Wow!!!! Thank-you so much!!

I feel like a princess! I've never won anything remotely like this (Mike wins things in our family!) I am so glad that all the women are winners, and that the AMAZING sponsors stepped up and are spoiling the other finalist!!! I am way excited for this! I hope I can represent the amazing women that are winners too! I'm off for a couple of days (okay, almost a week) and it is going to be so nice to relax and get ready to be pampered. I could not have done this without all of you. What means the most to me is the supportive comments you all have left in my behalf. I hope this is a start to a new beginning for me!
Heart Hugs to you all,
Emily and Mike

Question/Favor

So as many of you may know, we are approved for adoption. What I am not good at is being electronically and technologically minded. If I win this makeover (cross your fingers!) I am hoping that we will have cute professional pictures that we can work with. What I am hoping to get some help with is finding someone to do a cute button that can be posted on the side of blogs. I am also hoping someone can help us make a really great pass along card. Maybe I need to buy photo-shop, and try to learn myself, but help as to where to begin would be marvelous. I do realize I am asking a lot, I just do not know where to begin! Thank-you all!

Adoption and Heart Defects

These two topics are very dear to my heart. I have been bombarded with adoption lately (at work, which is AWESOME, on friends blogs, even in the LDS Ensign magazine this month!) There are some BEAUTIFUL articles about adoption from a Birth Mother's perspective, a Birth Father's, a Grandparent of the biological Grandchild, and a child of adoption. These personal and individual stories are so sweet and tender, and gave a me a good cry last night. What a truly selfless act to bless someone with something or better someone that just enhances their lives and all that they are! I can not WAIT to be picked! I hope every day for a call. Mike is an awesome Dad, and I love being a Mom. I wish I could give him that. For some reason though, my body is not allowing me.
Heart defects and families dealing with heart defects are amazing! Whether they are dealing with it presently, or it is a thing of the past, or they are faced with the loss from a heart defect; it truly takes a STRONG person or persons to face a congenital heart defect. The reason I am writing about heart defects today is to spread the word that February is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness. So throughout February, I will be sharing the statistics, the pictures of Ryker that I have yet to share from his short journey, and hopefully even highlighting and sharing some truly miraculous stories of survival, pain, joy, and even loss. Also I would love to raise awareness about the donation of vital organs and really being a donor at any age. The sad thing is, tragic things happen every day. It is extremely difficult to find hearts for babies and children. It's not like adults where they are driving and get in a really bad accidents and can donate organs. Children generally pass from illness, making it so much harder to locate a heart. This may sound horrible, but I STILL feel guilty for not donating Lilly's perfect organs. I think sometimes that somewhere out there was a child waiting for a heart, or a kidney, or a liver, and I could not allow myself to donate in her behalf. I know, hind-sight is 20/20. Regret is the worst, and I know now how important being an organ donor can be. I will leave you with those thoughts/feelings and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE vote! It all end tonight and I am so grateful for this experience! There is a link at the top-right-hand of the page! You guys are awesome!

Some Neat Posts.

I have some AWESOME friends. Really and truly, a blend of so many different people, from so many back-rounds, with so many diverse life experiences. I have amazing friends that are dealing with loss (click here, here, and here for a few of their stories!) I have friends/family dealing and living with children that would not be here today had it not been for the advancement of medical technology and truly the blessing of Heavenly Father(there are so many inspirational, so hard to choose, but click here, here, here, here, and here for a few!) And there are some just over-the-top amazing women pushing forward the feelings, thoughts, emotions, heart aches, joy, and so much more, that infertility and adoption bring into their lives. All of these blogs are amazing, but what makes these two stand out today is their messages. Have a read, be touched, and see why I LOVE adoption! So click here and here to share the joy and sorrow, you can not help but be touched! (And since they will bring tears for your eyes, go and vote here for me and while there, read the wise words of a hilarious woman who loves to be over-the-top with her spoof of a blog!!!!)

Please and Thank-You!

Not feeling so hot right now. Came home from work 4 hours early because either I have a stomach flu or Mi Ranchito tummy, (I know, gross!!!!) So took some sweet old phenergan (sorry if that is spelled wrong!) and am going to have a nice little old nap on the couch. The voting ends tomorrow, Thursday the 29th at 11:59 p.m. It is awfully exciting! And oddly enough we seem to be able to vote at least once a day. So please vote! You guys have been amazing and it is amazing to see all the people cheering for me! Can not wait for the results! I probably will stay up just to see (except I do have to work at 6 am the next morning!!!) Anyways, thank-you everyone who has voted and will vote. It means the world!

I'm addicted.

85%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

It could have been worse, but I truly am addicted to blogging. I love to blog; love even more to read blogs. I think I check in at over 100 blogs (at least) and sometimes I lurk, but most of the time I try to de-lurk (trying hard to not be a hypocrite because I love to read your comments and am even saddened when there are few comments.) I really am that sad, living my life through you (love vacation photos and exciting parties/family-get-togethers.) I secretly am hoping to save a little extra and go somewhere WAY fun and warm for our five year anniversary this year; just have to get Mike on-board! Anyways, better go now. hubby has a bad headache and feels kind of crappy. Just an F.Y.I.: I know some of you are newer to our blog, and may not know some simple facts about us. Mike is a twin, and not only were our Lilly and the twin's little girl born the same day, but both of our second children were born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS=half-a-heart). Although Ryker did lose his battle, our amazing little almost seven month old niece is about to have her second heart surgery next Monday. This is open-heart surgery, and so I am asking for prayers in behalf of her family and sweet Gracie. This is Mike's family (missing Chris who is in Brazil and of course Ryker and Lilly!) on Thanksgiving day (one of the many I NEED to catch up and post! So please pray, and please continue voting! I think you can vote once a day, I'm not sure though. I am totally not technologically-minded whatsoever! Thank-you everyone for the supportive comments, they really make my day and bring a smile to both Mike and I!

Probably Overreacting

I grew up in a family of seven, and we had to be loud and voice our opinions or else we would just get walked right over. So although I am not overly dramatic (no snide remarks anyone:)I do tend to overreact when the people close to me are hurt or upset. Last night, I did overreact. It was the first time I have read a not-so positive comment, and it upset me (I know, it was obvious I was upset!) So although I do feel that this is our blog and really and truly, as important as this contest is to me and even Mike, it really does not matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. And it is just that, a contest. Just like American Idol, just like Dancing With the Stars and such. So I am sorry to overreact, I am human after all. But don't get me wrong, this in an outlet for me (and sometimes Mike) and it is a place I want to feel safe and not judged. And I would do ANYTHING to protect my little family. I just need to try and not be all Momma-bear all the time:)!