Give Blood

Recently, when a Philadelphia police officer was shot, there was a call to donate blood on the news. Thankfully people came out in force to help. Of course blood is needed  in the event if a tragedy, but it's also needed for people in hospitals everyday. It made me think of the day I was the one in need. 

I received a blood transfusion when I gave birth to our first daughter, and it saved my life. 

I remember thinking that I wished the bags of blood hung on that IV pole had pictures on them, so I could see who was saving me. But, of course, it's anonymous....so here is my thank you, after almost 11 years, to the people who gave me my life back, and allowed me to be a mom, wife and daughter. 

Dear Donor, 
 

I know this is a long overdue thank you, but to me it will always feel like yesterday when you saved my life.  Maybe it was on your way to work, maybe on your lunch break.  Maybe it was at a blood donation event where they had those tables set up, full of juice and cookies for your "after-donating" treat. Regardless, wherever you were, you saved me. 

Maybe you donated because you thought it was nice to do. Maybe your employer encouraged you, or a friend was going that morning and you tagged along. Your simple decision to take a moment, and give your blood saved me. 

It's kind of obscure when you donate blood. You usually don't get to see the face of the person you are helping.  I am forever grateful, and there's something I want you to know...   I never thought I was going to need you. I had been a donor before, but never considered I'd be the one needing the donation. 

My first pregnancy was generally normal, but the delivery was not. My labor was extremely difficult and our daughter was a very big baby, got stuck, and had to have her clavicle broken to get her delivered. My body barely handled the prolonged labor, and trauma during birth.

About seven hours after having our daughter, I was in my room, alone with the new baby. My family had all gone home to change and get something to eat. I buzzed the nurse because I was in severe pain, and honestly thought I was having another baby. When she walked in I knew something terrible was happening. The look on her face, and the immediate call for every staff member on the floor told me something was very wrong. I was in the midst of a postpartum hemorrhage and had been bleeding out.

I could feel myself fading and wanting to sleep. There was one nurse whose only job was to hold my hand and stay in my face to keep me conscious. "YOU STAY WITH ME", is what I remember her saying the most, nose to nose with me, staring into my eyes. Others were on top of me in the bed, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. The pain was unimaginable, and I was scared out of my mind. 

My family arrived. I was taken quickly to the ICU. I remember the glass walls, and harrowed expressions. I was scared, but too compromised to realize how bad it actually was. I was in and out of consciousness but distinctly heard the doctor say, "If this bleeding doesn't get under control, we're going to have to do an emergency hysterectomy".  I was 28. I instantaneously realized the situation was worse than I thought.  The look on the doctors face was grim.  Then I started to bleed out, again. 

And that's when you came into my room, stayed by my bedside, and you saved my life. You didn't know it at the time, but nurses rushed in with bags of your blood, and started the transfusion. I recall two separate transfusions, but honestly, I have a hard time piecing my ICU visit together completely, so I'm unsure how much blood I actually recieved. I was very out of it, my body struggling with itself. The only blood I had left inside of me had rushed to my core internal organs. That's what your body does to try to keep you alive. It felt chaotic. 

But when you came along, my body calmed down. You may have been home playing with your kids, or eating dinner, but really you were saving me in my hospital room.  Superhero kind of work, and you didn't even know it.

I do have a perfect memory of looking at the bags of blood, and thinking, "thank you, thank you" to whomever had given me this second chance. I don't even want to consider what would've happened to me had blood not been available.  It was right before Christmas, and the nurses kept telling me I had better get well enough to 'get outta there' by Christmas Eve with that new baby. I listened. We left the hospital on the 23rd. 

You made that possible. You let me experience becoming a mom, continue to be a wife and daughter, and because your blood saved me, you gave me two more gifts. The hysterectomy never had to happen, and our daughter got to become a big sister, twice {I know, it sounds crazy that I had more kids...}.

My life with my family would not be what is without the gift you gave me. 

So even though we've never met, you stood by my side on the scariest day of my life, and have been with me ever since that day. Your gift runs through my veins. You became a part of me. 

Thank you for taking the time on that lunch break, way to work, or drive home to give blood. Your kindness was not lost on me. And it still makes me cry grateful tears. 

Sincerely, 

{Jenn}

To become a blood donor, go here and to find a local blood donation site (Delaware area) click here.

Book Club~follow up

Since starting our book club in the beginning of the summer,  something interesting has happened. My Super-mom-enthusiasm that got them interested has waned, as I'm not really super woman at all....I try, but... 

I've been tired at night when the girls are finally ready to settle down and read {and I want to sleep} but their enthusiasm has gained momentum, since we've gotten into the story, and they are the ones driving me to keep on reading. I figure this ebb and flow will be necessary to make this work...I can't always be the one driving this train. 

My oldest went to a sleepover, and missed a night of hearing the story. I didn't think she'd even notice, but before I started reading the other night, she said, "wait you guys have to tell me what happened last night, I missed it!!".   Music to my ears. 

So I asked each of the girls what they think of book club, and here's what I got...

Me: What do you think of book club so far?

The Oldest: I like that you read it. I like using the flashlight to read. Why are you asking me questions?

The Middle: It's great I guess. I have no idea why. I like the flashlight part...can you stop asking me questions?

The Youngest: It's fun, I like when you read. I like when you talk and I think about the story that you do. I imagine that I am Harry Potter and I see the story in my eyes and my brain, like, its cool and it calms me down. 

Invigorating, ladies, really.  Thanks for your insight.  I'm just going to take it for what is is.  FUN.  And try my best to keep it that way.

Just last night, as I was reading to them with my eyes closing and was about to close the book for the night....they begged me to keep going. 
"Just a few more pages, Mom?  Please?!" 
How could I stop?  So I propped open my eyes, and kept reading.  After all, this is what I wanted, right?  That "intrinsic motivation to read" switch flipped to the "on" position.  It's on.  And tired or not, I'm thrilled :)

Read to your kids, even if all you want to do is sleep.  You're teaching them something they will keep with them for a lifetime.  And one night, when they're reading to their children, they will remember the nights you plowed through, and read to them.

Have a great day

{Jenn}

Finally Updated...

Sorry for the lag time...I have finally updated all of my "pages" above, so you can click on the tabs and find info faster!  One day I will re-do the layout of the blog, but for now, I'm plugging along :)  Enjoy.

Centered

I love when science and spirituality match up.  It makes me happy, and lets me feel validated that my meditative time is valuable.  There are many studies that show the benefits of meditation on the brain, and over all well-being.  It's not just an ancient religious practice.  The benefits are real.

Over the past several years, I have volunteered in a religious education program in the summer.  My kids attend, and I have always taught the second grade class. During that first year, as I was going through the curriculum to get my plans done, I noticed that contemplative prayer and meditation was mentioned several times in the manual as a "note to the teacher", but it wasn't explored in depth {like I would've wanted it to be} in the kids part of the book. 

This kind of bothered me, as no matter what religion you are, or what you believe, the effects of meditation on the mind and body are amazing and measurable.  Check out this Harvard study where the results are rock solid.  The book based on a different study is one that you won't be able to put down...at least I couldn't.  It's explained in a very relaxed way and you don't need a degree in astrophysics to understand it.  

The lack of focus on meditative practice made me start trolling the Internet for resources on how to teach meditation to children.  I found this book, Journey to the Heart, and fell in love with it.  I have used it in my class ever since, and now the entire program uses it too.  They recommend that the meditation take 6 minutes.  But when you're in the 2nd grade class, that feels like eternity, so I start with one minute.  I mean, really, can you think of the last time your kids actually sat still and quiet for 6 minutes?!  I can't.  It can be done though...start with 1 minute, then add 30 seconds each time you try it.  It gets easier each time you do it. 

This book offers a god-centered meditation, but you can take the "religious" aspect out of it if its to be used in a public school type forum. I'm not saying teach religion in school, but spirituality is a fundamental need so why not give kids the toolbox full of strategies? Maybe that's another post...

Meditation offers kids something they actually need in their lives...they just don't know it yet.  I realize that my students may not decide to do this each day after my class ends this week, but I do hope down the road, when they hear the term meditation, or centering prayer, they remember this class and that teacher I used to have who did this with us. 

After my last summer-class meditation, I asked the children what they thought of it. Some kids said they liked it because it was quiet, some kids said it was okay, but one boy had a very specific response. One that I found to be really insightful. He said, "I didn't like it when we got quiet, I liked it better during class when there was noise, cause when the room got quiet the noise in my head got really loud and I didn't like that".
 

That was a really grown up observation. I explained that THAT was precisely what meditation allows you to experience. The noise in our heads is really loud, and the only way to quiet it is to sit in that uncomfortable quiet space and become an observer. Pretty big concept for kids. Sit in the quiet, and hear the noise in your head, and see it move through your mind like a TV episode.  Or like you've tuned into a radio station. Observe it, but don't feel like you have to interact with it. Have a seat and just watch. Listen. Don't fight the noise, just keep observing. Say that sacred word to yourself which is what YOU are directing. That is the point~YOU are not your thoughts running through your mind. YOU are the observer. I know, it's heavy for 2nd grade. But kids can handle it. 

Athletes do it before major events, successful professional people in business do it as well. As far as I'm concerned, meditation is a life skill that should be taught in school, and practiced everyday.

As someone who didn't learn meditation until adulthood, I see how it could've been a useful tool for me through the years, even through college when prepping for exams. My routine of all-nighters with mountain dew really didn't cut it. 

So try it for yourself, or try it with your kids.  Unplug them for 5 minutes.  When I started on the first day with my class they acted like 1 minute was an eternity...by day 8 they were silent for almost 10 minutes.  Not even fidgeting. 

Set the expectation, and your kids will rise up to meet you.

Promise.

Have a great day!

PS-I don't get any kick back from anywhere for you reading these books, just my own personal favorites...

{Jenn}

Lemon Sesame Crackers

I've already mentioned here how I love the Thrive books, and how the recipes have become staples in our house.  But I've also told you I don't follow directions very well... So here is a recipe for an easy cracker, that works as a snack, or something to have with a salad for some crunch.

The original recipe is called "Lemon Rooibos Cracker", but I didn't have all of the ingredients that it called for on hand. I'm all about sort of following the gist of the recipe, but using what I do have in the pantry.  A trip to the grocery store is just too far...and my kids would just complain, I'm sure you know how much fun that would be. 

Here is my version of the crackers based on what I had on hand, and the next time  it will probably change again. These crackers hold up very well in an open container in the fridge. when I'm craving a slightly salty snack with some crunch, it's easy to reach for one of these, and be satisfied. 

Original recipe:
(from Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life)

1/4 c almonds
1/4 c pecans
1/4 c sesame seeds
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1Tbs lemon zest
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 tsp ground rooibos
1/2 tsp agave nectar
Sea salt to taste

Makes 2 servings.

My version: (I literally jotted it down as I went along)...

Lemon Sesame Crackers
1 c walnuts
1 c sesame seeds
1 teabag of yerba mate
2 tsp Agave nectar
1 tsp chia seed
2 Tbs coconut oil
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 1 lemon

Makes almost 40 crackers.
*adding or omitting the yerba mate is not a deal breaker for this recipie

Pulse.  Press.  Bake.  Eat....

*To be more specific....

Step 1: scrape the zest from one lemon, and squeeze the juice of it into the food processor. 
 

Step 2: grab the Yerba mate, and cut open 1 tea bag. Empty into the food processor. {what the heck is Yerba Mate? I'll explain below}. 

Step 3: add the walnuts, sesame seeds, agave syrup, chia seeds and pulse until it forms a paste. 

 

Step 4: spread mixture on a cookie sheet, and press it down as flat as you can. I just used the heel of my hand {you could use a rolling pin}. Score the crackers with a pizza cutter before baking. 

 

Step 5: Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the crackers look browned. I used my pink sea salt grinder to sprinkle a little salt over the top as soon as they came out of the oven.  I took these out at 18 minutes to be exact.

Enjoy! They have a nice hint of lemon, and taste great.  Store them in an open container in the fridge. I hope you give them a try.

 

*What is Yerba Mate? It's in more than a few recipes from the Thrive books, which is how I was introduced to it. It's actually a 'tea' from South America, which is made by steeping the leaves of the plant in hot, but not boiling water.  It contains a natural caffeine which varies in strength which is determined if it's a male or female plant. In this case, the female plants are a little less 'high strung' as it's the males with the higher caffeine content.

 

There are many benefits to yerba mate, some of which are high antioxidants, help in digestion, and a natural boost without the let-down usually associated with most 'caffeine fixes'.  Of course, as with anything there are risks to any long term love affair with anything herbal.  There is plenty to read on the topic. 

 

I added this to my crackers because I had it on hand, but you can use it or not without affecting the flavor of the crackers.  Read more about yerba mate here and here. 

 

 

 

Have a great day!

{Jenn}