THANKS and giving....

I have always been a person who wants to GIVE.

I am bad at taking without giving something back...

With the kidney donation just a couple weeks away, people have been emailing me about it, asking me tons of questions, telling me lots of stories...etc...

I have also had people offer to do awesomely nice things for me because of this. I never wanted major acknowledgement. I wanted a "thank you" from my sister in law and of course I got that! Dan thinks because I am so public with this people feel like they should do nice things for me, but I just post about it because everyone asks the same questions, and I want people to know about living organ donation! And my personal story with it. I am pretty much an open book! There are SO many people waiting for kidneys, if what someone reads of mine inspires them to donate then I officially made a difference in the world. Not the WHOLE world, but in someones world, and in a sick persons life. 

Good, random things don't normally happen to me. Call it Karma or God's plan or whatever you want, but I'm not used to it! Haha :)

Edit******* THANK YOU to the neomom (my mom of multiples club) person who paid my club dues. I had to put off paying them and I wouldn't have been a member in good standing. I got an email saying they were taken care of. I just LOVE my neomoms. I'm so grateful to this person. 

In the last few weeks I have had Shelley, from church, tell me people will be signing up to deliver meals to our house every. other. day. for a few weeks!!! WOW, that's a lot of stress off of mine and Dan's plates. The people at our church are angels.

I took the kiddos to Bob Evans one night when Dan was out of town. After we got our check our server came back, took it away, and said it was taken care of by an old gentlemen who was there alone. He seemed to be a regular there, he knew everyone and they seemed to love him. I was blown away because he did it because he "loved the kids". He knows nothing about the kidney thing, he just enjoyed my children. Makes you really appreciate those little people called KIDS who can drive you nuts ;)

I ordered a drink from Starbucks for myself and a friend. The barista thought I was nice so she gave me a card for another free drink.

I went and got my hair done by my friend Molly (who I met in cosmetology school). As I was leaving she insisted it was her treat. Molly and I aren't best friends (though it felt like it when we were together haha) but she wanted to do something nice for someone who is doing the same for someone else. So it was me, all because I decided I am donating a kidney. It was just so sweet. It was a night away for me, a night to relax, and a night to look beautiful. I get my hair done maybe two, three times a year because of money and time....so this was really a special thing for me! Thank you, Molly!!

I have another friend who I also met at cos school who has been following my posts about this kidney stuff! She had acute kidney failure so she said it really hit home for her! She offered to take the twins Christmas pictures for me, free of charge, because she wanted to pay it forward as well. I got to spend time with her today, her adorable son, her sweet mom and my crazy kiddos. I had a lot of fun catching up and watching the kiddos get photographed. We learned REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY is the key to taking cute pictures. Haha! "Don't smile or laugh!!!!" "Don't hug!!!!" :) Thank you, Brit!!

I just have NEVER been one to take, people who know me well know I love to help, I love to give and I am terrible at just saying YES without feeling guilty. Of course I feel "guilty" for allowing my friends to do my hair, take my kiddos pictures, getting a meal paid for etc.. But that means I get to pay it forward! I can do someones hair for free, maybe one day take their pictures. Buy someones dinner or coffee. Make dinner for a family who has some busyness in their life.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has offered to help with the kidney process. Kimi and Karen, who are watching the kids. Church friends who have offered help. My friends and family who have offered to help. Brit for taking the pictures. Molly for making sure I have no roots in the recovery room ;)

To the barista who gave me a free drink, the man who paid for our meal. 

There's so many more things that have happened that I am grateful for, but this is sticking in my mind at the moment I guess ;)

I just feel SO darn blessed..... and I still have all of my organs at the moment haha! 

I hope everyone remembers that this holiday this week is about being thankful, but also about giving. Something I have a lot of catching up to do on ;) :) 

Have a great holiday everyone!!!!!!!

Xo, Em

10 More things...

I didn't finish my thankful post yet, so here's the last 10!

I am thankful for a healthy family, pretty much everyone in my family/extended family, etc is very healthy. No terminal illnesses and I am so grateful

.....For my eyes and ears. Without those gifts I wouldn't be able to experience life the way I do

..... For my house and car, such things people take for granted every day, even me. By all means, I do not have my dream home or car, but I hope to one day because my dreams aren't out of reach. SO grateful for what we have now.

...... For blankets and warm clothes.... I am a freeze baby

...... For my "kidney sisters" who I have met via social media who have been amazing while I am going through this donor process that they have been through. They are my backbone through this!

...... For any "break" we get. I'm grateful to have family and friends up here who help with the twins so I can get away, and so Dan and I can have dates or accomplish what we need to do. 

..... For the teachers I have at school who actually give a crap about us students. I have to work really hard for my grades and without them it would be a lot harder.

...... For the innocence of my kids. I love it, it is a beautiful thing. I wish it would never go away. I love that their innocence makes life sweet at times when it's not so sweet.

...... For crafting.....so lame, I know, but i LOVE it ;)

...... For living by Lake Erie....Ohio is really cold and really gloomy, but the few months of summer we get I LOVE and don't waste. I am spoiled because I grew up on the lake so I can't imagine not living near water!

I think that was my last 10 that complete my 30 days! Though every day I am thankful for many things and I should express that more!!!!

Hope you are all going to have a great week, mine will be filled with school work.....BUT there is kind of a light at the end of the tunnel....kind of. Finals week is less than a month away!! WOOHOO!! 

Here are a couple random pictures of our latest adventures:

 Decorating the tree early because I will be out of commission for half of Dec after surgery!! (And yeah, Kyla doesn't like shirts)

 Twin love

 I got a day out!!!! Lol. Went on a wine tasting adventure!

 Silly Kiddos!

Happy Birthday USMC! We sang to Chesty Puller, all you Marine friends will giggle at that ;)

XO Em!

A Month of Thanks

Happy November! I am excited it's November because I LOVE FOOD (especially on holidays), I LOVE BLACK FRIDAY and I LOVE CHRISTMAS! Hahah! No, my tree is not set up yet. I am waiting til at least mid Nov. so I don't get too crazy. Though with the kidney donation and finals week right before that I do really have to have all Christmas stuff like DONE around the 1st week of Dec. Halloween was fun, we went to a party at a friends house and spent the evening with many of our church friends and their kiddos. The guys all took the kids trick or treat in the rain while the moms enjoyed a little break. Landon was a power ranger (they do NOT look like what they used to) and Kyla was Supergirl. They were cute :)

As for this "month of thanks" thing, I saw people doing on facebook, I decided instead of every day posting something new I would just made a 30 day list here! There are SO many things I am thankful for, but here are the first 20....more to come later!

1) My kids. They are the light of my life! They drive me nuts and then end the day telling me how much they love me and it melts me every time. They are obsessed with each other, and everyone in their lives. They are SO special.

2) Dan- He has been through so much hardship in his life and managed to literally make the best of it. He is an amazing husband and father and caregiver to our family. I am so lucky! Anyone who really knows us knows he, and we, have come a long way. I am SO grateful for the man he is today! I love all he does for us, he is a great "stay at home dad" these days. His hard work never goes unappreciated.

3) My mom- When she was pregnant with me she had brain surgery to remove a potentially deadly tumor off of her brain. She went thorough hell to bring me into this world healthy and she gave me an amazing life. She is an amazing grandma now of course :)

4) My dad- My Dad also gave me an amazing life growing up. I am so thankful for him, he was and is always my main man, #1 supporter. Always encouraging me even when I was stubborn!

5) Rachel and Geoff- Sorry I was a jerk big sister, haha. I'm so happy we all have such a great relationship now. Landon and Kyla are totally obsessed with you guys and it makes me so happy!

6) My extended family and in laws- I was so lucky growing up with so many cousins (and so many girls my age!) I have nothing but amazing memories of our family get-togethers and growing up so closely. And now I have a new family I married in to. I love every one of them so much! I am very lucky.

7) Good health- How can you not appreciate this? Plus, if I didn't have it, I couldn't hand off organs. Haha :) Having a son born sick, I appreciate a healthy person SO much!

8) Awesome kidneys - I can't WAIT til Dec 16th when I get to literally give the "gift of life" to my sister in law! I can't wait to share a kidney with her!

9) Our church- Prince of Peace. I could write a book on how thankful I am for this place. It put our crazy lives into perspective and we are surrounded by people who just really LOVE and care for us, and we feel the same way about them . I mean really, if you are looking for an AWESOME church, a place you want to call home, and people you will call your family, this is the place for you!

10) My friends- You know you have amazing friends when one just brings cupcakes over for your family, just because. Or when people tell you they have meals planned for your family when you have surgery, or a friend who has 3 kids and offers to take your kids while you are healing/in surgery. People who will drop anything if you are having a rough time or a really bad day. People who will make you laugh til it hurts. Those are my friends, and for that I am blessed.

11) God.....This should have been first. Please excuse that I waited this long! God has blessed me and my family in the most amazing ways. How do you really thank God in a blog? I am just so grateful for my faith and for my Father above who is always looking out for my best interest.

12) Dan's military service and all military- SO grateful. You all know how proud I am to be a Marine Family. There's nothing more honorable than defending your country and for all the people who do it THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

13) Eddie- My buddy who was killed in action in 2008. This guy has made me appreciate life more than I ever could. I miss him so terribly but I am so thankful for the time I had with him and the memories that live on!

14) Food- Haha, no really!!!! I am so thankful we can have 3 meals a day without a struggle. We are SO blessed to be able to live that way.

15) The opportunity to get an education- I am so happy to have a second chance to get an amazing education. One day I hope to be a really really great nurse :)

16) Seasons- I hate winter, haha, but I do love snow once and a while. I love living in Ohio because we get to see the trees turn beautiful colors, the leaves fall, the snow fall, the flowers bloom, and summer in full swing! (Even though most of it is cold weather lol)

17) Heathcare in Ohio- The Cleveland Clinic, where I will be helping to restart Amanda's life. Where many people I know have been cured of their cancer. UH where my baby boy lived for a couple weeks so they could start his life off on the right foot. Also where many people have been cured. Lake Health, where my sister in law was diagnosed with PKD and began the road to recovery, and where my husbands bilateral PE was diagnosed. They saved his life within a matter of hours!!

18) Technology- So we can see our friends who are so far away, so we can message Tommy in Afghanistan, so we can skype with baby Logan in FL and watch him grow. So we can talk to Aline in Brazil on a daily basis if we wanted to!

19) The VA- Who has helped Dan over the years SO much. Who gave us an amazing counselor who we love seeing. Who provides Dan with his benefits so we can survive!

20) Gluten free food- Whoever invented this stuff and made it taste good is a winner in my book! Having Celiac sucks sometimes...but the fact that I can be fed is a great thing ;)

20 for now, 10 more to do this month (hopefully I remember!)

Off to do math homework!  :)

PS! Dan was an overseas contractor for Halloween, haha, for anyone who is wondering! Oh military.....