SAVE THE DATE....

Saturday, September 17th

The Jeni Jenkins Memorial 5K and Fun Run/Walk

After much thought and conversations, we have decided to step out on our own and organize our own 5K. Call us crazy, yes! And oh, don't worry I have had a few breakdowns but we are well on our way to making this dream, idea, thought come true! (Too corny?) :)

So save the date. We are also doing a "Fun Run/WALK" for those who do not want to run the 5K.  It is going to family friendly so we invite everyone to come!!! 

Since we are doing this ourselves we have decided that the proceeds will be going to local non profits, which is exactly what Jen would have wanted. The proceeds will be going to the River Falls Ambulance Services. A donation will also go to LifeSource (To educate people on Organ Donation) in Jeni's name. And also a donation will be made to Camp Needle Point in Jack's name. This is a camp located in Hudson for kids with Juvenile Diabetes. Jack attended this camp when he was younger.

More information will be on it's way once we get everything finalized.

Thank you all so much and I hope to see ALL of you on September 17th!!

Aunt Jeni and Memorial Day

When I needed to pick a confirmation sponsor, there was no doubt in my mind that I would pick my Aunt Jeni. There are actually quite a few funny stories from that day but I will tell them later, once I get my mother's permission. One of them is that I was actually confirmed as Jennifer Jenkins. The bishop asked who was the one getting confirmed and Jeni thought he had said who is "giving" (or whatever they say) her to be confirmed. She said Jennifer Jenkins and so I was confirmed as Jennifer Jenkins! In the end it all worked out but man, I tried so hard not to bust a gut as she said that. I can remember  walking back to the pew and her and I were laughing hysterically, which you really don't want to do in a Catholic church. It was one of the many, many funny memories I have with her. And don't worry I have plenty of them.

I have mentioned my Aunt Jeni a few times on this blog but I can't quite put the words together to tell her story. She was killed in a car accident in 2001. It was and still is one of the biggest things that I struggle with. I keep telling myself that there are good things that can and will come of this horrible accident. And trust me when I say that it took me a very long time to realize this. The relationship that I have with Brittni and Luke tops the list! I feel like the Mama bear when it comes to those two and I love them with everything I have. Organ donation is next on that list.
So this Memorial day, along with all the Veterans and those who are currently in the military I am going to remember her and all of those who have passed away. I will remember Grandma Mary and how she always had gum for us in her purse. I will remember Jack and his CHARMING personality and that huge smile of his!!

To all of my friends who have lost a loved one, I will remember them and will be thinking of you today!

And of course, Thank you to all those Veterans and Active Military Personnel for keeping us safe and making sure that we get to keep the freedoms that we have. 

Proud....

I think that I will let the lyrics from Toby Keith's song Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) do the talking! I love this song....

American girls and American guys, will always stand up and salute.
We'll always recognize, when we see ol' glory flying,
There's a lot of men dead,
So we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our heads.
My daddy served in the army where he lost his right eye,
But he flew a flag out in our yard 'til the day that he died.
He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me.
To grow up and live happy in the land of the free.

Now this nation that I love is fallin' under attack.
A mighty sucker-punch came flying in from somewhere in the back.
Soon as we could see clearly through our big black eye,
Man, we lit up your world like the fourth of July.

Hey, Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list,
And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist.
And the eagle will fly and it's gonna be hell,
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell.
And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you.
Ah, brought to you, courtesy of the red, white and blue.

Oh, justice will be served and the battle will rage:
This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.
An' you'll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A.
'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way.

Hey, Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list,
And the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist.
And the eagle will fly and it's gonna be hell,
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell.
And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you.
Ah, brought to you, courtesy of the red, white and blue.

Oh, oh.
Of the red, white and blue.
Oh, hey, oh.
Of my Red, White and Blue.



Winnie the Pooh....

Winnie the Pooh...
Winnie the Pooh...
Tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff.
He's Winnie the Pooh...
Winnie the Pooh...
Willy nilly silly old bear.
(Got you singing it didn't I?)

So I was just browsing the Internet and I came across some Winnie the Pooh quotes. I think that most of you know that I love quotes so here are a couple of them...

"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you.

You have to go to them sometimes."

"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."

"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."

"I used to believe in forever, but forever is too good to be true"

"The hardest part is what to leave behind,...It's time to let go..."

I think that this willy, nilly, silly old bear knows what he is talking about!!

Fate...

The past couple of weeks I have been thinking about Fate. And what exactly it means. So, I went online (I know) and I found a bunch of different definitions. One of them said that Fate = Destiny, that one makes sense, but if you look up Destiny it will say "one's fate". Confusing huh. Another one said the final outcome, I get that.  But then it says death, destruction, doom.....HUH?? I don't think it is one's "fate" to die. That sounds so depressing. Obviously death isn't a choice you get to make because it's gonna happen one way or another. Another definition says fate is something inevitable or what happens or has happened to a person or entity.

After I was looking through all these definitions I agree the most with Fate = Destiny. Everyone was put on this planet for a reason. Everyone is destined to be something. Thinking back to the experiences I have gone through, sometimes it is hard for me to believe that Aunt Jeni was destined to pass away leaving 2 wonderful kids, an adoring husband and a huge, loving extended family. I haven't even mentioned Jeni on my blog because I still struggle with it. She was an organ donor, so was that her fate? Giving other people a chance to live. I have to believe that, that is what her destiny was and still is. I look back to October of 2000 when I was in a car accident that led to a crap ton of complications. I know for a fact that I wouldn't be the same person that I am today! And, you know what? I AM OK WITH THAT!

I know that I was put on this earth and in the place where I am for a reason. And even if I am not sure right now what that reason is, I won't stop trying until I figure it out!!

More Lyrics - This time from Sugarland!

Ok, so have you ever heard a song that you thought was written about your life or was written just for you? I have a lot of them for different parts of my life. This is the one for me right now! It will be alright!!

Sugarland's "Little Miss"

Little Miss Down On Love
Little Miss I Give Up
Little Miss I'll Get Tough
Don't you worry 'bout me anymore

Little Miss Checkered Dress
Little Miss One Big Mess
Little Miss I'll Take Less
When I Always Give So Much More

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Yeah, sometimes you gotta lose 'til you win
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
It'll be alright again

It'll be alright again, I'm okay
It'll be alright again, I'm okay
It'll be alright again, I'm okay

Little Miss Do Your Best
Little Miss Never Rest
Little Miss Be My Guest
I'll Make More Anytime That It Runs Out

Little Miss You'll Go Far
Little Miss Hide Your Scars
Little Miss Who You Are
Is So Much More Than You Like To Talk About

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Yeah, sometimes you gotta lose 'til you win
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
And it'll be alright again

It'll be alright again, I'm okay
It'll be alright again, I'm okay
It'll be alright again, I'm okay

Oh, Lord
Oh, and you are loved
Are loved

Little Miss Brand New Start
Little Miss Do Your Part
Little Miss Big Ol' Heart Beats Wide Open
She's ready now for love

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Well, sometimes you gotta lose 'til you win
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
It'll be alright again

It'll be alright again, I'm okay
It'll be alright again, I'm okay
It'll be alright again, I'm okay

It'll be alright again

Kenny

We went, we saw and we had an incredible time! I will let the pictures prove it! Thanks again to my Bestie for such an incredible day and Thanks to my MOM for an awesome birthday present!

If you look close enough you can see that Kenny actually is in this picture with us!

An awesome day, with my awesome Bestie!