Girls Night Goes Red...

This past Thursday night was my Go Red for Women Event called Girls Night Goes Red. It was held at the amazing Belcourt Theater in Nashville. What a funky old place. The event was basically to introduce the faces of Nashville that are Go Red Women and to watch a 30 minute intro video on the program. The American Heart Association introduced the Go Red for Women Campaign this year and it is to rise awareness to women about heart disease, heart attacks, etc.

Did you know that Nashville, TN is the LEAST heart healthy city in the Nation! How sad is that. Heart disease is the #1 killer in women and 1 in 3 women will have heart disease.

This is a program that I believe in wholeheartedly. All you do is sign up and they send you a red dress pin in the mail and some heart healthy food choice receipes via email monthly.

Since I am one of the faces of Nashville, I was introduced to the crowd and a portion of my Casting Call video was shown. I cried all the way through my Casting Call so it was hard to see again. Going back to what happened with Josh is often so hard, but on a night like this, it was amazing. I had the BIGGEST crowd of support ever!

My number one supporter Josh was there with his camera and he captured some sweet shots. It was a wonderful night filled with lots of RED and love from my family and friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to those of you that came and supported me. It makes me who I am and I am so grateful for that!

Harris Family Update...

To say that the past couple of weeks have been a bit overwhelming...would be a huge understatement. Let me give you the run down.

Josh got the flu the Friday before we left for Disney World with the whole fam. We went to Disney with him feeling somewhat better. We returned from an awesome trip and he got sick again on Tuesday. Maggie spiked a high fever on Wednesday and a quick dr. visit confirmed that she had the flu. I have been able to continue to work thanks to awesome Aunt Lyndsey and my JuJu. Josh was felt strongly that I should save my days just in case I end up getting the flu.

We headed to Disney during Fall Break and it was the time of our lives. We stayed at a beautiful resort complete with an awesome room and a pool that was amazing! Maggie did wonderful on both the flight there and home. She loved the peanuts on the plane and the pull down tray was her absolute favorite. She played with it the whole trip. She did receive her first pair of flight wings!!!

I would have to say that my sister, Brea, is the BOMB.COM at planning and executing a trip to Disney. We ate great, we knew what rides were awesome, seriously...between Mom and Dad being so much fun to be around, Brea's awesome planning, and watching all the kiddos smile and have a great time...it was amazing. Here a few pictures that daddy, Josh, took...enjoy!

I am get into the giving spirit with a GIVEAWAY on my sewing blog!

I am giving away a $30.00 Gift Certificate to use how you wish for any Maggie Moo's Mom item. Head over to my sewing blog to check it out and all you have to do to enter is comment away! Drawing ends Nov. 7th at midnight.

The next event that is on our calendar is the Go Red Event Night. I know that most of you know that I am one of the Nashville Spokeswomen for the Go Red For Women campaign hosted by the American Heart Association. Basically it is a campaign that they have started to promote heart health in women. I haven't dove into the campaign yet, meaning, getting all my friends signed up, but that is on my to-do list!

This past Saturday I headed to Nashville for a photo shoot to get ready to promote the campaign. All of the representatives got to have a personal photo shoot so that they could have pictures for the promotional brochures, etc. It was awesome. Josh was able to go with me to the Grant Lovett Studio and it was so fun. Of course, I was a total goof ball!

All of the pictures will be revealed at the Go Red Event. I would love it if you could join us at this event! See the details below and if you can make it, just let me know. It is for the whole family, not just women.

You Say Disney...I Say MICKEY SHIRTS!!!!

We are heading to Disney for Fall Break. When I say we, I mean 11 people. JuJu, Poppy Eddie, Aunt Brea, Uncle J, Anna, Isaac, Luke, Mary Elizabeth, Josh, Maggie, and I. Sheesshhh! We have a crew...It is going to be out-of-this-world FUN!

Apparently, I went as a child and Josh and Maggie have never been. We are Disney Virgins!!!

Mom and Dad booked it and Brea and Mom and Dad have planned it. Since I don't remember one thing about it, I had nothing to contribute...EXCEPT some awesome custom Mickey Shirts for the whole fam! Yep, 11 of them. All different, all made with TONS of love! Cool colors and cool fabrics! Even my Dad liked his!

I am so stinkin' excited about Disney I can't wait. I can't wait to see our crew sporting these awesome shirts!

An Awesome Giveaway Opportunity...

Lassiegirl is one of my all time favorite sellers on Etsy. I found her forever ago and she made Maggie her first pinafore that she still wears today. She contacted me about hosting a giveaway over on her blog to help us both out. Ashley always has amazing pinafores and scrap packs available, both through Etsy and her website.

This pinafore is one of my new favorites. Since I teach and all, I am obsessed with apples!!

So hop over to Ashley's Lassiegirl blog and register to win by leaving a comment. It is a super sweet write up of me and my craft. You can win a FREE scrappy lanyard made by me!!!
Check it out! and Comment AWAY!!!!

http://www.lassiegirl.typepad.com/

My Sweet Baby...

...is getting so big.

Her smile makes my world go round. Her laugh makes me laugh. Her sweet little dimples remind me of her handsome daddy.

She is the light of my world.

Change is Good for the Soul...

Lately, life has been so yummy. School is going so well. All of my students and teachers are rocking my socks off. I have loved getting up and taking Maggie to Mrs. Donna's, who she loves as much as me, and then going to teach and make a difference.

I have been struggling with my hair for a bit. It had gotten so long and heavy. If you know anything about me you know that I have super crazy thick hair. So much so that I have to use at least 3 ponytail holders to keep it up in a pony-o. It was time for a change.

I decided to help a child out and donate my hair that has recently gotten super duper long to a company that makes wigs for children who are in treatment for Cancer. My amazing stylist, Nicki at Mitzi's in Rivergate, asked me while she was shampooing it...so, what do you want to do to it today. I said, I need a cut...maybe like 3-4 inches. She said, almost jokingly, well if you cut at least 6 inches, you can donate it and help out a child who needs a wig. Say no more. I said, okay...go for it. Enough said. It is: a. just hair and it will grow back and b. if it were Maggie that was bald from being sick, I would hope that someone could help her out. So off 7.5 inches went. YAY! So, I contacted Vanderbilt Medical Center today to find out what I needed to do to get this hair out of my house (yuck!!!) and where it can help others. The awesome lady that wrote me back suggested the Pink Heart Funds. After reading about her mission on her website, I could not get that hair in a plastic bag and in the mail fast enough.

I love the new look. It is fun, short, and nice to have a change.

For Meredith and CK4...

This awesome sign has gone to bestie, Lyndsey's, camp director Meredith. Lyndsey worked this past summer (just returned home yesterday!) for Lifeway at Centri-Kid Camps. She was gone for 11 long weeks are everyone is so glad that she is home.

She asked me if I could create her an awesome sign, like Brea's, with their camp verses that they have founded the summer on. I loved this project. It was supposed to be personal from the whole CK4 team, which was 24 people. I wanted it to be a bit girlie, but different.

The verses are John 15:16-17...

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command:

Love each other.

Lynds said that Meredith loved it when it was presented to her on Friday before camp ended. That made it so worth the work. I loved the way it turned out and was a nervous wreck packaging it to mail to VA!

Welcome home Lyndsey!

What are you doing with your Saturday Morning? Encores and More North!!!

It's Consignment Time PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

This morning is one of my most excited mornings in a long time. My awesome sis, Brea, runs THE BEST CONSIGNMENT SALE in the STATE OF TENNESSEE...Encores and More North. It is held in the old Goody's building in the Rivergate area next to Dick's Sporting Goods and Best Buy, across from Sam's. Her sale has always been unbelievable...but this one is sure to rock your socks off. She has already given out over 850 Consigner numbers...SERIOUSLY! If you want to be a WORKER, you get to shop super early before the public and the consigners. Also, Brea's BF Angie V. arranges lots of yummy food and drink stops for the workers...How cool is that!

Drop-off is happening today the 8th through Wednesday the 12th. Check HERE for appointments and information on that!

New MOMMIES get to shop early. Find out about that HERE.

Encores and More North is Open to the Public:
Saturday, August 15 10am - 6pm
Sunday, August 16 12pm-6pm
Monday - Wednesday, August 17-19 10am - 6pm
Thursday, August 20 10am - 6pm -- 25% OFF DAY!
NEW MERCHANDISE ARRIVING DAILY!
Half Price Days:
Friday, August 21 10am - 6pm
Saturday, August 22 9am - 1pm

These are the pics of my car and Josh's car of all the awesome goodies I am taking to sale. I love to CLEAN OUT and make some money all at the same time.

Check out Brea's website and if you need further info...leave me a comment and I will get right back to you!

2 Years...

...this morning at roughly 1:30 am marked the 2 year mark of my life changing forever. Josh went into Cardiac Arrest on July 30th, 2007 and point in time that I will never forget. July, as I have mentioned before, is an emotional month for me. I try so hard to keep it all together for myself, Josh, and mostly Maggie...but the truth is...it is HARD. I spent today thinking about the last two years and how much my life has changed.

I remember last year when it had been a year out...I remember thinking about how we were so lucky that Josh had made it a year out and was feeling better than he had in a long time...I remember thinking how grateful we both were that Maggie was as awesome as she was...I remember thinking that life was a blessing beyond belief.

This year has been totally different in many ways. I spent today waking up to my husband laying next to me ready to start a new day. I often sleep touching him...which doesn't sound like much, but in a huge California king bed, I have to stretch. Last night I slept with my hand on his heart. I couldn't help it. It was not like it was any different than any other night that he goes to sleep, but I needed to do that for me. It was a hard night. Mr. Dick that lives at the top of the neighborhood drives a huge dualie truck that is so loud. He was the first responder that came to help when Josh got sick. I believe I heard him everytime he went up and down the road last night. That was hard. I went to go get a haircut with Josh and "my face waxed off" as I loving refer to getting my eyes waxed and this was when Maggie went up to Josh and proclaimed that he looked "pretty" after his haircut. I went to Macy's at Rivergate and was an American Heart Association volunteer for the Go Red for Women campaign.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to be a Nashville spokeswoman for the Go Red campaign and nothing could thrill my soul more. I am still in the very beginning stages of understanding what I am doing, but I know why I am doing it...so that makes it worth the while. It was an amazing day. Between myself and four other volunteers, we signed up over 60 women for the campaign in only 2 hours. I LOVED that I was surrounded by heart survivors today. It seemed ironic, yet fitting. One lady that I spoke to buried her husband of 40 years from heart disease 10 years ago. It was an amazing story. It brought tears to my eyes. And then she looked at me and said...so, what's your story. So, I told her. A total stranger. She was so touched. She had tears in her eyes and we hugged and I said that I was so glad that she was signing up for the campaign as it promotes heart health for women. She said..."Honey, I have to live each day to honor my husband. We didn't get to finish this life together so I have to make sure that I am making a difference while I can." SERIOUSLY! I was blown away. Her name was Margie. I loved her. We rubbed elbows and hugged and laughed and bonded. We had nothing in common...so I thought. I just wanted her to sign up for the campaign, she just wanted the free ice cream. I believe that we both left with a changed state of mind.

I am so thankful for today. For the feelings and emotions that always come with today. For my JuJu calling and saying...now today is the day right...so sweet, I know she didn't want to ask. I am thankful for my husband. I am thankful that we do go to dr. appts. and feel like we are on date days. I am thankful that we have each other. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss the "old" Josh sometimes. I would be lying if I didn't say that sometimes I just want to have an Alie pitty party and invite no one. I would be lying if I haven't asked the Lord...why? I would be lying if I said that I wish all that has happened to our family had never happened and we could just be a "normal" family with normal health issues. I would just be lying. And you know what...the Lord doesn't like liars.

What I want to say to others is this...

...I miss the "old" Josh. I miss the Josh that doesn't have a counter full of prescription drugs that cause him to be in bad moods, yell alot, and shut down emotionally 99.9% of the time.

...I want to not go to bed every night scared to death that either my husband or my daughter could possibly get sick. It often freaks me out that Dexter is the healthiest one of the bunch!

...I want to be celebrating my 6 year of marriage on Sunday without saying I am SO glad Josh is still here. Who has to worry about that at 27 years of age.

...I want to STOP thinking about what happened at certain times and on certain days. I want to know that what I am feeling is okay. My therapist says it is...

...I want to STOP thinking about the time that Mom, Dad, and Brea drove me to the hospital and I was preparing myself for what life would be like without my husband. I want to stop hearing Brea say...Alie, you need to talk to him...He knows your here. (this was when he was on the breathing machine in the ER). I want to STOP hearing people say you know he is going to be okay. I want to STOP thinking about those terrible blue recliners in the ICU waiting room where poor Maggie thought she lived. I want to STOP thinking about seeing him right after his DeFib was placed and knowing that our life was going to be totally different. I want to STOP thinking about the EMS team shocking him in our bedroom on our floor at our house 3 times and shoving me out of the way from doing the CPR so it could shock. I want to STOP thinking about the time that Dad took Maggie in to see Josh right after he got transferred to a regular room at Hendersonville and him thinking it was the first time he was seeing her.

But...the reality is...I CAN'T. So what do I do.

I have to recognize that this is part of my life now and whether I love it or not, I have to respect it and give the glory to God for being alive to have these feelings.
I lean on my awesome family that loves me and my family unconditionally, even if it is hard at times.
I lean on my best friends that surround me and lift me up when I am at my weakest.
I lean on Maggie for her strength and love for life.

Most of all, I lean on God. He is why my day is worth living. It could always be worse and I am so thankful that it is not. I just think that God loves us the most when we are real with ourselves. You are of no help to others in your life, without helping yourself first.

Two years...these two years do not limit me or define who I am. They only make me stronger.

Maggie Moo Turned Two...

...in a big way. Maggie's big day was actually Friday, the 24th. Josh and I just ran some errands and he had a photo shoot that evening. I had been suffering from a Migraine since Tuesday and had to get a shot to get back to somewhat of a normal in time for Maggie big bash on Saturday.

We decided to do a morning party for lots of reasons. Maggie is her best in the morning. She always plays hard in the morning and sleeps after lunch. We didn't want to do a huge meal or even cake so we did the next best thing, Krispy Kreme donuts. Who doesn't love donuts? It was perfect. We bought a ton of donuts, had a spread of fresh fruits, and chocolate milk. It was perfect. All the kiddos loved it and it wasn't a huge ordeal, which I loved.

Of course, I had to purchase some fresh beautiful sunflowers to decorate with and some funky Martha Stewart star things, but other than that, we just sat back and enjoyed those that came.

Maggie loved her birthday. She totally understood what was going on and when asked she would answer - I'm TWO!!! (and hold up 5 fingers) - our little genius!

Many family members and friends that we love like family filled our house with lots of love, laughter, and joy. That is what I always want Maggie to remember about her birthday's...not the gifts she received, etc. She did love opening presents so Christmas will for sure be a blast. I would open the card and read it to her...she was stop and then say YAY!!! and clap for my reading. After the card, she would open the package. She got some awesome stuff. Kerri Jo and Kaitlin and Baby Boy Dillard got her the cutest cow bowling set. My mom and dad got her her first pair of Toms...they are adorable. She also got some yummy PJ's from JuJu and Poppy Ernie! Grammy and Poppy got her an adorable Dressy Bessy that she has already played with so much one of the buttons fell off! Aunt Patti and Uncle Cutie-Putie-in-his-plaid-shorts Ronnie got her some sweet Princess Crocs. They are precious. Brea and J and crew contributed money towards Maggie's new swingset, which was awesome. Gram and Papa Sam also sent some money. They had other plans already, but wanted to send their love. So sweet! Rachel and Owen got her some coloring items that are the bomb.com. She loves them and they don't color all over our walls!! YAY!!!

The West family got her a super sweet embroidered Maggie beach towel that has such fun striped colors and some sweet books perfect for the car. Grandma Norma and Papa got her a sweet book all about nursery rhymes. Lyndsey couldn't be here because she is still at Camp, but she was sooo thoughtful she sent her an adorable elephant shirt from the Elephant Sanctuary. Maggie loves elephants and that is a sweet little bond for them. It was super sweet. Overall, we had the best day with the best people.

It was so wonderful to look around the room and see people that have been in our lives and supported us through it all. I loved everyone in this house and I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to help fill the love in Maggie's heart. Enjoy the pics that daddy Josh captured from her special day.