SARA'S Burn Anniversary Challenge.

My good friend Sara posted this on her blog today and I think that it is a wonderful challange to a wonderful ending, that didn't start out so wonderful. So I felt that I would share it with you. Check out her page when you get a chance!
If you wanna check out the pictures her blog is.
http://www.sarafrawley.blogspot.com/

Happy Anniversary Challenge
Two years ago today, my life changed. My husband was on a deployment for a one year tour overseas and my sister had come to visit for the week with her two children, Noah and Autumn. We had gone strawberry picking with my MOPS group and our children and ended up with a TON of strawberries. In all the excitement of what we could make using strawberries, I got caught up in the idea of chocolate dipped strawberries. So off I went to the kitchen to make a chocolate fondue to dip them in.
I made the "fondue" like I always did... one pan stacked on top of the other with boiling water in the bottom pan and the fondue ingredients in the top pan. We had added a little too much cream and needed to add a little more chocolate, and so I had to go searching through my kids' Easter candy to make up the difference. When all the chocolate finally melted and the fondue was ready for the strawberries to be dipped, I reached over the pan to turn the burner off and the pan blew up in my face, causing severe 2nd degree burns all over the left side of my face, neck, arm, and abdomen. My sister was leaning over me taking in the aroma of the melted chocolate when the explosion happened and ended up with burns to her forehead and right eye. I don't remember much from that point on until we got to the hospital and I was able to calm down after several doses of morphine. My husband was called by the American Red Cross, my family was informed and my children were taken care of by some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for. I was taken via ambulance to the burn unit in Augusta, GA from Savannah, GA (two hours south). The had originally called in the medivac (helicoptor) to transport me because they had a hard time stablizing me, but in the end, I stablized enough to go via ambulance. It was the longest trip I had ever taken in my life, or so it felt. I felt so alone... the ride was quiet and I was exhausted... and still in excruciating pain. I was admitted into one of the best burn units in the United States taken in for surgery the next morning to scrub away the burnt skin. Doctor's Hospital in Augusta, GA did an amazing job in repairing my burns as well as my sisters burns. We were well taken care of and my family really swept in and did everything they could to keep me & my sister comfortable and upbeat. I was in the hospital for nearly 5 days and I got to go home (to my Mom's house in Augusta) when my husband flew in on Saturday. The two weeks following that was an even bigger blur, as they had given me some really good pain meds.
In the surgery, after they had scrubbed all the burnt skin away, they covered it with various healing agents: pig skin, cadaver skin, and a manufactured skin called "biobrain." Two weeks post surgery, all of the healing agents had peeled away and my skin had completely repaired itself. I serve a Great God... and He gets all the credit for my quick recovery. All I was left with was very pink/red skin and a slightly shaven hairline where the burns had burnt my scalp near and above my ear. My scars are minimal now and the only time they are really evident is if I get overheated and/or my bloodpressure goes up (like when I'm upset). We joke now about knowing when Sara's mad because her burns glow, but I can assure you, at the time, it was no joking matter. I thought I was going to die... and for a little while, so did the docs at the hospital in Savannah. It was by far the scarriest thing I've ever endured, and I'm thankful for the family, friends, and strength that God gave me to get through it.
In honor of my Anniversary, I'd like to propose a challenge. There are millions of burn victims all over the world... my challenge to you is to make a card and send it to a burn victim. You can check out this site to find a burn center to send cards to in the United States. A little bit of caring goes a long way.
To send a card to someone in the burn unit that I was cared for in, the address is:
Joseph M. Still Burn Center
3651 Wheeler Rd
Augusta, GA 30909
United States
Address your card to "Burn Victim."
One of the biggest steps in recovery of any kind of trauma, burn or not, is talking about what happened and realizing the great blessing of having victory over an uncontrolled situation. Thanks for listening and helping me spread awareness. If you'd like to see pictures of my burns, I'll be adding a photo album of my burns to my side bar, but discression is advised in looking at these pictures. They are not edited, enhanced, or censored at all.
Thanks for listening... take the challenge. Send a smile to a burn victim!


As Always have a blessed day filled with GOD Given Moments!!!

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Have a blessed day filled with God given moments!!!

Hello... This is she... FRIKIN AWSOME!!!

ok typing this for the second time.....grrr
As some of you know I live in a very small town and wal-mart is the place to be. There isn't much to do around here and the closest michaels is about 50 minutes away. It was a trip that I always hated becuase that is enough time to kill anyones creative drive. I didn't get to make it much as it was and with the gas prices rising it seemed like they were going to be few and far between. Until one magical day when all my dreams came true. I guess that my town decided to grow up and get some good stores so we got a tjmax, a pet smart, a shoe store, a bed bath and beyond, and tucked away in the center of those was a Michaels. I almost screamed out loud in excitement... ok so I did scream out loud. I was frikin excited. The day of the grand opening I wasn't going to make it because I was taking care of my grandmother and my upline Sara Frawley decides to tell me that they are having a drawing for gift cards and a cricut machine. Well pooh. I wasn't going to make it. Even if I dropped everything right then and there, it just wasn't going to happon. BUT a thought crossed my mind. My husband was. he would be driving right by the store at anytime now and unknowling be missing the oportunity of my life (sad huh) so I figured I would try to get a hold of him. Well my conversation was anything but uplifing with him. He said that he wasn't going into woman land to spin a "wheel o' fun" ( I don't know why he called it that. you spun the wheel and got a free prize) But he was totally unwilling to go into that store and fill out this dinky little peice of paper for me. I was so mad. and it wasn't becuase my chances were thrown out the window but because he was being dumb and I don't like it when people are dumb. so I pouted and whined and then said fine I didn't want you to go anyway but if you do decide to go I would greatly appricate it... and a you don't love me in there somewhere... I was really putting on the guilt.... well it's never worked before but this time it did... YEAH!!! and boy am I glad I got a call today saying that I won the $50 gift card. Which to me was great. I won something and I never ever get to buy myself anything. So I was happy. and then my upline gave me a 50% and a 20% off coupon.. so I was really excited and here is what I got. After going to the store 3 times to decide what I really truly wanted. There was just so much and to have this $50 was like amazing to me. so here they are!!

Journey to Skinny

ok so I have ventured out on a new and inspiring journey. It wasn't at first but after today I'm speechless for the amount of motivation and inspiration I have star weight watchers. My mom offerd to pay for it. So I figured WHY NOT!?! It's an opportunity to lose weight. I'll take it. So I started last thursdy and went today for my weigh in. I wasn't really feeling up to it. I was anxious and excited at the same time. I felt that I didn't do very well and would have to go tell my mom that I gained weiht and didn't lose any. So I stood in a line of about 30 people and waited for my turn to arrive. Almost there. nerves start kicking in.. I gotta pee..(sorry for the blunt term). So I run to the bathroom pee. There is still about 7 people in front of me.. I wait somemore. My turn arrives and not a moment to soon. I go and give the lady my information sign in.. Take my shoes off. Empty the change and bills and phone and keys and paper and whatever else I could find from my pockets If I could have found pocket lint I would have removed that also. I step on the scale. Close my eyes and peek at what she is writing down... 189.8... OMGOSH.. I lost 5.4 lbs in one week. And It's not like I I weigh that much and you can tell. I have very muscular legs and even when I wore I size 6 I weighed 160. Sooo.... I just want to get down to a size 8 and I'll be happy Right now I am a 14-16 depending on the brand of clothes. So anyway I'll keep you faithful readers updated. Don't forget
HAVE A BLESSED DAY FILLED WITH GOD GIVEN MOMENTS!!

10 things about me you didn't know

1) I love being outside. Something about being in nature and the smells of the air and the feel of the grass between my toes (I love to be barefoot outside). It brings back memories, flashbacks, and things long forgotton. My childhood went by fast so these memories are things that I stop close my eyes and cherish for the moment and then tuck them away until they come again. My children have taken after that. If they had it their way they would be outside rain or shine, cold or hot, day or night.

2) I am extreamly insecure. I come off like I have all the confidence in the world but when you get down to it. I am always seeking approval and I really do care what people thing about me. I get scared and upset if somebody doesn't like me and I find reason to cause a problem if they do. I try to be nice and accepting of others when really I unknowingly search for flaws that people have to make myself feel better. (don't get me wrong, I never speak to people about what I think their flaws are I keep them to myself for my own self uplifting) It is a struggle that I work on.

3) I am a Christian. I am not perfect. I try to do what God tells us to do and I try to be a good influance. I go to church every sunday but I must admit I don't know if I would if my husband weren't the worship leader. He supports me and gets me up to go. But sometimes I just don't really want to. I have only missed church 3 times in the last 3 years 1 I was sick and 2 I was on a trip with the church.

4) I am poor but I don't mind. Not that it matters but for some reason people think that my husband and I have loads of money and that is why I am a stay at home mom. False. We are so poor we are in the poverty lines according to our government. We live paycheck to paycheck and I don't see that changing unless God blesses us. We live in a small 2 bedroom apartment and our children share a room. People call us for money all the time. But I don't mind. The way I see it we are in this situation for a reason. This is right where God wants us to be. If he has better things planned then the opportunitys will present themselves so we can make choices. I have roof, a car, a tv, a computer, I go to school and I am 23. I think I'm doing pretty good.

5) I love my children... We all do but Myla just makes my day interesting she's the hyper pay attention to me one. and my son... Well... I was really upset when I found out I was going to have a boy. I didn't want one. but it wasn't my choice. and He just melts my heart. I was just laying him down for his nap and everyonce in a while he'll want me to lay down with him so I did and he rubbed my back while I hummed to him... They way he likes it. Mr. Independant. If I were to rub his back he'd get upset. and He doesn't hum. My daughter is still awake by the way like I said the hyper one. But she lights up my life and makes every day an adventure.

6) I am a student. I may never work but I go to school. Why? you ask. Because I will not be a wife that stays at home and gets no foundation. You never know what the day may hold. You never know if your going to get a phone call saying that "there's been an accident" and then be a single mom with kids and no education so you have to get some job that doesn't pay much and struggle for the rest of your life.
I am not that stay at home mom. I will be prepared for anything.

7)I am trying to lose weight. I weigh too much. I didn't use to but after having my kids I guess I just packed on the pounds. I start weight watchers today... The way I see it is at least I'm not fat and sitting around being fat I'm fat trying to do something about it. I go to the gym everyother day but that doesn't seem to help so maybe this plan will work.

8) I love music. I sing I dance I play the piano I act I everything. I'm not the best but I'm good at it. I sometimes feel that I don't get to express myself like I want to and that other people are more concerned about themselves and they do everything (especially at church) I am only allowed to do drama while others do EVERYTHING. it has become the (people's name) show. I'm not mean enought to write names on here but I feel that way sometimes. I feel that it should all be done for God and that everyone should be allowed to do things not just certain people.

9) I love to make cards and scrapbook. I am a stampin up demonstrator( actually I'm pending this month so if anyone wants to generouslly buy something from me let me know) :) It is kind of my outlet my children do it will me well my daughter does my son just gets in the way. I am hoping to have more time when this semester is over because I will be done with school for a while. I'll have my associate's degree.

10) Last but no least. I am still searching for the real me. I lost myself sometime ago and I am trying to find things that I like again without getting other peoples opinions and without people telling me that it is dumb or stupid. I used to be influanced by what other people thought but I am working on that and that is one of my greatest struggles.