March for Babies 2016

Another year has come and gone for the March for Babies!

It was a little cool this mornging, after having been raining for a few days before the walk. We had a quite a few walkers this year, that always makes my heart happy! We raise $953.00!

Enjoy a few pictures below of us before the walk, during the walk and at the Memory Mile.

We are truly blessed to have so many supporters! Thank you all for participating!

What Heals Your Heart ~ October 19th

We have knitted hats for the NICU for both of our hospitals for the last three years and this year we decided to make bunting and tunics for the angel babies.
For the past 6 years we have raised money and walked for the March of Dimes' March for Babies. We have raised close to $4500.00 over the 6 years.
It is both gratifying and helpful to our healing process.

March for Babies 2014

Here is Team Nehemiah 2014

Generously Giving

Every year that I have participated in the March for Babies I tend to beat myself up for not making the top Family Team or for not getting as much money as a new team does.  

This Sunday we were in Matthew 6:1-4 and the lesson was on giving. It states that we should give in private and not to expect anything in return for it. That as long as we are giving and keeping it between ourselves and God, we will receive our rewards in Heaven.

So, I am making a promise to myself that I am going to do everything I can in honor of my Nehemiah and the babies I walk for and I am not going to beat myself up for not being in the top. As long as I have my heart in it, then I am doing it for the right reason.

I will pray for my team though and for myself to do everything we can to help our community in the mission to fight prematurity and birth defects.

I will no longer be upset if I am not getting the exact support that other teams are getting or raking in the funds other teams get. Instead, I will hold my head high and be proud of myself and my team for what we have accomplished over the past 5 years. 

This year, year 6, is going to be the best year, I just know it! 

And all glory be to God! 

P.s. if you feel the need to give, please click on the March for Babies icon on the right-hand side of my blog.

Capture Your Grief Day 19 - Support

We have too many to put in one picture so I simplified it.

They know who they are though.

They have join our Family Team each year, they help us raise money & sale chocolates, they let us cry on their shoulder....more importantly, they speak his name - Nehemiah.

I love you all and we would be insane without all of you.

Why I Fight!

As you all already know, the past 4 years I have walk in the March for Babies & I am always talking about how it is my passion! Well, today I would like to share a little bit more about why I am part of this great organization!

A few close friends:

 

This is my sweet friend Nancy; we actually met through the March of Dimes. 

Her precious Bubbas was born @ 28weeks on November 3, 2008. He was in the NICU for 4 months  & had to have numerous surgeries. Unfortunately, he passed January 3, 2010. 

 These are our dear friends Blakni & John; I went to HS with Blakni & JD went to HS with John. 

Their baby girl Kinley Grace was diagnosed with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. She came sooner than expected & her condition was worse than expected. She lived for 2 hours & 37 minutes; they only got about 10 minutes with her before she passed.

As a mother, I believe we have to stick together & be the voice of our angel children. If my participation with the March of Dimes can prevent families of future heartbreak, then I am willing to keep fighting! 

Team Nehemiah-March for Babies 2012

This past Saturday was our March for Babies walk & we had a blast!

 

We had a small group this year, but it was still really nice.

 Our team total for this year was $1,131.00!

Can't wait for next year! 

My Mission, My Responsiblity

As our lives keep going, after a life has been loss, we must be their voice to let people know they were HERE!

As a mother it is my responsibility to keep my precious Nehemiah's memory alive. I know I did not get to share his physical being with those around me, but he was alive inside of me for almost 20 weeks! I felt him growing and kicking and even got to see him wiggling around the sonogram screen on two different occasions. However, I will always remember that day that I saw him laying lifeless on that same screen.

That is why the March of Dimes is so close to my heart. Because there are babies who not even make it that far, who almost make it to 40 weeks and then it is decided they are "Too Precious for Earth" and then there are the babies who are born so early, the have to start out fighting for their lives. We also have those special babies that are born with defects. These children have a fight they must fight for the rest of their lives, however short or long it may be.

Even when our children are born healthy, they are still affected by the March of Dimes in many ways.

Raising money and walking for the March of Dimes' March for Babies is my way of keeping Nehemiah's being alive. It is my mission to help the March of Dimes' fight to prevent such instances. Each baby conceived should have a fighting chance.

Won't you support me in the fight for ALL babies!

March of Dimes 2012

How have you been touched by the March of Dimes?

You or your child received the Polio vaccine
You or your child received the PKU test
You baby or a baby you know was cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
Your baby or a baby you know received surfactant
You or someone you know had ultrasounds during pregnancy to detect heart problems
Your baby or a baby you know received nitric oxide therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension
You have heard of folic acid & know it helps prevent birth defects

This year the walk is Saturday, April 28th at Thompson Park
8:00am 5K Run for the Babies
9:30am Opening Ceremonies
10:00am March Begins

There will be an estimated 2,000 area walkers & our area goal is to raise $350,000 this year.

Our team goal is just $500.00, won't you help?

If you wish to make a donation to our team or join to walk, please follow this link:
http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/TeamNehemiah

If you know anyone who is interested in making a donation to our team, please send them this link.

Thank You & God Bless,

"There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world"

March for Babies 2011

What a blast the walk was this year!

We did not have nearly as many people walk with us as last year, but we had quite a few new walkers. It started out windy & cool & actually turned into a pretty nice day.

My team, Team Nehemiah, raised $527.26! When I got everything started we only had 8 weeks left to get some money collected. We did not raise as much as last year, but we did meet our goal of $500.00!

I get so envious of other family teams who bring in $1,000's of dollars, but I have to remind myself that I am just starting out. Some of the family teams have been doing this a while & have got their supporters already lined up. I am praying that next year I can get my teammates more involved so we can get some more donations.

I know the walk for babies is not only about the monetary donations, it also about getting awareness out there that women need prenatal care & babies do need to be vaccinated. I would not have had the option for a 1st Trimester Screening had it not been for the March of Dimes & without that I might have stressed myself out into having a preemie baby instead of my 6lb 12 1/2oz healthy baby boy.

March of Dimes is my passion! Be on the lookout for posts in the future about fundraising & we can save some babies together!

Gracie, Laci, JD, Bo, Dad, Anthony, Mom, Lisa, Debbie, Kasi, Jillian, Priscilla, Me/Crispin,
Cadence, KK, Carson, Myka, Eli, Arianna, AB, Xavier

Thank you to my walkers & those of you who contributed & for supporting my cause!

Mom, dad, Kasi, JD, Me/Crispin, Andrea,
Carson, Cadence & KK

This is for you son!

What is My Passion?

It is just 3 1/2 weeks away until the March of Dimes' March for Babies. I got a late start this year, which made me feel a little overwhelmed about a week ago. So, I put my thinking cap on & started plotting fundraiser ideas.

This past weekend my eldest daughter & I had our bake sale. We had typed up a letter detailing why we walk & asked each mother & daughter to bake something & then help us hold a bake sale to raise money. We had a great turn out! Two of my daughter's teachers even chipped in.

This always makes me feel great that I can do something like this. I don't raise thousands of dollars like some family teams are able to, but hopefully one day I can. To help with funding research to save the life of a baby born too soon or keep a baby from being born too soon or to stop a baby from being born with a birth defect, that is my passion!

BREATHE! RELAX!

Is this year going by rather quickly or is it the maternity leave that I took or just life itself?

In just a few short weeks is the March of Dimes' March for Babies. This time last year I had already raise a couple of hundred bucks, had our t-shirts designed & had recruited walkers. This year, I have not raised anything, I do not have my t-shirt design yet (which I just asked a friend to assist me with) & I only have a few sweet people signed up. I have tons of ideas to raise the money this year, but I just feel rushed & out of time.

So, I am trying to tell myself to relax, just do what you can. My sweet oldest daughter is rounding up girlfriends & their mothers to help us with a bake sale. We are hoping to do it this coming weekend at our local Wal-Mart. Now, just to let everyone know that she has invited when & where. As well as asking a few of my sweet family members to help out.

Typing this out has my heart rate up (lol)! For any of you reading this who feel compelled to make a small, medium or large donation please go here & donate. Anything would be appreciated.

So, here is to BREATHING & RELAXING! There is always the rest of this year & the next to reach my goal.

God Bless You All!

CHECKiNG iN & GETTiNG READY...

Wow!, I cannot believe we are already to the end of the month of February 2010. What a year this has started off to be. I am praying for better things & happiness to come my way.

I am definitely not one to be down & cry about my problems. I do have bad days though where I do not feel like getting out of bed or going to work. But if I didn't I would go crazy. I have a really good friend who brings me back up to where I need to be when I start to doubt myself or let myself get down. She does not sugarcoat anything either. LOL! I also have the grace of God to help me.

But, what is keeping me up right now is the fact that I am getting pumped about the March for Babies 2010. This is my 2nd year to be a part of this awesome organization. I have met some really great people & it feels good to know that I can help make a difference. I do not feel you had to have a preemie or a child with a genetic disorder or birth defect to be a part of the March of Dimes. You can do it for a friend or loved one, even your future grandchildren. Every little bit helps & that is what matters. These babies are what matters.

When a good friend of mine approached me to be a part of the March of Dimes, I did not feel like I belonged. I mean, my baby was not born alive or with a birth defect. I will, unfortunately, never get to know why my son did not make it into this world alive at full-term, until I meet Jesus that is. However, once I started reading the info & listening to other mother's I knew I belonged here. Hopefully one day we can prevent deaths during pregnancy & help all mothers come full-term & even know what causes birth defects that we can one day prevent them from occurring. It is a far stretch, but I believe it can happen.

So, if you are in my area & would like to walk with me & my team or perhaps you just want to donate, please visit my Team Nehemiah site & sign up or donate. All donations are tax deductible. You can even start your own team if you wish.

So, let's save us some babies!!



"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!""
Psalm 139:14-18

BeTTer LaTe ThAn NeVeR...

March of Dimes 2009 March for Babies.
Team Nehemiah Christopher Reyna.

L-R: Sherry (my mom), Lisa, Me, Angela, Jeslyn, Becky (m-in-law), Andrea, Kendra, Kelli L. & Kelli M.Andrea & Myself @ Nehemiah's Memory Mile Marker.

Unfortunately JD & KK could not walk with us this year, but definitely next year they will. JD & I got there a little after 6:30 a.m. to help set up the memory mile & blow up balloons & tie ribbon on them. It was loads of fun!

We would like to suggest anyone out there who is willing to help by getting donations & coming out to Run or walk, please sign up early next year. Even if you have never experienced the pain of a pregnancy or infant loss or having to deal with the stress of a premature birth yourself, I ask that you get out & help raise awareness & money to prevent it from happening to you or a loved one.

Thank you everyone who supported my family & my team or anyone's team for that matter. May God bless you!

UpDaTeS & fUnNy StUfF

Well, as some of you know I am partaking in the Lent proceedings. I have given up chips. It has been a little hard since I am a chipaholic.

"Hi, may name is Jenny & I have a problem! I am a chipaholic!"

I pack my girls' lunch & when I reach for those toasted, cheese flavored, triangular shaped chips, I would really like to just sneak one. No one will see me, but wait! God WILL! I have been doing really good. The other afternoon we had KK's birthday party & I had to twisty tie the chips & they all were yelling for me to eat them. I resisted though. Satan did not win this battle.

My March for Babies Fundraisers are going GREAT! I have sold 4 boxes of chocolates, earning my team $100.00! Then, I had went to Michael's & purchased flower kits for $1.00. Each kit contains a 1 1/2" pot, a little dirt clot & a packet of seeds. I sale them for $2.00 & so far I have made $50.00 to go towards my team!

My BFF, Bridgett, got me a gift certificate to a local gormet shop that we are going to give away as a prize. The game? How many Jelly Bellys are in the baby bottle? & one of my other close friends, Kelli, is going to get me a gift certificate from her niece's shoppe to raffle off. I am just so into this. I am going to do this for the Susan G. Komen. You never know when you are going to need these services.

I have six friends, four cousins, my mom (hopefully my aunt & sister-in-law), all signed up to be a part of my team.

I promised the other day that I would post another funny story about one of my drama queens. Let me tell this one, it's the best by far.

One afternoon, JD, my mom, Andrea, Makaila & myself were walking through Sam's Club. Drea & my mom where in front, KK was in her infant carrier, JD & I were pushing the basket talking. Drea was 5 at the time mind you. All of a sudden I hear her saying something about tator tots. So, I ask her what she is saying, but she replies, "nothing". OK.

We walk a little farther & I hear her, "Pussy & tator tots, pussy & tator tots". So, shocked, I ask her what she is saying, she looks me in the face & asks, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH PUSSY & TATOR TOTS MOM?" as an elderly woman walks past us. Anyone who knows Drea, knows she is not a quiet child. I wanted to crawl under a rock & die. So I tell her it is inappropriate & we will not say the "p" word again.

When I ask my mom why she did not tell her to stop, she says, "I thought if I ignored her she would stop on her own." UMMMM okay, BUT SHE DIDN'T!! Of course mom looks at JD & asks him where she heard that & adds, "What an odd combination."

I was mortified!! What do you think that little old lady told her family when she got home. Just imagine!

That is all for now, more later!



"I assure you, unless your turn from your sins & become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 18:3-4

We are doing the March for Babies in April for our area. If anyone would like to donate online you can go to our team page & make a donation there. If anyone reading this lives in my area, you are more than welcome to join my team or create your own team to walk for babies.

http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?w=141014169&u=nehemiahreyna

Thank you in advance.
God Bless You,



I almost forgot, I have 15 candy bars left to sell out of 4 boxes (200) & I started selling Flower Kits today. I had 19 to start with & have 9 left to sell. I have collected $90 just in contributions & have about $50 left to collect on. I am very excited about what I am doing.