Bring a Book to Bed Day! celebrates its third birthday on February 27th - and it's been fun every step of the way! Not many people know this, but I had a dream about Bring a Book to Bed Day! - not an I-wish-I-could-create-a-holiday type of dream, but I-went-to-sleep-and-I-dreamt-it kind of dream. When I woke up, I thought it was a good idea and kept it in my mind until one day I thought, why not? Why don't I create a holiday called Bring a Book to Bed Day!? My dream was realized and I feel so very grateful and blessed by all the love and support that my dear friends in the States, in Italy and in Turkey have given me to turn my dream into a reality - and a celebration of staying in bed and reading. Thank you one and all!

The first year was all about getting Bring a Book to Bed Day! off the ground. We had fun and we had prizes! The second year, I was inspired to create the giving back portion of Bring a Book to Bed Day! My dear friend, Ezgi Sorman, who shared her talents and offered her services as part of the prizes of Bring a Book to Bed Day!'s inaugural year had come to live in Turkey and was working on various projects here. One of them was creating The Rebirth of the East, an organization that gathered books to create libraries in schools in the eastern part of Turkey. Her organization was able to gather enough books to complete a library for a school in Van, a town close to the Iran/Iraq border. Building the library was the first step that enabled the school to get more government funding and services to the students.

After the library was completed, Ezgi talked to the kids at the school and each shared their deepest desires and dreams with her. One child wanted to play guitar, another wanted to become a photographer - and so Ezgi started gathering musical instruments, equipment and funds to help the kids in Van realize these dreams.

This year as part of Bring a Book to Bed Day! I plan on making contributions to DonorsChoose.org in the U.S., The Rebirth of the East here in Turkey (and if you would like to contribute too, just send Ezgi an email at ezgi@myblissandbalance.com to find out how.) And if you'd like to see the photos of that project, just stop by my Facebook page - I am the Alba Brunetti with the wind in my hair and the Bosphorus Bridge behind me. I hope you feel as inspired as I do and will give generously to help deserving kids realize their hopes and dreams. We all may dream alone, but to realize those dreams we all need a little help from our friends. And thank you again to my dear, dear friends who have helped me realize the dream of Bring a Book to Bed Day!