I’m back from an amazing wedding in Naples, FL. The day was perfect. I’m so grateful to my family and friends who made the trip to celebrate with us. And of course for my wonderful husband who is the miracle that makes my life complete! We delivered a bag to a woman who is battling cancer and received rave reviews. Please let us know if you’d like to nominate someone for a bag. Special Thank Yous Finally, and …
I was out shopping this past weekend. (Yes it was crazy!) I saw an aromatherapy diffuser and essential oils in a store’s impulse-buy section. Awhile back someone donated these items. I remember the recipient’s feedback was that they loved it. So, I wanted to share these items with you as a featured donation in case you happen to see them in a store! Special Thank You I want to thank two specific groups within the Hopkinton Public School District for …
Did you know music can help with grief? According to Wikipedia, music therapy is an evidence-based clinical use of musical interventions to improve quality of life. Evidence suggests that music therapy is beneficial for all individuals, both physically and mentally. Some experts believe music helps grieving individuals. They say music can be used as an escape and respite for pain. A family friend recently shared this grief resource with me when she donated three Echo Dots to The MRP …
GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement. Over the past seven years, this movement has inspired hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. The MRP Project’s GivingTuesday Fundraiser I started a GivingTuesday fundraiser on Facebook. Thank you to everyone who has already donated. I appreciate all of your generous donations so much! If you haven’t already donated, you can donate today and Facebook will match up to $7 million of eligible donations. You can reach the …
I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for all of you who have supported me over the years and are now supporting The MRP project. We’re doing great things that wouldn’t be possible without you. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I hope you enjoy peaceful time with family and friends. And as we embark on the holiday season, don’t forget to engage in self-care. The stress this time of year can be heightened …
I’ve been a preacher of self-care since Mike died. It’s crucial when you’re grieving, but still extremely important even if you’re not. Below is an excerpt from a book I’m reading titled Making Grateful Kids. I love it because it succinctly explains why self-care is so important. “Many parents struggle with balancing their own needs with their kids’ needs. We think, incorrectly, that if we pour everything we’ve got into parenting—sacrificing time for our own exercise, sleep, stress management, …
I’ve been doing some reading lately about practicing gratitude. I found the benefits closely mimic one of my go-to self care options: exercise. Benefits of Exercise Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain sensitivity for the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression. Additionally, exercise can increase the production of …
The MRP Project is officially a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization!! This status is retroactive back to June 26, 2019. If you’ve donated since then and would like a donation receipt, I put some in the donation bin next to my mailbox. Or send an email and I’ll send you one electronically. Thanks to everyone for donating Heaven is for Real books. I have enough to include in the next 10 bags or so. I’m so excited. Thanks again! I’m getting …
I’ve mentioned before how much I read after Mike died. One of my go-to blogs was by Michelle Steinke-Baumgard. She lost her husband in a plane crash. She’s a great writer, but more importantly what she writes is real. She doesn’t hold back and she tells it like it is. Her words 100 percent resonated with me. Here’s an excerpt from her blog post about building resilience in children: I’ve learned that loss comes in many forms for our babies, …
Recently a family member came to my house for a visit. She brought some items for The MRP Project. Included in the items were a few copies of a book she suggested that I read. The book is called Heaven is for Real. About the Book It’s the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor. During emergency surgery, Colton slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to …
I’ve talked many times about the Children’s Room. And how grateful I was for their grief support services when I needed them. From the one-hour consultation right after Mike died to give me advice on helping my kids to the parenting while grieving educational series I took a couple years ago. Their services were invaluable. I wanted to let you know about a similar organization in Framingham, MA, called Jeff’s place. Three Things Make Jeff’s Place Unique: They focus on …
Today, I was looking for a picture of Matthew from last year to show him how much he’s grown. He turns 10 on Wednesday! While searching for the picture, I found a quote I saved to my photos. “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll I know some people who blame their hardships for their bad behaviors and negative attitudes. In essence, they take their hardship …