength. (You’ll need to be a Facebook member to participate.)

Head over and check them out. Nothing warms a belly like a hot bowl of oatmeal.