McKMama’s Day
Posted on May 13th, 2009 – 12:01 PMBy Kay Krhin
Did you see the front page of the Star Tribune on Mother’s Day? The featured article was about Jennifer McKinney, a local mother of four.
She is a talented photographer who is fiercely dedicated to her children and writes a blog read by seemingly the entire world - mycharmingkids.net
For those of you who aren’t familiar with her story or blog you can read Gail Rosenblum’s eloquent article online now. Click below.
“One mom’s miracle”
Editor’s note: We have turned commenting off on this post due to the unfortunate nature of the discussion.
42 Responses to "McKMama’s Day"
This woman amazes me! I’ve never met her in person but did meet her oldest 3 kids when we were on our big old playdate with Matt & Madeline last fall & she has become friends with some of my IRL friends that are also Matt’s ‘creeps’ - Small world this blogging community isn’t it?
MckMama is an inspiration to me ~ I can barely pull things off with 2 kids - this woman…with FOUR! Amazing.
Here’s to the rest of us amazing moms!
darcie took the words out of my mouth - an inspiration through and through. is it odd that i had many restless/sleepless nights while stellan was in the hospital? I would like to think not…
omg, i LOVE Jennifer’s blog! She’s a great writer and she seems so passionate with how she writes. She can be hilarious, but she can be so serious and so loving too. She is like a famous blogger pracically. I think of her that way, because if I ever saw her in person, I honestly would ask her for her autograph!
Chris, I don’t think it is odd at all. I’m pretty convinced that my youngest son being restless at night while Stellan was in the PICU at Children’s and in Boston was God’s way of waking me up to pray, which I did on many occasions.
I love her!!!!
She is so amazing and an insperation to so so many!!
[…] Cribsheet – […]
Dunno. there are MILLIONS of kids who are sick and in hospitals so I don’t see the allure and what makes this woman special or why god wants anyone to pray for her kid more than any of the others! Because she blogs about hers? Does that mean that those children who are anonymous are less special? .I think its a little pompous for her to think she IS special. she’s just a woman who blogs about her kids but hers is no more special than any other child. Besides, there are people who spend MONTHS even years in and out of hospitals with their children and are’t playing on people’s attention and telling them what god wants through their kids. Puhleeze.
I think Michelle is not getting it….Jennifer does not think that God wants anyone to pray for her child any more than any other child. I don’t know where that is coming from….TOTALLY OFF-BASE.
I do not believe that she is pompous and believes that she IS special. Yes, she is just a woman.
So, PUHLEEZE get your facts correct before you make statements that are TOTALLY WRONG.
diddo dot! I couldn’t have said it any better myself! I love McKMamma! Michelle, Go read her blog…..I’m sure you will be inspired!
I bet jennifer is praying for you, Michelle, right now!
Michelle, I agree that peoples prayers should not be just for one family. But if you had been following her blog at any point you would see that everything that she went through with her son caused her and everyone else who reads her blog to realize that there is a HUGE need to pray for all the children and their families. She has said many time that God has used this to humble her. She didn’t intend on having a “famous” blog but the Lord has used it for His glory. I’m sure more people than you know are now praying for all the babies, children and their families that are in the hospital.
Vanessa
Michelle, I will also add that anyone who proclaims Jennifer’s self worth isn’t doing what she would want either. From reading her blog you would be able to see that she tries to always give God the glory for everything He is doing in her families lives. People just admire her which isn’t wrong as long as their not idolizing her. I hope you don’t feel like your being attacked there are just a lot of people that love Jennifer’s family.
Vanessa
http://www.goodtimesdelgadostyle.blogspot.com
I think she’s using the blog for her OWN glory.
It seems she gets lots of attention when her children are sick and hospitalized. This is not the first time.
Well meaning people are being sucked in to this narcisstic woman’s ploys for attention. HER attention. Not His. There’s a fine line, but it’s there.
Wolverine?? No, I think sheep is more like it!
Gia,
You are totally off base. Jennifer would much rather not have the attention, and have her children healthy. She is an inspiration to all. I will pray for you.
Maxsmom,
You don’t need to pray for me. Because I have an OPINION…mine…I don’t need to be prayed for.
You should pray for Mckmama who can’t seem to get enough attention - even when everyone and their mother prayed for her and her child. She makes it not so much about her children, as it is about HER. Has she ever once mentioned how Stellan may have felt throughout this ordeal? How scared or painful it must’ve been for him sometimes? Instead she whined about where she would sleep and she got hotel rooms offered to her. She hardly stayed overnight with her own baby! There’s is a serious problem when someone seeks that kind of attention for oneself.
Also, every single link and button on her blog is for HER benefit.
Never have I seen her add a button to her sidebar for other families in need of prayers. Sure, she’ll throw a link out every now and then, but why won’t she give up a tiny bit of space on her blog to bring attention elsewhere? Why? Because she is narcissitic.
These other grieving families who have sick or dead children have Stellan button on their blogs. Why must she be so greedy for the attention?!
She’s deleted threads on Blog Frog about poor little Kayleigh who was dying and her family needed $$. Why?? So all her “wolverines” could send their donations HER way.
I think it is very arrogant for anyone to say they are “praying” for those who have differing opinions.
If people do not like this woman or her blog or her motives that is their own opinion - nothing more. From what I am aware, we live in a democracy where everyone is entitled to one.
I have no feeling for her either way for this woman. I have only read her blog a few times very recently when I saw her link on someone’s blog.
But I think it is pretty arrogant and nervy to tell someone you will pray for them. Geesh!
Gia, I completely agree with you. She works a long time on posts, she doesn’t simply write what she thinks, because it has to appear just so. Every word is measured.
But you can’t fight groupies! they’ll defend anything. She put a picture of her sucking a pacifier and her groupies are laughing and saying look how cute that was. Me, I just thought that was insane. 
Wow–I am amazed at people’s jealousy. MANY people throughout the world have been brought to their knees for the first time (or the first time in a long time) and have found their need for the Lord again. I think she is an inspiration to many people. I think the Lord is shining through her.
If you are not inspired…it’s simple, don’t gripe about her, just stop reading her blog. I am not a “groupie”…I am a mother that can share in the commonality of loving my children more than life itself.
To those above who have written hateful comments about a dear woman whom you do not truly know, I urge you to view her in the light most favorable.
I must tell you though, she would not be a bit surprised by your criticism. In fact, she may even rejoice, as once again, the Bible has proven itself to be inerrant. You see, she knows that when you live for Christ, you expect tribulation. You expect scorn. You expect to be despised by the world.
I inform you that MckMama does not view herself as holy, righteous, and pure. She in no way believes she is better than another. She confesses to be a sinner, and she knows that Lord came to save the sinner, not the righteous! “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7
I challenge you to seek the heart of God, as MckMama does so that you can understand the peace that surpasses all understanding. Then maybe you won’t feel the need to bring others down. Choose words that would honor the Lord so that you will not be “lightly esteemed” by the giver of life. (1 Samuel 2:30)
I encourage you! “May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people…so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” (I Thessalonians 4:12-13)
Take a breath Victoria!
Gia, I could not agree more. This woman has gained a star like quality, like Angelina Jolie or something. Why? Because she has a beautiful blog, beautiful kids, beautiful pictures and writes beautiful words. But, and it is a huge “but” for me, I perceive it to be surface. I can’t shake the feeling that she is trying to make it look like she is giving all the glory to God because people are feeding off of that. This is the first article where I have seen her mention God. The Freemans, who were on the Doctors today, now they are glorifying God. Humble, honest, heartfelt.
I also got the very distinct impression that she was fishing with her twitters. She knows she has “wolverines” following her every word and when she wanted something, she found a seeminly innocent way to get it. A casual mention of her sons baby legs being lost, or her not having a going home outfit, but that she is way too practical to spend money on an outfit for herself. “Poor me, I’ll just wear the same shirt I’ve worn for 5 days straight.” People are buying into this hook line and sinker but I don’t see it. She really comes across as a fake to me.
When my baby was in the icu know where I spent my time? In the icu on a cot. Not in a conference room being woken up at 6 am but being woken up all night long by beeping monitors and nurses checking vitals and administering meds.
To those of you who are quick to jump and call those of us who are not MckMama wolverines, “jealous” or whatever, consider instead that maybe we have been in MckMamas shoes and know what it is really like. We see her attention seeking ways and her casual ways of digging for gifts or money from other people and just feel downright angered. No, I am not jealous that people have handed over their money, time, etc. to MckMama, I am wounded for all of the other mamas who are really heros. Who do what she did for a month, for days and weeks and months on end. And with more passion, compassion and devotion. Those who are burdened and are not being given nights at hotels, massages and “paydirt” (tons of gifts from strangers) but are humbly and honestly going through the trials that the Lord has laid before them, and are not looking for a pat on the back or any special acknowledgement.
And echoing again what Gia said, it really burns me to know that threads were being deleted by Jennifer that were about Kayleigh. And, no, I do not know the Freemans, or Kayleigh, other then through the blog.
And spot on that everything on Jennifers blog is prayer buttons for Stellan. Hello! We are at your blog! We don’t need to click and get linked up. How about putting some other families out there who could use the prayers?
Honestly, this paprazzi following of Jennifer just sickens me.
Oh, and I beg some of you to look back and see how Jennifer handled herself when some of her blog readers mentioned her son should not be in a booster yet. Do not be fooled by this woman. She is not all love and doves and wonder mama. I would think when someone is giving me information with the intent of keeping my kids safer, I would embrace that. Not throw a hissy fit about it.
Maxsmomhere, I will be praying for Gia too.
Jennifer is a link to reality. She has caused many people to open their eyes on just how blessed and lucky we are. She brought millions of people together who had two things in common, one, God and two, the belief that miracles can happen. If you (Gia and others) have issues with the way Jennifer does things, then don’t read her blog. But for the rest of us, she makes us laugh, cry and feel like family. She is so personal, you feel like you are talking to your sister or best friend. Jennifer, if you read this… thank you. I have grown so close to you and your family through all of this. Stellan is a blessing and he has done this amazing job of bringing the world together as one, and I know you don’t need people like me telling you this, you already know. I also know you have more common sense than to let people like Grumpy oh I mean Gia get to you! God bless you and your family! I am going to be your next IRL friend! Mark my words. Stellan said he wanted you to be friends with me… I heard him : )
Bravo Elisa!
Wow, so many of you are right on target about this narcissistic woman. She totally thrives on attention, as if she never got any as a little child. Her own husband barely spends any time with her, and didn’t even bother to be by her side when their baby was supposedly fighting for his life with a “life threatening” condition in Boston. That is really odd.
I totally agree with the above poster, that said that she hints at things she wants/needs from her readers. She is so transparent and anyone that doesn’t see that, is just plain blind.
She rakes in thousands of dollars praying on the kindness of strangers. She uses her son for her own narcissistic benefit. When the attention slows down, she starts up again how hes so critically ill, YET she doesn’t even sleep by his side in the hospital like most normal mothers would. She instead begs readers to pay for her HOTEL expenses.
I dont get it. My son was hospitalized several times, and not ONE night did I spend NOT at his side. That is just not right. She gloats over receiving tons of packages and gift cards and money. She is just a big phoney and I hope others can see through her fakeness. She cares about no one but herself. Who else has time to blog and twitter practically 24 hours a day? She has a nanny, drives an expensive SUV, has a big house on the lake, plus an additional home, trust me she is not financially NEEDY. Except for just emotionally needy. Wake up people..lol
I just read the article. Ha, too funny. It’s obvious if you read between the lines, that her husband can’t stand her and does everything in his power to stay away from her. A “natural beauty”, haha,I guess if thats what you call thick necked, chubby women with frizzy hair in the Midwest. That Mckmama really needs therapy. She totally uses her son’s illness to get attention for herself.
OHHHH! My heart is breaking.
PLEASE STOP!!! How can people can say such horrible things and not feel at all ashamed?
Let us remove the log from our own eye before attempting to remove the speck from another’s.
“PLEASE STOP!!! How can people can say such horrible things and not feel at all ashamed?
Let us remove the log from our own eye before attempting to remove the speck from another’s.”
Pot, meet kettle!
Wow! I am really surprised at all the negative comments. Come on people - didn’t your mother teach you if you don’t have something nice to say, then don’t say anything at all?!! I think it is so funny that these women who despise Jennifer, know so much about her. You have to read her blog to know she calls her readers wolverines. You have to read her blog and tweets to know she is blogging and on Twitter so often. If you don’t like her or the message she is trying to send to her readers - THEN DON’T READ IT! Find something else to waste your time on and leave her alone. Yes, many women have gone through horrible things with sick children in the hospital, but no one, including Jennifer, deserves to be attacked because they deal with it by blogging. And why are you criticizing her for not sleeping in her son’s hospital room every night? You were not at the hospital with her - you don’t know what the sleeping arrangements were like. If there was a cot or bed available in her son’s room, I am SURE she would have slept on it! And to criticize her husband for not being there with her - HELLO! He has a business that he must run in order to provide for his family AND someone had to be at home to take care of the other three kids. All of you posting negative comments on here should be ashamed of yourselves. Grow up and stop attacking others.
Anonymous:
Brokenhearted’s comments are those of exhortation. Something God commands of us. Not at all the pot calling the kettle black.
“Let us remove the log from our own eye before attempting to remove the speck from another’s” is hardly a horrible thing to say. It is encouragement. It is productive. It challenges someone to be a better person - holding them accountable for their actions and words, rather than tearing them down.
It’s so strange, because I was just reading that verse tonight: Matthew 7:5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
God’s just amazing that way!
I know the verse!
My point was she was here saying those who disagree with Jennifer/aren’t in love with Jennifer should feel ashamed for what they have said. Should she not remove the log from her eye before she tries to take the speck from anothers? Is it her job to see to it that we feel ashamed for our comments?
To her defense, she did say let US remove it from OUR eye. Not, YOU remove it from YOUR eye.
And according to the Bible, she is totally right in the rebuke:
I Timothy 5:20 As for those who continue in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
So, I honestly can’t argue with her there. The Word clearly backs her up.
So many just want to read/believe the sweet, comfort verses - Love your neighbor as yourself, Love is patient, Love is Kind, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength… well, there’s a lot more to the story. We need to be rebuked. We need our sins to be pointed out to us when we can’t see the forest for the trees so that that we have the opportunity to repent and get it right. It’s going to sting. No one wants to hear it - no one wants to be called out on their faults.
If you disagree - please tell me. All I can do is go to the Word for every issue. I don’t pretend to understand it on my own. I’m so thankful that the Lord provided us with such a thorough roadmap! I’d be so lost. So discouraged without it.
This woman is so fake and the followers cannot see the truth….go ahead and donate to Jennifer because she is laughing all the way to the bank.
All she cares about is the hits to her blog because that is what makes her money!
The only time she even mentions praying for anyone else is when she is called out…..yea her blog friend Adam Freeman like she called him. Well Jennifer where was the Kayleigh freeman button the entire time she was alive? Certainly wasn’t located on your blog…no she waits until Kayleigh Freeman has died and then she wants to say her heart is broken in two….HYPOCRITE!!!! You people think she is such a saint and follower of God. Not….Jennifer McKinney is out for herself and no one else and you guys are the fools for not seeing it!
Go ahead and go on her cruise cause you guys are paying for her a free vacation!
How about instead of wasting your time and energy on debating things that have no real importance, If you don’t agree with her then why are you reading her blog daily? Why are you wasting precious time out of your day. I think it is merely a waste of time for ADULTS to sit here on a newspapers website and argue over something this petty. If you don’t agree with her then why are you wasting your time here, click on that little x button at the top of the page.
This whole thing makes me laugh. I have to say , yes this Jennifer Mckinney is a total fake, but look how many people she has fooled?!!!! Its kind of funny to me how she snaps her fingers and you so called wolverines jump at her beck and call. Too funny to watch. She says her sons baby legs went missing, omg, look how fast you guys mailed her some. she even so conveniently provided you all with the :gasp: LINK to the baby legs site. haha. Then her phone went on the fritz, and ever so casually mentioned that, and wow lo and behold you crazies mailed her iPhones by the boxful! She mentioned that she didn’t want to sleep on a cot in the baby’s hospital room and wow, you guys paid for a stay at the Sheraton hotel for her. She so enjoyed that, she invited her other kids to partake in the luxury hotel stay as well. She got tons of people to supply her with restaurant meals delivered to the hospital because god forbid she eat cafeteria food like the other parents. She also got you all to send her money and gift cards to places like Old Navy and Target so she could shop in her spare time. As well as a whole group of other people supplying her husband and kids back home with meals, money, gift cards, and babysitting. All for free. And, she even provided handy links for you to donate more money to her FUND for Stellan, just in case you didnt give enough to her. haha. She also provided links to other groups raising money for her , like ETSY, and some blanket site . How so kind and convenient of her to do that for you guys. And you all fell for it. hard. Here she is in her big house on the lake, with her nanny, and expensive SUV, promoting her photography business, laughing all the way to the bank! I say …dont hate the player, Hate the game!
Wow. This is so not our normal Cribsheet.
@Kim ~ I was thinking the same thing. It’s too bad.
I believe that MckMama definitely believes and loves God.
That being said, she has used her “blog fame” for her own purposes and to feed her own insecurities….and to receive money from many, many families.
And THAT being said, her “wolverines” love it and will continue to give her money. They have lots of time (and apparently money) on their hands.
My heart breaks for Kayleigh and the way she and her family were overlooked by Jennifer. However, this has happened before and will continue to happen.
Ce la vie.
All of your words might be hurtful if you knew Jennifer and her family, but you’re so off base it’s almost comical.
The nanny, fancy lake house and expensive SUV? Who started that one? No nanny, a small house and no car. That’s right, J doesn’t have a car at all right now.
And, they pay their babysitters generously.
All of your words might be hurtful if you knew Jennifer and her family, but you’re so off base it’s almost comical.
The nanny, fancy lake house and expensive SUV? Who started that one? No nanny, a small house and no car. That’s right, J doesn’t have a car at all right now.
And, they pay their babysitters.
Jennifer’s husband came to the hospital to visit almost every evening, in addition to running his business and carrying for their three children.
I could go on but I won’t waste my time on bored women looking for a fight.
Please note, if you’re going to trash talk someone, get the facts. Otherwise you look like a fool.
I can’t believe all this! It is crazy, well way beyond crazy! If you don’t want to read, be tempted, or just slander Jennifer there is a simple fix…DON’T READ IT!!!!
