Mama Bracelets Re-Opens!!


We are very excited to announce the re-opening of our store.  We closed several months ago due to the fact that our youngest daughter, who has been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2 developed RSV and pneumonia.  She was admitted to the hospital for a week and returned home with many medical machines to help keep her healthy.  We have been spending our time since her hospital release learning how to best use these machines as well as developing a new daily routine for our family.  



Ella Sabine Casten
Born:  June 10, 2010
Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2:  August 12, 2011

As of late, we have also taken a good close look at what we wanted to do with Mama Bracelets.  We love our business.  We decided to keep going with it and renewed our LLC for another year.  We also looked at what our customers were purchasing since we opened and adjusted our product line accordingly.    From our research of Mama Bracelets' sales we noticed many people really enjoyed our hand-stamped necklaces...we love them too!  We also noticed that the "Support & Fundraising" part of our business was a big hit with many people across the country and in other parts of the world.  Making products that carried monetary donations to organizations proved to be very fulfilling for us.

With that information at our fingertips we have decided to continue making hand-stamped necklaces, as they were by far the most popular hand-stamped product we carried.  We also will continue to make the "Cure SMA" bracelets.  These hold a great personal value to us and help fund research to find a cure for SMA.
We are anticipating designing new products...please check our website frequently and/or "like" us on Facebook to keep up to date!

Our current product line consists of the following (pictures are link directly to the product page!): 



Hand-Stamped Necklaces (NEW!)



  


New "Cure SMA" Products




  












Discontinued "Cure SMA" Products (Limited Quantities!)







"Cure SMA" Update

We are very excited to let you know that through orders from across the country for our "Cure SMA" bracelets, since September (2011), we have donated $2214 directly to Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (FSMA) to help them fund research seeking treatments and a cure for this devastating terminal disease that strikes children!

Mama Bracelets will continue to offer the exclusive "Cure SMA" bracelets which carry a 30% donation directly to FSMA.

Links:

Learn more about FSMA at: http://www.fsma.org

Read about our daughter, Ella at: http://ellas-corner.blogspot.com

Purchase a "Cure SMA" bracelet at: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

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End of Year Letter (2011-12)


Dear Parents & Students,

I usually write separate letters for my parents and students.  This year, however, I chose to write one.  This decision was born out of the fact that I have never felt so much gracious consideration in my entire life as I have this past year.  This came not only from the adults surrounding me but also from the kids I taught...each and every one of them.

When I began this year I was a wreck.  I found myself hard pressed to focus on what I was doing.  Thoughts of my family, SMA, and everything surrounding us consumed me.  Sleepless nights came one after the other.  Faraway thoughts of my entire life kept creeping into my daily routines.  Fighting tears as I watched children run and play took much of my strength. September proved to be the hardest month I have ever experienced as a teacher...and it was personal.

Each day that I headed to work I wondered how I would make it through the day.  I wondered where my energy would come from.  I wondered how I was to have enough left for my wife and kids when I got home.  I worried.  I stressed.  I lost more sleep. 

I firmly believe that there is a reason for everything that happens in our lifetime; and that each set of circumstances is related somehow to the others.  There is a reason why each one of my students was placed in my classroom.  There is a reason that they were born to their parents, raised by adults who obviously instilled a sense of compassion and understanding in them.

As September rolled by and October took hold I found that my students provided me with a way to deal with my personal situation.  They asked me how things were going.  They listened when I spoke of my children.  They allowed me to be who I truly am.  They understood when I was extremely tired and worked with me to make the day a success.  When the stresses of my life proved to overshadow my demeanor, they still respected me. I often left Lincoln feeling that they may have taken the brunt of some of those stressors...I'm sure they did.  They, however, shared the burden with me.  For that I am forever grateful.

As the year solidified itself into the midst of winter--the outpouring of goodwill, comfort, and support that I felt from the parents of my students helped me to truly embrace the notion that it takes a community to raise a child.  In this case, that child was my daughter, Ella.  This opened up the doors for me to once again teach as I know best how to do.  My lessons were just that...lessons.  Slowly but surely I was more able to focus on the teaching and learning without the awful thoughts taking over.  Slowly but surely I was able to reach out to my students and help them achieve their best.  

The past nine months have made me a better teacher, a better husband, a better father, a better friend.  It has opened up my eyes, heart and soul to the essence of what it means to be a caring and compassionate human being.

Parents; your children are ever so lucky to have you raising them.
Students; your parents are ever so lucky to have you to raise.

You have made a difference in my life...in the life of my family...and in the life of a sweet young girl who one day will be told of your kindness and generosity, your compassion and goodwill.


Mr. Casten
May, 2012

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Dear District 205...

Ella Sabine Casten
Born:  June 10, 2010
Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2:  August 12, 2011

Dear Colleagues,
My  11th year teaching in District 205 winds down and I find myself thinking about the many people, seen and unseen, that have reached out to my family in one way or another over the past nine months.
My name is Michael Casten.   I teach 4th Grade at Lincoln School.  My daughter, Ella, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2,  just days before our students started this past school year.  Prior to walking into Lincoln only a handful of people knew of Ella’s condition.  Word spread quickly as people began wondering what they might do in order to show their concern and care.
SMA is a progressive, degenerative, terminal disease that has a prevalence rate of every 1 in 6000 live births being affected.  One in 40 people are carriers of the recessive gene responsible for this devastating disease.  To date, there are no treatments and no cure.  It has been named the #1 genetic killer of children (under the age of two) alongside being  the #1 neurological disease (of over 600) that is closest to a cure. 
In general, SMA causes the motor neurons responsible for voluntary movement, as well as muscles responsible for eating and breathing, to slowly die--causing extreme atrophy of muscle groups and eventually death; oftentimes children die due to respiratory complications.
My wife Lindsay (a former Lincoln School Teacher) and I found ourselves extremely fortunate to be part of a community that has opened their hearts and goodwill to us.  We are still overwhelmed with positive emotions regarding how so many of you have shown your care, concern, & compassion.
Whether you thought of us, offered a prayer for us, participated in an event to raise funds, dropped a note to us, lent us an ear, a smile, or a shoulder, spoke with others about us, read our blog, shared our blog, or are reading this and learning about Ella for the very first time…we cannot find the words that truly express our feelings of gratitude and comfort that fills us when we think about you and all you have done.
To date, Ella continues to develop cognitively as any other typical child her age.  She loves to play with her siblings, sing songs, and count.  She joyfully  plays with her favorite toys, watches her videos, and explores her world (in a 311 lb power wheelchair!).  Physically, Ella works wonders with the challenges that face her.  She keeps a spirit about her that draws people close—to her and to each other.  Her world of physical care is constantly changing as her disease progresses and she accepts it with grace and good nature. 
As the summer drapes itself over us we will all go our separate ways until the next school year.  Some of us will see one another, others will disappear into the months ahead, and still some of us will be enjoying the fruits of retirement.  Wherever you find yourself we sincerely  hope that  the incredible care, concern, and compassion you have afforded our family these past nine months meets you in the places you find yourselves.
Sincerely,
Michael, Lindsay, Ava, Henry, & Ella Casten
P.S.
One of our goals since Ella’s diagnosis is to spread awareness about SMA.  Until our daughter was diagnosed, neither of us, nor our family and friends, had ever heard of this terrible disease.  We strongly feel that awareness fuels the engines of progress.  Progress toward treatment options and a cure.  Please feel free to keep up with Ella’s life through our blog, “Ella’s Corner” and please feel free to share it, and her story, as you see fit.
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Ella's Corner: "ELLAwareness" T-Shirts...Act Fast!!!

Ella's Corner: "ELLAwareness" T-Shirts...Act Fast!!!: We are very excited that we will be ordering "ELLAwareness for SMA" t-shirts for the upcoming FSMA Walk and Roll on June 10th!! Thanks to ...
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She Leads Them On


I stood on the Lincoln playground watching the kids play their games.  Voices rang through the air, shouting of childhood pleasures in the fun that was surrounding them.  Often there is more than one class out on the playground and the kids delight in the games that allow so many to join.  
On this particular day Mrs. Barker's Kindergarten Class was out while my class was.  They were busy jumping rope, hanging on the bars, sliding down the slides, and running in all sorts of directions.  Their faces told the familiar story of playtime in the warm sun.

I continued my walking around the playground until I noticed that Mrs. Barker held her hand up high in the air as she walked toward me.  I stopped, now positioned in the middle of the playground and watched.
My mind settled on the scene that unfolded.  The little kids of Lincoln gathered around Mrs. Barker.  She began walking away from the school and her class followed like ducklings.  She began pointing to the ground, showing them the artwork that other children had completed earlier in honor of their teachers.  Her boys and girls looked at the artwork, pointing their fingers, and enjoying the tour.

I watched more closely and noticed something.  The ease and grace with which Mrs. Barker carried herself with a group of 5 year-old's began to consume my mind.  The kids seemed to take turns walking beside her; each delighting in the time they had with her.  She always noticed the one next to her with a smile and at the same time kept the others in her sight.  They walked around in several circles and the scene became one that could be painted.  An experienced teacher; humble, graceful, dedicated...surrounded lovingly by her students.  Children that have grown to love her over the past nine months; children who have grown to trust her.  

She was, in her own way, introducing her students to all of the Lincoln teachers by walking the chalk art created by the "older kids".  She was demonstrating how kids view their teachers...the very teachers that many of her students will have in the future.  She was instilling with quiet persuasiveness a respect for the adults that will someday educate them.  They say that "all one needs to know in life is learned in Kindergarten"...the lesson on the playground was but one tidbit of what these children learn from their Kindergarten teacher.  

As quickly as she rounded them up with her raised hand she brought them to a quiet line amidst the busy playground.  They willingly and very naturally fell into line, raised their own hands like their teacher had done, and prepared to enter the building.

As they disappeared into Lincoln School I wondered how many of them will always remember Mrs. Barker as their Kindergarten Teacher...I know that answer...

...each and every one of them.
Mr. Casten
May 11, 2012

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten
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