Happy birthday baby boy!

You would've been turning four years old today. Would you be into superheroes like Gabe? Would you love dinosaurs as much as Landon? Would you be talking constantly like me, or more quiet and reserved like daddy? How tall would you be, and would you have kept those amazing cheeks?!

 What movie would you want to watch over and over? What song would make you dance? Sing?


Would you fight us on what you'd wear everyday? Have to dress and feed yourself? How would you be in school? Chatterbox like me lol? I would've told you how many recesses I missed all because of talking during class. And I'll bet you would've listened and you would've played on recess.

Who would we have play dates with? Would you love trains as much as Ro? Would you love the zoo? Which animal would've been your favorite? Would you cry and beg for ice cream? Throw tantrums at target?

I would've loved to have seen you at four. To experience all of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. ALL of it.

We decided to rally the troops in your honor today kiddo. A lot of people across the country will be doing good things for you today, so keep a look out. And even in another country!! (England thanks to the amazing Shaw family) And they're doing it all because of you kiddo. You made people want to be better. Better mommies. Better daddies. Better wives. Better husbands.


Better people.



You did this. I'm amazed everyday seeing what you've inspired in not only me and daddy, but so many people. People that never had the chance to know you. It makes me so SO proud to be your mommy.

I know you'll see everything that everyone does to celebrate you and your birthday today, but I will share some since kindness is contagious when shared <3 And we want to keep the movement going!!

Your friends Brady and Nathan at Aldi!

My amazing friend Elyse buying dunkin for a stranger <3

Coins for Kiddos

Your Buddy Ben over in England :)

Love you to the moon and back sweetheart! We celebrate you ALWAYS <3
Love,
Mommy

Random Act of Kindness Day in Honor of Dylan

So here it is family and friends: We are planning on doing Random acts of Kindness throughout the day on friday and are encouraging anyone who wants to help, to join us! I created an image that I'm putting on stickers, and making little notecards with that you are welcome to use smile emoticon

Ideas:

Buy the person in line behind you their coffee/bagel/McMuffin with a sticker/note attached smile emoticon
Leave bags of Hershey Kisses in random places with a note attached (in AC!!)
Leave quarters taped to a gumball machine with a note/sticker
Tape a bag of microwave popcorn to a red box machine with a note

No $$ No problem!

Set up a lemonade stand, and hand out free cups for a smile smile emoticon
Leave a cute post-it note (see pic for ideas)

Please then take a picture of your RAOK (if you can...otherwise please just come and tell us about it!) and post it on our D2D facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/devoted2dylan) so we can see all the kindness YOU are spreading in loving memory of our Dylan 

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Falling apart at the seams...

The last few days, I've been really teary...and I sort of just figured that time of the month was coming up (sorry Male readers) but as I was sitting here, crying for the nearly 5th time today it hit. "Duh, you idiot!"

It's so crazy how feelings and emotions of love, pain, grief (and others but these are mine right now) can just take over. You can fight it for only so long, and then it overflows. And even oozes out of your pores.

Crying is healthy and a release, sometimes I just wish I had more control of when it over takes me, lol.

It might be hard for some to understand why Mother's day is one of the worst holidays for me. But their birthdays are full of joy for me. It's the day I met them, face to face.  The day they passed away, well that day is the same as Noah's birthday and we choose to celebrate getting to hold our precious boy for those two hours he was here on Earth with us. The day we said goodbye to Dylan, while sad, was also wonderful. Dylan got to go home. He was able to leave the hospital and all the beeping behind him, feel the sun and be held by his immediate family and hear countless times how loved he was.

And not that I don't have a reminder every.single.day. that they aren't here...because I do, but Mother's day is like pouring a bottle of salt in an open wound.

So please keep me, and other mother's (ALL mothers!) in your thoughts and prayers on Sunday.

bereaved mother's day

Our walk is THIS Saturday!!

REALLY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
PLEASE SHARE with Milwaukee D2D walkers!

We have a team photo team scheduled with the photographer at 920 am. Please be in your green and ready before then if you want to be in the team picture this year!!! So try to be there at 9ish! We will be there!!!

The walk is in the same location as in previous years:

Date: Saturday, April 25, 2015 

Start time: 10:00 AM

Registration time: 9:00AM

Walk distance: 2 miles

O'Donnell Park

931 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

(414) 778-3500 | WI657@marchofdimes.org

#d2d100K

It is really difficult for me to find the words...and if you know me well, you know that doesn't happen often.

I am in awe of the people in our families,  of our friends, and the people that we met because of Dylan & Noah. Whether you walked with us in 2012, 2013, or last year; whether you started your own team after learning of all the work the March of Dimes does through our story; whether you donated $5 or $500 dollars...YOU made this happen.

We are $300 away from raising $100,000 for the March of Dimes.

As a mother who lost her boys, I can tell you that knowing my sons' stories live on in the hearts of so many...it is SO touching and SO comforting. It shows that whether you are here on earth for 2 months, 2 hours, or years more, YOU CAN make a difference. You CAN make this world a better place.

Thank you all for all of the support over the last few years. Thank you for allowing me to blast your facebook walls with March of Dimes info. Thank you for following my blog. Thank you for all the emails and private messages you have sent me, telling me that you think of my babies everyday. That you are a better wife/mother/father/husband because of it. That they will not ever be forgotten about. THANK YOU.

Want to help us raise that final $300??
Go here to donate: www.marchforbabies.org/jen102279

I have so much love for all of you that helped get us here <3 THANK YOU.
I'm crying now, so I will leave it at that :)

We still have our Lark & Juniper fundraiser going on until friday (4/10) here:
http://devoted2dylan.blogspot.com/2015/04/d2d-fundraiser.html

And maybe we will try to host a Pampered Chef, or Tastefully Simple fundraiser as well!
Let us know if you'd like to help us out with that!! :)

D2D fundraiser!!!

I wear this lark & juniper necklace every single day. I get compliments on it all the time,  The wonderful owner, and dear friend, is hosting an online fundraiser for us! A percentage your purchase will go to the March of Dimes, via our family team, Devoted to Dylan. It's a great time to get a beautiful l&j piece!

We have an Facebook party going on here: https://www.facebook.com/events/788742641246398/


If you aren't on Facebook, you can still participate in the fundraiser!
"Welcome to Jen's online party! I'm Lisa, the owner and artist behind lark & juniper. I'll be available to answer any questions you might have! Each photo has item numbers and links through to our website, where you'll see all of the items and the sizes. Everything on the site is available during the party, and please use the code D2D when you check out for free shipping and of course, to make sure that all of the rewards for this party go to March of Dimes team Devoted to Dylan! We'll have a few giveaways, too!Shopping for a great cause is the best kind of shopping!This event will be open until April 10th!"
Here's the link to the Lark&juniper shop : http://www.larkandjuniper.com/


You will NOT be disappointed! Lisa's pieces are beautiful and one of a kind!