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July 30, 2012

Godspeed, little man


Last night, around 11:30pm, our sweet Cowboy Tynan went to be with Jesus.

I have so many thoughts going through my head but can't seem to get them out just yet.  My heart is literally breaking for the Chapa family.  Janie, Tynan's mom, has become one of my dear friends and I just cannot even begin to fathom the pain she is experiencing.

While we are heartbroken that Tynan is no longer with us, we are comforted in knowing he is healed - free of cancer, pain, and hospitals.

Tynan, you are loved. 

Tynan, you are missed.

Tynan, you will never beforgotten.

One of our amazing nurses posted this song on facebook when we knew the end was near and I have been singing it for days now. 



Godspeed, little man. 

Sweet dreams, little man.


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July 27, 2012

Go Team USA!!




We are ready to support Team USA at the Olympics!!

I am a huge fan of the Olympics. Something about our entire country coming together as one to support the same team makes me giddy! I love the unity even more this year since our country is so divided during the current presidential campaign. I'm hoping we can all set aside our differences and show some pride for our nation and the amazing athletes that are competing for the Stars & Stripes!!

Is anyone else as excited as we are??

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

July 24, 2012

Random

*Sometimes I think I was totally made to parent 2u2. Yes there are days when I want to pull my hair out and run to the nearest bar for a drink.  But? Most of the time I really feel like I rock this gig.  Kate is thriving, Will is awesome, my laundry is done, and my house is relatively clean (thanks to an awesome cleaning lady). I really can't imagine my life without two sweet babies!

*Magnum ice cream bars are amazing.  And the reason why I cannot lose this extra baby weight I gained back.  The double caramel thing? Or whatever it is called.  HEAVEN. Seriously. Go buy them NOW.

*That 5K I was training for? Yeah I'm still registered but I have not been running at all.  When my toddler sleeps until 8ish I refuse to wake her up so I can squeeze a run in before it becomes hotter than you know where outside.  Thankfully my bestie will be pretty pregnant by the time of the race so I can keep her company since I most likely won't be in any shape to run a 5K while pushing two children and a heavy stroller.

*I am in full on party planning mode for Kate's 2nd birthday party.  We are trying to keep in small but in reality I am pretty much going all out.  Her first birthday party was cancelled due to chemo/ hospitalization/ transplant so this is super important to me.  Add in the fact that we are also celebrating her one year post transplant anniversary and I am all about this party.

*I am way too excited about the Olympics.  Like, reorganized my kids' closets so that all red/white/blue clothing was in the front so that we can support Team USA.  Smocked flag outfits are ready and waiting for Friday - because who doesn't need to be covered in American flags for the Opening Ceremonies??

*I bought boxed wine this week (Bota Box Pinot Grigio) and it is actually super tasty! I can thank my father in law for converting me over to the white wine side for the summer.  And every time I have a glass (or three) I think of this sweet lady and her love of boxed wine!

*I am pretty sure that me and a friend are going to run the Color Run Houston in November!  I keep seeing awesome pictures from this "run" and I really want to be a part of it!

*Has anyone noticed how every FB sale site is all about fall/ winter clothing? This stresses me out. Thanks to twitter I know I am not alone but man, it is 100+ degrees here.  How can I possibly be thinking about smocked Christmas clothes? Add in the fact that if I don't but RIGHT NOW my poor children will be left without anything to wear come the holiday season.

*I think that is enough of my randomness published for the world to see! Clearly my mind is all over the place these days!
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July 23, 2012

Becoming a Better Me- Update

Hi Everyone,
In case you missed my review of the great new Baby Orajel Naturals teething product, you can still read it here (though the giveaway has ended). I also wanted to let you know that if you are one of the lucky women attending the BlogHer conference in NYC on August 3-4, 2012, you can visit the Baby Orajel folks at Booth 1100 to learn more about taking care of your little one’s teeth and gums! They may even have some product samples to share with you so be sure to stop by.

Several months ago I finally opened up about my struggles with postpartum depression and anxiety and how debilitating it was. 

The support I received was amazing - comments, emails, tweets.  It was so nice to talk with other women who dealt with similar issues and to offer encouragement to those still struggling.

A few days after I clicked publish on that post, I started drafting part 2 - what I did to get back to "me" and get better.  I composed and deleted that post so many times since March. I wasn't concerned with opening up about what I have done to get better.  However, I was terrified of claiming to be "better" and past my PPD/PPA days when I was a short 5 weeks away from giving birth again.

I was so worried I would post about how wonderful I felt, how I knew what to look out for, what medications work and don't work, only to find myself right back in those dark places I slipped into after Kate's birth.

So, I waited. 

And waited. 

And waited some more.

Would talking about how I successfully overcame PPD/PPA "jinx" me into having major issues again?  What if things were worse the second time? What if what I found to work no longer worked?

Thankfully I was aware of my fears.  And? I honestly believe that blogging about my experiences made me even more aware than I thought I was which allowed me to openly discuss things with Alex and prepare for Will's birth with my medical team.

I am pleased to share that I am doing wonderfully and did not suffer from anything, not even the baby blues, after Will's birth. 

Maybe it's having my medication just right.  Maybe it's because I was more aware and prepared this time.  Maybe it was because I was open with my prior struggles and had a community praying for me.  Maybe having a baby that has been a great sleeper from the get-go made a difference.

Who knows!

All I know is that I feel amazing and I am thriving in my current role as mom of two kids under two!

And I know that I am finally ready to start drafting the final part of "becoming a better me".  I am ready to share what I did, and am still doing, to stay mentally healthy. 

Be on the look out for this post!  Hopefully it will be up within a week or so! 

And a huge thank you to everyone that took the time to check on me after Will's birth - who remembered my struggle and wanted to make sure I was doing ok.  I greatly appreciate the support that I have found through this wonderful blogging community!

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July 22, 2012

Perfect Saturday Night




It's crazy how much a "typical" Saturday night can change over the years.

From nights out at Rick's and the Hunt Club (just mentioning this makes me feel like I need a shower - ha!) in Starkville while in college to nights out in mid-town and the Washington Corridor in Houston as a newly married couple to low keys nights in that include a glass of wine, a good book on my kindle app, and two sleeping babies!
While my Saturday nights look much different these days, I wouldn't change a thing! I'm so blessed with where our life is right now!

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July 20, 2012

Will - 3 months!



Let's all pretend that today is actually July 12, the day Will turned 3 months, and ignore the fact that I am a week late!  I'm actually patting myself on the back for only being a week late! Poor second child...
Let's also ignore the iPhone picture collage I am using to document this milestone.  I have "official" pictures on my real camera but my computer is in a non-functioning state right now which means I do not have access to my photo editing software and can't upload my real pictures!  I have so many pictures to share and will hopefully be back in the land of a working laptop soon!

So three months!  I can't believe my sweet Will is 3 months old! 

At three months Will is:

*Weighing in at 15.5 pounds.  I'm not sure about his length but I know that he is growing FAST!  I cannot believe he is so big! 
*Smiling and cooing up a storm!  He has even laughed a few times and he has a sweet deep belly laugh that melts my heart!
*Sitting up unassisted for 20-30 seconds at a time.  This one makes me sad - he is growing up so fast and seeing him sit BY HIMSELF is just too much for this momma!  He loves it though and wants to be sitting up looking around all day long!
*Loving his jumperoo and is learning how to make the music play/ play with the toys!
*Sleeping through the night and is still in the pack-n-play in our room.  He is probably ready to move to his room (and takes most of his naps there) but I am just too nervous to have him and Kate sleeping in rooms right next to each other.
*Taking about 30 ounces of formula a day!  The boy loves to eat!
*Napping 3 times a day - a short nap in the morning, longer nap mid day when Kate naps (PTL for simultaneous naps), and then again late afternoon for about an hour.  He takes his morning and late afternoon nap in his crib but most of his longer nap is spent cuddling with momma.

These past three months have been amazing!  I adore having a baby in the house again and watching Kate thrive in her role as big sister melts my heart!

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July 19, 2012

Dove VisibleCare Review & Coupon Code




My skin is currently in postpartum hell.  My legs are so dry, my elbows are as rough as a brillo pad, my stomach is still itchy from stretching out to accommodate my big boy, my shoulders are a weird splotchy tan.  It's not pretty at all!

Needless to say I am willing, and eager, to try anything that might help me regain that "glow" that I typically have during the summer months.

A few weeks ago I received a sample of Dove® VisibleCare™ Softening Crème Body Wash, a new revolutionary line of premier body wash from Dove!  Within a week I noticed my skin looking more even and my extremely dry patches were finally starting to look healthier and moisturized.  For the first time in a while, I felt decent in my skin - even when wearing shorts and a tank top! 

Visibly more beautiful skin from a body wash? Sign me up!

Dove® VisibleCare™ Softening Creme Body Wash is very thick and lathers easily!  Unlike many other body washes, I did not need to use much of the product at all!  While I loved the body wash and how it softened my skin, I was not a big fan of the scent.  The Dove® VisibleCare™ Softening Crème Body Wash comes in a floral scent (a combination of magnolia and pink jasmine) and I am just not a big fan of floral body washes/ perfumes/ lotions.

The new Dove® VisibleCare™ product line currently includes three body washes - Softening Creme Body Wash, Toning Creme Body Wash, and Renewing Creme body wash - which allows you to selected the body wash that best fits your current needs! 

I am planning on picking up the Toning Creme Body Wash this week to try it out as well. The Dove® VisibleCare™ Toning Creme Body Wash is designed to promote the skin's elasticity and strength and has more of a citrusy scent which is more "me".  I know my skin can use all of the toning help it can get after having a baby three short months ago!

Head over to the Dove website to learn more about this new, revolutionary product!  Also, Visit Dove® VisibleCare® to get a coupon for $1 off!



As a busy mom, something as simple as a hot shower, with a good body wash, can really change your mood.  The days that I get up, shower, and get ready are typically the days that I feel the most "on" as a mom!  I love that I have a product that not only helps me start my day in the best mindset possible but that betters my skin!

How do you find "me" time amidst the busyness of life these days?  Leave a comment below letting me know and enter for a chance to win one of two $500 spa giftcards!


Enter to win one of two $500 Spafinder gift certificates!
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July 17, 2012

Blogger 411 Link-up!

My reader has been filled with awesome Blogger 411 posts today so I thought I would jump on board and link up with Becky over at From Mrs to Mama!

Welcome to anyone hoping over to the blog from the link up! I'm hoping to make some new bloggy friends from this link up!  Leave a comment and I'll hop over and get to know you too!

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?
I started blogging anonymously back in 2008 when Alex and I started our journey down the path of fertility treatment.  I blogged all of our failures and losses and then moved over to my new piece of the web when we announced our first pregnancy!

Has my blog changed? Oh my YES!

It started out as a pregnancy journal and then transitioned to your typical mommy blog.  In June of 2011 it became a blog about Kate's journey through the bone marrow transplant process.  Now, I typically blog about life with 2u2 (hello surprise baby!) and the ups and downs of walking through the BMT process again with Will.

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?

I did!  I went to Mississippi State University in the great city of Starkville, MS!  I adored my time at State - met me husband, made amazing friends, and graduated from an awesome International Business program!  I actually have two degrees - a BBA in International Finance and a BA in Spanish!

I am an avid fan of SEC football and am oh so loyal to my conference!

3. Where have you traveled?
I have done a lot of "vertical" traveling and have covered Eastern Canada, most of the US, every Country in Central America, a handful of Caribbean islands (Bahamas, Grand Cayman, French Martinique, Dominican Republic, and Aruba), and three countries in South America (Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina).

I can thank my former employer for the majority of my travel.  Prior to becoming a stay at home mom, I spent the first 2.5 years of my career as an Internal Auditor at a major oil & gas company.  My region covered the US, Canada, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.  So while I've been to many places, I have not vacationed in many!  Conference rooms in the Bahamas look identical to conference rooms in Houston!

However, I lived in Costa Rica in 2005 and did a study abroad program at the Universidad de Costa Rica in San Jose.  It was an amazing time! We traveled the country on the weekends and I will always cherish my time there (even though my young and in love self missed Alex like crazy)!
4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
A big, beautiful vacation home in Hawaii.

5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?
*Slow drivers in the fast lane
*People "grooming" in public - clipping finger nails/ toe nails, tweezing eyebrows, etc
*Inconsiderate airplane "neighbors" - there is nothing more annoying than a Chatty Cathy talking on a 5 hour flight when all you want to do is enjoy an adult beverage and read your book in peace!

6. What is your favorite movie?
I really want to say Clueless but I'm worried I might be judged...

7. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?
I am a big red wine fan!  But in the summer I really love beer - Blue Moon and Shock Top are my favorites this year.  As far as non-alcoholic beverages go, I'm a major diet coke and coke zero addict.

8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
Read!  I absolutely LOVE getting lost in a good book!  Speaking of reading - I'm about to finish book #12 since June 5!

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
Best Dressed Child.  Because I have no shame in admitting that I would much rather shop for sweet smocked clothes than for myself!

10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.
I can never think of good embarrassing moments when I need to...

11. What day would you love to relive again?
My wedding day!  It was amazing and so much fun!  My parents did an amazing job throwing Alex and I a true New Orleans throw down of a wedding!  Having all of our best friends in one place, drinking, dancing, and having a blast was wonderful!  To this day my friends still ask when my Dad is going to throw us a wedding "reunion".  Maybe a "we got two children through transplant and survived" party could happen.  Hint, hint Dad!

12. If your life was turned into a movie... what actor would play you?
Reese Witherspoon - sweet, Southern, and full of sass!

13. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?
Joe's Shoe Store in Mandeville, LA In high school!  And I'm certain the majority of my paychecks went right back to Mr Joe so I could bring pretty shoes home!

I also did some substitute teach and had a few internships.  I never really worked much until I got my post-college job!

14. Show us a picture from high school or college.
Me and my Bestest Bestie EVER Erin Beth!  This was from 2006 I think? EB can thank me for playing match maker as she married the wonderful guy I set her up with him college!  I cannot wait to squeeze her neck and lounge on the beach with her in 50 days!

At Rick's in our glory days!  Oh to be in college again! This was beginning of my Junior year I think - but I could be way off!  All I know is that it was taken at some point between Summer 2005 and Fall 2007!


15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
Hawaii.  Alex and I just love Hawaii so much and I would love to explore every bit of each island!  Hike, lounge, snorkel!  I want to do it all!

16. Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to you.
The most current professional picture of the four of us!  This is the "true life" picture!  Kate smelling Will's feet and proclaiming that they are "nassy! sinky!".  Ha!

And OMG her hair has grown so much since this picture!  Wow!


17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
I pray we have two healthy children who are 4 and 5 years post transplant, thriving, with no evidence of the hard battle they fought in the early stages of their lives!  HEALTHY is my main hope and prayer!

Thanks for stopping by!


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July 13, 2012

Countdowns!


37
Days until that sweet, tiny baby girl turns two years old!  I can hardly believe it!


49
Days until we celebrate the one year anniversary of Kate's transplant and the start of her second chance at life.


55
Days until I am lounging on the beach with my three college besties on a much needed girls trip!


64

Days until we participate in the Be the One Run in honor of our sweet babies!


81
Days until we are at the happiest place on Earth! 

I am so excited for our busy Fall!
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July 12, 2012

Book, Bubba?

This morning we were hanging out in Kate's room and Will was extra smiley so I wanted to get a few iPhone pictures!




A few minutes after I started making his picture, Kate walked over with a book and said "Book, Bubba?" and climbed up into the chair with him.

Here's how it went down:

"Here go bubba."




"No touch."




"What page, Wull?"




"Dis one?"




"Dis one, bubba?"




"Dis page?"




"Yay! All done!"




We'll ignore the fact that she threw the book at me when she was "all done".

It lasted maybe 3 minutes (hello toddler attention span) but my goodness it was so sweet! Times like these make me so happy that I can quickly pick up my phone and capture these precious memories!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

July 10, 2012

The Book That I'm In: Half Way Point

Last month I blogged about joining in on a fun Summer Reading Challenge that Erin over at State I am In was hosting.  I thought I'd give a half way point update and document my progress!

As of July 10, 2012 I have finished 9 books and am half way through my 10th book for a total of 3,652 pages read!  I am very proud of myself!

I've had many people ask how I manage to read so much given the fact that I have two children under two years old that I stay at home with all day.  The answer is simple - I'm a major night owl and everyone in my house (including my husband) is asleep by 10pm every night.  I stay up until nearly 1am every night so I have 3 uninterrupted hours that I lay in bed and read on our iPad!

Here is what I've read:

1) The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer - not my favorite book.  It is the second book in the Last Survivors trilogy and it is very "meh".  I read it simply because I wanted to finished the trilogy.

2) This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer- the final book of the Last Survivors Trilogy.  Again, I was very "meh" about this book.  The first book of this trilogy is by far the best - I wish it would have stopped there!

3, 4, 5) The Declaration, The Resistance, The Legacy by Gemma Malley- this is yet another dystopian trilogy and I loved this series!  The second book is a bit slow but overall, I'd give the trilogy 4.5 stars!  Not perfect but it is something I would highly recommend to anyone who asks me for a good read!

6) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green- This will rank as one of the hardest books I have read in ages, possible ever.  It is a story about a teenage girl battling cancer.  For obvious reason, this was a very emotional book for me to read.  I was nervous to start it but I am so glad I pushed through the first 50 or so pages and kept reading.  I literally could not put this book down and read it in less than 24 hours.  I loved that is didn't focus on the medical side of living with cancer and was truly the day to day life of a teenager living with cancer. I cried while reading most of the book as it really made me think about Darling (a sweet 18 year old BMT friend we lost last year).  I had many conversations with her about how she just wanted to go to her Senior prom - even if she had to wear her big mask.  This book made Darling's thoughts and emotions so much more real to me.  And it made me miss her contagious smile and positive attitude.  What an amazing girl she was.  The book was written beautifully and is something that I think everyone needs to read!

7) Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery- After reading such a heavy book, I needed a light hearted childhood favorite!  I've actually been to Prince Edward Island (where AoGG is set) and saw the AoGG musical while there!  I don't think this book needs much explanation - it is such a classic and I really enjoyed revisiting a piece of my childhood!

8) Anne of Anvonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery- I still wasn't out of my "reading funk" so I stayed simple and classic and finished the second book in this series.  I'll be honest, it took me a while to finish this book and I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed AoGG.  But, I re-read it so it gets added to my summer reading list!

9) Divergent by Veronica Roth- I have put off reading this book for a while.  I didn't want to start yet another "unfinished" dystopian trilogy.  But, I needed something to end the "reading funk" I mentioned above.  This book did it!  I finished it in 24 hours thanks to the fact that my MIL is in town and is giving me a wonderful break from things like washing bottles!  This book is wonderful and I am thinking it might earn the spot of favorite dystopian series when I finish the trilogy!  it may even beat out The Hunger Games

10) Insurgent by Veronica Roth- I am currently 54% (thank you Kindle for such an accurate percentage) done with this book!  I really like it but, as always, it isn't as good as the first book.  I'm noticing that the second book of a series tends to be way less enticing that the first or last book.  I can't complain too much since it is obviously keeping my attention - I've read 282 pages of the book in less than 24 hours!

So there's my progress!  What all are y'all reading?  I'm going to need some suggestions as the next book in the Divergent series doesn't come out until NEXT year!  How am I going to survive the wait?!?!


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July 6, 2012

Never Say Never

It is not secret that I have a love for baby/ kids clothes!  Specifically traditional, smocked or appliqued clothes. 

I can count on one hand the number of times Kate has worn shorts.

I think sweet Southern baby boys should wear bubbles until at least two years old.  And smocked jonjons until at least 3. 

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I have always, and I mean always, said that no child of mine would wear character t-shirts.  Not only am I not a fan of casual t-shirts on little babies but the characters are just so bright.  And tacky in your face.

An appliqued Mickey?  Sure

And airbrushed princess or Dora on a tee? Not so much.

Well, I'm here to tell you, never say never.

The kids and I made a Target run on Tuesday.  I needed to get diapers for Will so we were in the kid's section.  I decided to take a look at swim suit cover ups for Kate while we were there.

That's when it happened.

Kate spotted it. 

A Minnie Mouse shirt. 

With glitter on it. 

Suddenly I heard "momma? Mimmie? Mimmie shirt? Awe cute. Peas momma?"

In that instant, any decision I had previously made about character tees went out the window.

There was no way I could say no.  I mean, come on, she even said please!

The shirt was in our buggy, and in Kate's hands, as fast as I could locate her size.

She hugged it.  She loved it.  She looked at it like it was a prized possession.

But wait, it gets worse...

Kate insisted on wearing this shirt the second we got home.  And the only thing that we had to match said Minnie shirt was a pair of jorts. 

Yes, my child wore a character tee and jorts.  And perfected her duck face.  Apparently she is training for Real Housewives of the Trailer Park.  I kid. 


All afternoon Kate kept looking at her shirt, saying "awe Mimmie.  Cute." and thanking me for her new shirt.

She was so proud!

And it made me so happy!

We won't talk about how I dressed her in two smocked outfits for 4th of July to compensate.

So, I'm here to tell you, never say never!  Anything is game when you become a parent!

What's that quote? Something like, "I was the perfect parent until I actually had kids"?  Yeah, it's so true!

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July 3, 2012

Slow down, sweet boy!

We pulled out the big boy toys yesterday and my heart wanted to cry.


How does my sweet 2.5 month old baby look so big?

Look at those thighs!  The head control! Everything looks so much older than 2.5 months to me!

I don't remember time flying this fast with Kate!  Maybe it's because she was so much smaller than Will (he's nearly 15 pounds now). Maybe it's because he is our second.  Maybe I am jaded and things went this fast last time too.  What ever it is,  it is very bitter sweet.


I know Will is my last baby and I am totally at peace with this fact.  We are so blessed that the Lord brought him to us - he defied the odds!  But my momma heart hearts that he has grown up so fast! 

I really wish I had a pause button and could cherish every little thing at slow pace!


Kate also seems so much older to me these days!  She is talking in sentences, has such a loving heart, and has become quite the helper!  She is filled with so much joy!


I am so excited to discover the next phase of parenting - Kate and Will playing together.  Kate discovering her imagination.  Spending time doing "boy mom" things like days at the ball park.  Taking on the role of not just parent, but of friend!

All of these things are dreams of mine that I cannot wait to fulfill. 

But that doesn't make the heartache of closing the newborn chapter of my life any easier!

Please tell me I'm not alone in being overly emotional about this!

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July 2, 2012

2012 Be the One Run - The Royal Runners



Anyone who has ever spent any time visiting my teeny tiny space of the interwebs knows how important bone marrow transplants are to my family.  It should come as no surprise that the national registry, known at the Be The Match organization, is also incredibly important to us.

Be The Match can be thanked for increasing the donor registry and allowing my children to both find life saving donors. 
In an effort to raise money for Be The Match, and raise awareness about the national registry, Alex and I have made the decision to run in the Be The Match Be The One run here in Houston!  I've officially started training for the 5K in this insane heat as I have decided I will run the entire thing for my children!  Running a 5K is the least I can do after the fight Kate and Will have fought. 

If you are local, we would love for you to join on team and run/ walk with us in September 15!  However, if you are not local, we would still love your support.  Alex and I have pledged to raise $2,000 for Be the Match.  If you would like to make a donation in honor of Kate and Will, visit our team's website (link) and do so!  All proceeds are tax deductible and go directly to Be the Match to help cover the costs of testing new donors, providing support for transplant patients and families, as well as helping to fund BMT research!  There are also races in several other cities around the US if you are interested in running but do not live in Houston!

We hope that you will help us reach our goal and appreciate all of the support we have so very much!

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