CHERUBS Needs Volunteers

We are in the last week of the January voting for the Pepsi Refresh Project.  We are in desperate need of volunteers to vote.  Are you aware of all of the ways you can vote EVERY DAY?

You can vote 5 ways EVERY DAY:

1. at Pepsi's site - http://pep.si/voteforkidshealth

2. by text (see codes below)

3. by Facebook Application - http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=263136462520

4. by iphone - http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/pepsi-refresh-everything/id398265175?mt=8#ls=1

5. by android - http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/lifestyle/pepsi-refresh-project_nfii.html

Vote for all 10 charities at http://pep.si/voteforkidshealth

* ACTD - #64 in $50,000 (moved up 1 spot). Text 103679 to Pepsi (73774)

* Alyboo and Izybee Foundation - #47 in $50,000 (moved up 4 spots). Text 105431

* Birmingham Royal Oak Medical ...Group - #37 in $25,000 (holding). Text 104303

* Challenger Learning Center of Kentucky - #44 in $50,000 (moved back 2 spots). Text 104476

* CHERUBS - #18 in $25,000 (moved up 5 spots) Text 101202

* Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters - #12 in $250,000 (moved back 1 spot). Text 104850

* Congenital CMV Foundation - #21 in $5,000 (holding steady). Text 104946

* MedZou Clinic - #23 in $50,000 (moved back 1 spot). Text 103787

* Visually Impaired Preschool Services - #35 in $250,000 (moved back 1 spot). Text 104721

* YMCA of the North Shore/Salem YMCA - #43 in $50,000 (moved back 1 spot). Text 105253

 

We need every vote we can get to help out critically ill babies and children.

 

That isn't the only way you can help out with CHERUBS.  We are looking for volunteers to help with CHERUBS directly.  We are looking for hospital angels in Minnesota.  Also we need people to help raise awareness in Minnesota about CDH.  Maybe you are interested in contacting your local paper and/or tv and radio stations.  There are so many other areas of volunteering available.  The list is practically endless.  If you are interested in helping out, please feel free to contact me or CHERUBS directly.

Thank you.

New Year's Resolutions Revisited

We are almost half way through the first month of 2011.  Hard to believe isn't it?  Where does time go?

How are we doing on those resolutions?  I've improved, but I'm not where I want to be on them.  But, the way I look at it, I have a whole year to improve.  After all, it is a resolution for the whole year.  By the end of this year, I want to be better than I was the previous year at that time.  Maybe I don't see it the way I should, but each to his own, right?

I've been focusing more on my family.  I'm trying to get projects done that I've promised over and over again to complete.  I've been watching what I eat a lot more.  And that doesn't just mean watching it go from my plate to my mouth. : )  I've been trying to make more balanced meals for my family.  Trying to eat at home more than out.  I'm trying to work with my son on his homework.  He is having a hard time focusing at home and in class.  And we've been spending more time as a family.  Must be working because my daughter even mentioned it the other night on how much she appreciates us being able to sit around and talk at night after dinner.

I've been trying to do volunteering in different aspects this year.  I want to know my volunteering is making a difference.  I still volunteer at my son's school, but more for the teacher than as a whole.  I've been trying to come up with more CDH awareness ideas.  So far, one is that my son's science fair project is "What is CDH?".  Since he's still in 2nd grade I can help him out with it a little more than I would next year.  I decided it was a perfect way of bringing awareness to his school.

Keep working on those resolutions.  Even if the year didn't go exactly the way you intended, in my eyes you still have another 11 1/2 months to work on them.

New Year's Resolutions

Today is the first day of 2011.  The time of the year when people make resolutions, a commitment that they are making (usually to themselves) for the next year.  A time to start with a clean slate. Maybe they pledge to work out more, eat healthier, find a new job, volunteer more, quit smoking....  The list is endless.  Did you make a resolution this year?


Each year I contemplate if I'm going to make a resolution for the year.  It is usually to work out more and eat healthier.  I'm usually pretty good about it too.  For a month.  By the time February rolls around, I am right back to my old habits.  I admit I'm addicted to sugar.  I start off with all of the candy that the kids received over Christmas, because the Halloween candy is long gone by now.  Then comes Valentine's Day.  I'm ok with the chocolate, but those Brach's sour cherries are my downfall at this time of the year.  You can only find them from now until the middle of February.  Then comes Easter with the jelly beans.  Jelly beans!  To me, they are the best candy ever created.  So much, in fact, that my husband proposed to me by hiding my ring in a ginger jar full of Jelly Bellies.  Then I get upset with myself that I gave into all of it and packed on a few pounds, just in time to start pulling out the shorts.  Yikes!!!  But when January 1st rolls around, I'm ready to try to make the same pledge.

So, if I'm going to make a resolution, it is going to be one that I know I can stick to for the year.  Our pastor once said his resolution was to never turn down free pizza.  That's the kind of resolution I can keep.  I once joked that my resolution was to not make a resolution for the year.  And since it was a resolution that I broke immediately, I didn't have the guilt over the other 364 days of the year.

This year I am making a resolution.  It is "To Do My Best".  To do my best at what?  Whatever I am doing.  To do my best at being a mother, a wife, a sister and daughter.  To do my best as an employee and a volunteer.  To do my best as a friend.  To just do my best.  After all, isn't that what I tell my kids?  They may not win a game, but as long as they did their best, that is all that matters.

So here's to a brand new year.  A year of doing my best.  What's your resolution?

Happy New Year!!!










 

Do You Believe in Miracles?

About a week or so ago a friend on Facebook asked if anyone believes in miracles.  Without a doubt, I believe in them.

Eight years ago today I wasn't feeling quite like myself.  Since I would be turning 40 in 9 months, I just chalked it up to my age.  I thought for sure I was getting ready to head into that next "stage" of my life.  All morning long I kept having this nagging feeling that it wasn't my age, but that I could be pregnant.  Just the thought of that made my laugh.

You see, my husband and I had tried for years to become pregnant.  When it just wasn't happening, we decided to see a specialist.  Long story short, after a three year period of two different specialist,  six rounds of Clomid along with artificial insemination and failed IVF's, we were finally able to welcome a beautiful little girl into our lives.  We were so delighted we decided two years later to try again.  However, it just wasn't meant to be.  At eight weeks of pregnancy, I miscarried twins.  After many more tests, one of the top ten fertility specialists in the United States stated I was too old and would never be able to get pregnant again, much less maintain a pregnancy to term.  We were devastated.

We went on with our lives, but there was always a nagging feeling that our family wasn't complete.  We prayed continually for another child.  Maybe we needed to adopt, but the doors weren't opening for us in that direction.  I finally turned it over to God.  I remember saying that if it wasn't suppose to happen, it wouldn't, but that God knew the desires of my heart and that was to have another baby.

Fast forward to December of 2002.  We were asking our then 4 year old daughter what she wanted for Christmas.  She said a baby brother or sister.  We sat her down and tried to explain to the best of our ability that it probably wouldn't happen, especially with Christmas about a week away.  I'll never forget her child like faith saying "My teacher said if you want anything, you should pray for it.  So I'm praying for a baby."  And the subject wasn't mentioned again.

When lunch time rolled around that New Year's Eve of 2002, I decided to make a quick run to the grocery store and take a test.  Imagine my shock and surprise when that test was positive!  After nine years of infertility, the Lord had answered our prayers.  I'll never forget my husband's reaction that night when I handed him a gift bag stating I knew what I wanted to do for my 40th birthday while he pulled out a baby bottle.

This is where our CDH journey started.  Going through all of the ultrasounds, medical tests, surgeries, hospital stays, etc. did not sway me in the least on my belief in miracles.  I had already experienced one and I knew there could always be more.  And there were more, but we'll save those for later blogs. 

So when I am asked if I believe in miracles, I say a loud YES!  I have living proof that miracles still exist.  Do you believe?  I hope so.

Happy New Year everyone!












  

Year End Vote Blast

Today we are having another Vote Blast for the Vote for Kids Project.  It is one day, 100,000 votes for 10 great charities for children.  If you use Twitter, Facebook or MySpace, please tell everyone what cause you're voting for and why!  Post a comment such as the following:

 

My vote is for Taylor, born with CDH, who is your vote in honor of? Post the name of a child who is special to you in your status and pass this on!  http://pep.si/100kforkids

Vote for all 10 charities at once!   http://pep.si/100kforkids

I know that it can be difficult to repeatedly ask people to vote.  If we don't ask, how will it get done?  Who's going to speak up for these kids?  Can you imagine what can be done with this grant?  It could help 500 CDH families!  Wouldn't it have been great to be able to have that help when our children were first diagnosed?  What if it could help prevent any other family from hearing those words "Your child has a congenital diaphragmatic hernia".  

We really need to move up in rankings.  As of 3 days ago, we were in #21 and need to move up to #10.  That is going to take a lot of votes.

Please take the time to pass the word on this great cause.  

Have a great day!

It is Almost Christmas

Here we are, December 23rd.  I'm trying to be a good santa.  I've made my list and I'm checking it twice to make sure that nobody is forgotten.  Making sure that everyone who needs a gift has one. 

Yesterday was my son's last day of school until after the holiday break.  I had the present wrapped for his teacher, the cards for the secretaries and principal at the school.  Ten minutes before we were to leave, he decided he wanted to give a present to his school nurse.  That made a lot of sense.  He is in her office frequently.  She follows up with me whenever he visits her for bumps, cuts, etc.  I am very thankful that Bath and Body Works had great deals this year on their products.  I was able to pull out a bottle of Christmas anti-bacterial hand soap for her.  She said it was the perfect gift for a nurse who needs to wash her hands so frequently throughout the day.  My son's face lit up like he had given her the best present around.

Sometimes finding the perfect gift can just happen.  Other times it can be quite stressful.  Some times we just have to take a step back and realize that sometimes there is no perfect gift that can be bought in a store.  Maybe it is just taking time to sit with your child to read a book or to cuddle.  Maybe it is giving someone a telephone call or writing a quick note.  Maybe taking a meal over to someone who is going through a difficult time.  Maybe just being there to offer a shoulder for a grieving family.  Those little things can mean more than all of the store bought presents put together. 

Please take a few minutes to think about what is truly important.  Is it finding this year's newest toy that will be forgotten or broken in a few weeks?  Finding that perfect gift for someone?  Or is it the true meaning of Christmas?  Celebrating the best gift of all. 

Merry CHRISTmas, everybody.

Vote Blast

Today is a big vote blast for the 10 charities we are supporting through the Pepsi Refresh Project.  It is our one day to try to reach 100,000 votes for the kids.  Please take the time to vote.  I have included a link for you.
 http://pep.si/100kforkids