Last week a bag went out to a mom who lost her husband about five months ago. She sent me this note: Dear MRP Project, Thank you so very much for brightening my day this past week! My son’s birthday was on Tuesday. He had many items delivered via mail, which I placed aside for him. This box was placed in the pile for my son. Much to my surprise, as I was doling out his gifts, I found …
Many experts will tell you when you’re in the early stages of grief, you shouldn’t make any impulsive or life-altering decisions. I understood the logic behind that recommendation, but sometimes you have to go with your gut feeling. The day after Mike died I told the boys we were getting a dog. This was both impulsive and life altering! Why? I never had a dog growing up and I actually didn’t even really like dogs! But Mike and I had …
A couple weeks ago a bag went out to a mom who lost her husband about six months ago. She recently sent me this note: I am absolutely beside myself. Thank you for the bag of goodies. I just returned home from a very emotional first trip to visit my late husband’s family with my three young kids. This box was a wonderful surprise. Kristen, you started something wonderful. I would like to donate to make other people feel the …
Last week, we were in Cooperstown, NY. Hundreds of 12 year-olds from across the country traveled to Cooperstown All Star Village to compete on the Little League diamond one last time. Among having fun with his friends, meeting new people, and playing the game he loves, Nick had one very specific goal. He wanted to hit a home run out of the park. Over the last month or so, Nick was a fixture at the fields around our house. He …
This week a bag will go out to a woman who lost her mother. We hope our bag of your donated items will give her a boost and brighten her day. This week’s featured donation is an aromatherapy eye mask. I love it for three reasons. Puffy eyes are the norm when you’re grieving. If you leave the eye mask in the freezer overnight, the eye mask will help soothe and relieve puffy or tired eyes. The mask blocks out light …
One bag will go out this week to a woman who lost her beloved sister. What’s unique about this recipient is that she’s been an MRP Project supporter since the beginning. She’s donated items on more than one occasion! While I’m so sad she’s suffering from this loss, I feel good knowing she’s been nominated for a bag by many different people in our community. We hope our bag gives her a boost. I feel like I know a lot …
I’m so excited. Last night, The MRP Project held its first board meeting—just another step in the right direction! Our board met, reviewed our articles of incorporation, approved our bylaws, and accepted our positions on the board. In the coming weeks, I’ll highlight each of our board members. Stay tuned. Next steps are getting our website up and filing for our 501(c)(3) status with the IRS. Then we’ll begin to roll out our other programs. So, stay tuned for …
Unfortunately, I’ve heard too many stories lately of a parent of young children dying unexpectedly. It breaks my heart, but it also reminds me of one of the best resources that was available to me and is still available! I’ve talked about the Children’s Room before because it’s near and dear to my heart. Back in 2013 and 2014, I ran the marathon for the organization in memory of my dear friend’s children. I never could have imagined, just two years later, …
Last week one bag went out to a woman who lost both of her parents in a very short time period. Thanks to your donations we were able to give her a great bag with fun and comforting items. It’s been hot lately and heat can make you irritable. Grief can also make you extremely irritable. So, anything you can do to cool off is important to your well-being. Check out this week’s featured donation—a phone fan! It’s brilliant …
My dream of making The MRP Project a 501(c)(3) non-profit is becoming a reality! I’m currently working with a lawyer (thanks Dave!) and filing the appropriate paperwork. I’m hopeful by the end of the calendar year we’ll be certified. Once that happens, in addition to the bags for a boost program, The MRP Project will roll out two more programs: a STEM mentoring program for middle school students and a Raising Resilient Kids educational series for parents. I cannot tell you how …
I don’t like generalizing anything about grieving because everyone’s grief is unique. However, I recently came across an article about what to know about grieving people. I picked out five things I think most grieving people would agree with, but more importantly they resonate with me. Grieving people don’t expect you to have the perfect words, but they do want you to say something. I call this the elephant in the room. Death unfortunately is one of the biggest life experiences we …
Importance of Sleep We’ve all heard that a good night’s sleep is important. Sleep helps reduce stress, makes your memory sharper, keeps you alert, and that’s just a few of the many benefits. All of you who know me well can attest to the fact that I’m a sleep proponent! Whether it’s getting eight hours of sleep at night or napping during the day, I’m a true believer that sleeping makes you feel better! Sleep is even more important when …