March of Dimes Journey and Big Thanks !!

Our First March of Dimes walk was in April of 2008. Emmaleigh was about 8 months old. I wasn't going to do it, but I saw a few other mothers of premature baby's doing it and I knew it was a great cause. I thought I should do it too. I really wanted to make a difference.

I called my local chapter. I was too late to get a poster like all the other babies, but I still wanted to do it. I started out with a goal of $100 and went past that pretty quickly many friends and Family surprised me by helping out with a wonderful cause. I ended up raising $250 in a week. I was told I did wonderful and that I should get started earlier next year to see how well I can do. I was very excited about the up coming year and Emmaleigh actually getting a poster.

This year came. My life has been though lots of changes. We have moved into a new area so I wouldn't be attending the same walk as last year and Emmaleigh isn't that tiny baby she was last year she is a 20 month old toddler and I thought it would be harder to get people to help out.

I got the call and I was asked to help. I couldn't say no. I thought I give it a chance. I don't know the same people as I did last year. So the people who gave last year weren't around to ask this year and I thought the ones who where might not want to give in the name of a toddler or gave last year so they might not want to give again.

I got started with a few emails. I got a few bites. $1 here and $5 a few larger ones. I had raised my goal to $350 from the $250 of last year. I getting no where. I'm stuck at $63 this $350 goal seems hopeless. my okdest son's, Alexander & Cameron's Birthday was coming up and then Easter. I lower it back to $250 and I hope I make $100. Before I knew it more donations came my way.

I really want to make this $250 goal, but I didn't want to beg people who financially couldn't do it. I sent out a few emails letting them know what I was doing and how wonderful of a cause it was, but I didn't want to put them on the spot. I posted blogs and on myspace & Facebook as well. I had just discover facebook in Feburary. I gotten into a few applications on there as well. There this one application on there that I have really enjoyed and so have my children. It's called yoville. It's like a sims game basically a online doll house. You have a character. you name him or her. she goes to work and collects coins and with those coins buys a house, and things to put in it as well as clothes to change you character into. I have also met other people on there, you can talk to them. You can also make events and have people come to your house to sell your unwanted items or just throw a party for different reasons. two of the items you may buy are a picture frame that you can put real life pictures of your family or friends in. another thing is a white board which is like a dry erase board. You also have a message board where you and your friends came type messages. I thought if you can create these events just to met people maybe I should do this to help the march of dimes. I wanted to use this game for a wonderful cause.

I wrote in my message board a story of how Emma's life started out and what it is like to be a parent to a premature baby, I put my link to my march of dimes pages. I put her picture up and used the whiteboard with her name on it. I must have talked to over 700 people on here. I even used my coins to make this what they call premium event to reach as many people as possible. I talk to many parents, grandparents, sister, brother, aunt and uncles of premature babies. I've come to realize how many premature babies there really are. I hope that one day this will change.

There was 6 days to go. I had collect a good bit of my money, but I still have about $60 to go. It seemed like a good bit to me. I sent out update E-Mails and got a few more donations. I went back to my facebook application. I posted Event after event 100's of more people came though with out a bite. Finally a few donations came though I reached my $250 goal I even went $21 over. I was on cloud nine I couldn't believe I did and of all places Yoville an online game who would have thought ! A few days went by I was done I reached my $250 goal I didn't reach my original $350 but that was okay. I had March of dimes on my mind so heavily the past few weeks. I was even asked, by an online friend if I had a target ( mean the store) close to me and I replied with telling her how close I was to my target (goal). I have having a hard time telling myself your done you reached your goal with 6 days to go. I told Everyone thank you and that I wouldn't turn down anymore donations, but I reached my goal.

A days later more donations came my way and before I knew it I was $50 away from my 2nd goal. I thought I can do this again. In one night I reached the $350 !!! I gain about 80% of donations though this facebook applications and all, but $13 was collect online !

I am happy to report I reached my original $350 goal tonight. There was actually one donations which I didn't see come though cause it went on the team page so my team has $375 !!!

I am just so grateful for what an amazing job and so many amazing people have come together to be a part of. I am very impressed by the generosity of my long time friends, family, strangers and new friends. I can't begin to tell you how hard it was to have a premature baby and how each person who donated. money or just thoughts and prayers have touch my heart. Thank you so much for everything you have all done.

Just remerber to keep us in your thought and prayers when we finish what we started on May 2, 2009 ! My whole Family will be in the walk Me, Darin and our 5 wonderful children. We even made them special big brother/big sister to a 32 week premmie T-shirts.

Thanks soo much !! You all mean the world to me !