This is random, but I really want this little guy. Isn't he sooo cute?
Too bad Matt said no more pets :o(
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Braelyn's Story
I decided to write down the story of Braelyn from my perspective. I have been working on this for the last few weeks and now I am ready to post it. I created a separate tab (above) for the story. Writing it all down reminds me again how blessed I am to have met her and for all of the great family and friends who surround us. Although I still have many emotions that run deep around this situation, I am doing okay. Lately, I have realized I don't want to talk about it much. For those of you that know me, you know I am good at not showing my emotions on my sleeve. Still think about Braelyn on a daily basis, I just don't like to dwell on the situation. I am looking to the future with hope and faith. I know there will be good things to come. I hope you enjoy reading the story from my perspective.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Favorites!
I wanted to blog about something, and realized my life is so lame I had nothing to write about. So i decided to answer this question survey for fun...maybe you will learn something new about me from it :o)
1) What is your salad dressing of choice? RANCH
2) What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? MONICALS
3) What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? PIZZA
4) What are your pizza toppings of choice? CHEESE or PEPPERONI
5) What do you like to put on your toast? PEANUT BUTTER
6) How many televisions are in your house? FOUR
7) What color cell phone do you have? BLACK BUT WITH A PINK CASE
8) Are you right-handed or left-handed? RIGHT
9) Have you ever had anything removed from your body? TONSILS AND MOLES (EWW, I KNOW...)
10) What is the last heavy item you lifted? MY "SUITCASE" BAG I USE AT WORK
11) Have you ever been knocked unconscious? NOPE
12) If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? YES, BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE I'M VERY ORGANIZED AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EVERYTHING IN ORDER SO NO ONE HAS TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING.
13) If you could change your name, what would you change it to? HMMM...CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING. I LIKE ERIN...
14) Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? PROBABLY, ALTHOUGH IT SOUNDS REALLY NASTY.
15) How many pairs of flip flops do you own? ABOUT 6 I THINK
16) What’s your goal for the year? TO GET A PROMOTION AT WORK
17) Last person you talked to? MATT
18) Last person you hugged? SARAH (WHEN WE LEFT HER APARTMENT TONIGHT)
19) Favorite Season? FALL
20) Favorite Holiday? PROBABLY A TIE BETWEEN 4TH OF JULY AND CHRISTMAS
21) Favorite day of the week? SUNDAY
22) What color is your toothbrush? WHITE AND PINK
23) Name one person who made you smile today: BABY KATE AT BUFFALO WILD WINGS
24) What were you doing at 8 am this morning? WORKING :o/
25) What were you doing 45 minutes ago? WATCHING THE ILLINI GAME WITH SARAH AND RYAN
26) What is your favorite candy bar? I DON'T REALLY EAT CANDY BARS, BUT I GUESS I'D SAY REESES IF THOSE COUNT
27) Have you ever been to a strip club? NEVER!!!
28) What is the last thing you said aloud? LOVE YOU, RITZ
29) What is your favorite ice cream? EITHER MINT CHOC CHIP OR BIRTHDAY CAKE REMIX FROM COLDSTONE
30) What was the last thing you had to drink? DR. PEPPER
31) Do you like your wallet? YEAH, IT'S A CUTE PINK ONE...WHAT A WEIRD QUESTION
32) What was the last thing you ate? PITA CHIPS AND CHEESE DIP
33) Have you bought any new clothing items this week? SURPRISINGLY YES, TWO PAIRS OF JEANS
34) The last sporting event you watched? THE ILLINI GAME...THEY WON!!!
35) What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? CARAMEL CORN
36) Who is the last person you sent a text message to? KATE
37) Ever go camping? YES, BUT I DID NOT CONSIDER IT A FUN EXPERIENCE
38) Do you take vitamins daily? YES
39) Do you go to church every Sunday? TRY TO
40) Do you have a tan? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
41) Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? NEVER!
42) Do you drink your soda with a straw? NO, I'M NOT A WUSS LIKE MY HUSBAND (COLD ICE ON MY TEETH DOES NOT BOTHER ME)
43) What did your last text message say? AWESOME! YOU THINK YOU WILL GET IT?
44) What are you doing tomorrow? DON'T KNOW YET. CLEANING THE HOUSE, LAUNDRY, HANGING WITH FRIENDS...SO MANY CHOICES :o)
45) Look to your left, what do you see? MY NIGHTSTAND, A LAMP, AN ALARM CLOCK, MY CELL PHONE, AND A PICTURE
46) What color is your watch? SILVER, BUT I HARDLY EVER WEAR IT
47) What do you think of when you hear Australia? CUTE KOALA BEARS
48) Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? DEPENDS
49) What is your favorite number? 4 IS MY LUCKY NUMBER
50) Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? MY SISSY
51) Any plans today? IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT...SO THE DAY IS OVER. NO ADDITIONAL PLANS OTHER THAN FINISHING THIS BLOG POST
52) How many states have you lived in? JUST 1 (UNLESS YOU COUNT 9 WEEKS IN CT AS "LIVING THERE")
53) Biggest annoyance right now? MATT OPENING AND CLOSING THE SQUEAKY BASEMENT DOOR
54) Last song listened to? SOME TWISTA SONG
55) Can you say the alphabet backwards? PROBABLY IF I DID IT SLOWLY
56) Do you have a maid service clean your house? HECK NO, WHY WOULD I PAY SOMEONE TO DO WHAT I CAN DO MYSELF??
57) Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? NIKE TENNIS SHOES
58) Are you jealous of anyone? NOT REALLY
59) Is anyone jealous of you? HAHAHAHA, THIS IS FUNNY TO ME...I WOULD GUARANTEE NO ONE IS JEALOUS OF MY LIFE
60) Do you love anyone? YEP, LOTS OF PEOPLE
61) Do any of your friends have children? YES, MOST OF THEM DO
62) What do you usually do during the day? WORK WORK WORK
63) Do you hate anyone that you know right now? I DON'T REALLY HATE ANYONE, BUT COULD NAME A FEW THAT STRONGLY ANNOY ME
64) Do you use the word 'hello' daily? WHY YES, I THINK I DO
65) What color is your car? BOTH OF THEM ARE THE EXACT SAME COLOR... DARK REDDISH COLOR
66) Do you like cats? OBVIOUSLY
67) Are you thinking about someone right now? NOT REALLY
68) Have you ever been to Six Flags? YEAH, MANY TIMES TO THE ONE IN ST. LOUIS
69) How did you get your worst scar? FROM PLAYING SOFTBALL AND SLIDING ON A FIELD THAT CONSISTED OF A CRUSHED BRICK INFIELD (REAL SAFE HUH?) INSTEAD OF DIRT...A HUGE SHARD OF BRICK WENT INTO MY KNEE.
70) Favorite author? EITHER JODI PICOULT, KRISTIN HANNAH, OR NICHOLAS SPARKS
1) What is your salad dressing of choice? RANCH
2) What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? MONICALS
3) What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? PIZZA
4) What are your pizza toppings of choice? CHEESE or PEPPERONI
5) What do you like to put on your toast? PEANUT BUTTER
6) How many televisions are in your house? FOUR
7) What color cell phone do you have? BLACK BUT WITH A PINK CASE
8) Are you right-handed or left-handed? RIGHT
9) Have you ever had anything removed from your body? TONSILS AND MOLES (EWW, I KNOW...)
10) What is the last heavy item you lifted? MY "SUITCASE" BAG I USE AT WORK
11) Have you ever been knocked unconscious? NOPE
12) If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? YES, BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE I'M VERY ORGANIZED AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EVERYTHING IN ORDER SO NO ONE HAS TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING.
13) If you could change your name, what would you change it to? HMMM...CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING. I LIKE ERIN...
14) Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? PROBABLY, ALTHOUGH IT SOUNDS REALLY NASTY.
15) How many pairs of flip flops do you own? ABOUT 6 I THINK
16) What’s your goal for the year? TO GET A PROMOTION AT WORK
17) Last person you talked to? MATT
18) Last person you hugged? SARAH (WHEN WE LEFT HER APARTMENT TONIGHT)
19) Favorite Season? FALL
20) Favorite Holiday? PROBABLY A TIE BETWEEN 4TH OF JULY AND CHRISTMAS
21) Favorite day of the week? SUNDAY
22) What color is your toothbrush? WHITE AND PINK
23) Name one person who made you smile today: BABY KATE AT BUFFALO WILD WINGS
24) What were you doing at 8 am this morning? WORKING :o/
25) What were you doing 45 minutes ago? WATCHING THE ILLINI GAME WITH SARAH AND RYAN
26) What is your favorite candy bar? I DON'T REALLY EAT CANDY BARS, BUT I GUESS I'D SAY REESES IF THOSE COUNT
27) Have you ever been to a strip club? NEVER!!!
28) What is the last thing you said aloud? LOVE YOU, RITZ
29) What is your favorite ice cream? EITHER MINT CHOC CHIP OR BIRTHDAY CAKE REMIX FROM COLDSTONE
30) What was the last thing you had to drink? DR. PEPPER
31) Do you like your wallet? YEAH, IT'S A CUTE PINK ONE...WHAT A WEIRD QUESTION
32) What was the last thing you ate? PITA CHIPS AND CHEESE DIP
33) Have you bought any new clothing items this week? SURPRISINGLY YES, TWO PAIRS OF JEANS
34) The last sporting event you watched? THE ILLINI GAME...THEY WON!!!
35) What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? CARAMEL CORN
36) Who is the last person you sent a text message to? KATE
37) Ever go camping? YES, BUT I DID NOT CONSIDER IT A FUN EXPERIENCE
38) Do you take vitamins daily? YES
39) Do you go to church every Sunday? TRY TO
40) Do you have a tan? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
41) Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? NEVER!
42) Do you drink your soda with a straw? NO, I'M NOT A WUSS LIKE MY HUSBAND (COLD ICE ON MY TEETH DOES NOT BOTHER ME)
43) What did your last text message say? AWESOME! YOU THINK YOU WILL GET IT?
44) What are you doing tomorrow? DON'T KNOW YET. CLEANING THE HOUSE, LAUNDRY, HANGING WITH FRIENDS...SO MANY CHOICES :o)
45) Look to your left, what do you see? MY NIGHTSTAND, A LAMP, AN ALARM CLOCK, MY CELL PHONE, AND A PICTURE
46) What color is your watch? SILVER, BUT I HARDLY EVER WEAR IT
47) What do you think of when you hear Australia? CUTE KOALA BEARS
48) Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? DEPENDS
49) What is your favorite number? 4 IS MY LUCKY NUMBER
50) Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? MY SISSY
51) Any plans today? IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT...SO THE DAY IS OVER. NO ADDITIONAL PLANS OTHER THAN FINISHING THIS BLOG POST
52) How many states have you lived in? JUST 1 (UNLESS YOU COUNT 9 WEEKS IN CT AS "LIVING THERE")
53) Biggest annoyance right now? MATT OPENING AND CLOSING THE SQUEAKY BASEMENT DOOR
54) Last song listened to? SOME TWISTA SONG
55) Can you say the alphabet backwards? PROBABLY IF I DID IT SLOWLY
56) Do you have a maid service clean your house? HECK NO, WHY WOULD I PAY SOMEONE TO DO WHAT I CAN DO MYSELF??
57) Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? NIKE TENNIS SHOES
58) Are you jealous of anyone? NOT REALLY
59) Is anyone jealous of you? HAHAHAHA, THIS IS FUNNY TO ME...I WOULD GUARANTEE NO ONE IS JEALOUS OF MY LIFE
60) Do you love anyone? YEP, LOTS OF PEOPLE
61) Do any of your friends have children? YES, MOST OF THEM DO
62) What do you usually do during the day? WORK WORK WORK
63) Do you hate anyone that you know right now? I DON'T REALLY HATE ANYONE, BUT COULD NAME A FEW THAT STRONGLY ANNOY ME
64) Do you use the word 'hello' daily? WHY YES, I THINK I DO
65) What color is your car? BOTH OF THEM ARE THE EXACT SAME COLOR... DARK REDDISH COLOR
66) Do you like cats? OBVIOUSLY
67) Are you thinking about someone right now? NOT REALLY
68) Have you ever been to Six Flags? YEAH, MANY TIMES TO THE ONE IN ST. LOUIS
69) How did you get your worst scar? FROM PLAYING SOFTBALL AND SLIDING ON A FIELD THAT CONSISTED OF A CRUSHED BRICK INFIELD (REAL SAFE HUH?) INSTEAD OF DIRT...A HUGE SHARD OF BRICK WENT INTO MY KNEE.
70) Favorite author? EITHER JODI PICOULT, KRISTIN HANNAH, OR NICHOLAS SPARKS
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Blessed
Yesterday morning I prayed and asked God to bless me. This prayer came about because someone let me borrow a book called "The Prayer of Jabez". This book says that you should ask God to bless you on a daily basis. I figured it couldn't hurt to say a prayer like that...
When I got home from work there was a package in the mail addressed to me. The funny thing was that my name and address were handwritten, and I had no idea who the person was on the return address label. I slowly opened the package and to my surprise it was a beautiful bracelet. The bracelet was handmade with pink and white beads and two charms. The charms were a baby's footprint and on the other side it said "Remember" and the other charm was the letter "B". I knew as soon as I saw the "B" that someone had heard my story and sent this to me. I still couldn't figure out who this generous person was. I saw a small business card tucked inside of the package and as I looked at it I noticed writing on the back side. I read it and it said "A friend of yours, YuLuen Ma, suggested that you may like this bracelet. My husband and I also lost our daughter- Her story is on our blog." YuLuen Ma was a professor of mine at ISU. Her and I had recently spoken about my journey and about Braelyn. I was so touched that she would think to have this nice person send me a bracelet to remember Braelyn by. I immediately went to this persons blog and read their story. It was sad, just like mine. This lady had begun making bracelets for others who had experienced similar losses to hers, and I could tell by the bracelet that she has hope as well. I wouldn't wish losing a child on anyone, but it was reassuring to me that someone who knows the same pain I do would be willing to reach out to others.
I can't believe how generous and supportive people have been. I truly think that Matt and I have been blessed beyond measure to have been the parents of Braelyn, who touched so many people in her short life. I asked God to bless me specifically on Wednesday, but in reality, he has been blessing me since October 7...and even before that.
I challenge you to ask God to bless you each and every day.
<3 Erin
When I got home from work there was a package in the mail addressed to me. The funny thing was that my name and address were handwritten, and I had no idea who the person was on the return address label. I slowly opened the package and to my surprise it was a beautiful bracelet. The bracelet was handmade with pink and white beads and two charms. The charms were a baby's footprint and on the other side it said "Remember" and the other charm was the letter "B". I knew as soon as I saw the "B" that someone had heard my story and sent this to me. I still couldn't figure out who this generous person was. I saw a small business card tucked inside of the package and as I looked at it I noticed writing on the back side. I read it and it said "A friend of yours, YuLuen Ma, suggested that you may like this bracelet. My husband and I also lost our daughter- Her story is on our blog." YuLuen Ma was a professor of mine at ISU. Her and I had recently spoken about my journey and about Braelyn. I was so touched that she would think to have this nice person send me a bracelet to remember Braelyn by. I immediately went to this persons blog and read their story. It was sad, just like mine. This lady had begun making bracelets for others who had experienced similar losses to hers, and I could tell by the bracelet that she has hope as well. I wouldn't wish losing a child on anyone, but it was reassuring to me that someone who knows the same pain I do would be willing to reach out to others.
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I challenge you to ask God to bless you each and every day.
<3 Erin
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