March of Dimes Signature Chef's of Birmingham

Dear Friends,

I’d like to tell you a little why I am asking for a donation for this event.  I work, very hard, to raise money for March of Dimes. I do this on my own time, and sometimes with my own money, when donors are scarce.  What my husband, Jack and I went through, to bury your own children, no one should have to suffer this. Nearly 8 years ago, we were blessed with twins, Henry and Grace. They were born too early.  Henry was still born, and Grace lived for 45 minutes, we weren’t able to hold her while she was alive. 

I don't want to say that volunteering makes it all worth it, because I would move heaven and earth to hold those precious babies, to see them grow up. It helps me make sense out of our personal tragedy.  When I ask you for a donation, it is not for me. It is for that family, right now, sitting in the NICU unable to hold their baby, because he is too fragile to be held. It is for the mother to be, who is uneducated about prenatal care. It is for the baby who is born with an inexplicable birth defect.  I realize that even if I could save every baby single handedly, it would not make mine come back.  So, for now, I will spend every waking hour, trying to help this worth while organization, loving my two sweet angels that I have on earth, and remembering the two I have in heaven.

We interrupt this marriage to bring you football season?

Football Season? In August? Yes, preseason play of course. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE LOVE football. I love seeing how our schools drafts do in the pro's. I love it when MY team runs out onto the field, I love yelling that disputed phrase that had so many up in arms after my team finally won a "major award" and the powers that be decided it belonged to them.  But, It's STILL August. It's HOT outside. We can still go places on Sunday afternoon. We don't need to have the TiVoed replay on one tv and the current PRE season match up on the other..But I digress.
What I love is the feel of the college season. The energy all over this state. The instate hate. I love when the band runs out on the field and the head dork stabs his long stabby thing in the ground. I love when one of our mascots (the live one) SOARS around the stadium. I love that my kids get so excited about going to each and every game. That they talk smack to their own grandparents!! I project the younger one to be a body painter one day, I'll be so proud.
I also LOVE the Pro boys. I don't feel the need to watch every game, just the ones that they play in, I guess I am short a protrusion from my body to feel the need to do that.
My husband, however, will watch every down, every penalty, every 'cheerleader' kick her scantily clad leg up above her head. I will see him in January, unless, we have a repeat.

back up

Ok, sorry about all the negative crap yesterday. I feel better. You know how it is? Anyway, I'm back on top now!! WOO HOO! LET'S ROLL!

I'll be fine, I'll be fine

I keep saying it's gonna be ok. But, when I plan an event and invite 120 people, don't hear from anyone, message and call them and still, only 2 people show up, I am having a hard time smiling. When some of my own family members won't support me, it hurts. I want to go in my room, slam the door and cry into my pillow. How much more can we take. Just when we think we're up, we get kicked in the teeth again. But, I go on. I am doing everything I can to make this family work. To get us out of this crap hole we're in.
I extend  the preverbial olive branch out to the friends who have turned away, but I feel like they have slapped me in the face with it. Might as well drop the olives in vodka and have a martini!  But still, I go on... I will keep my chin up, I will keep smiling, and I will tell everyone how great things are.

I know this sounds hokey, but yep, my life has changed.

   My life....ups and downs, like everyone else. But here's my story of how I chose to change it, take it or leave it , it is what it is, (any other cliche's I can give you?)

    I was in a low spot in my life, friends had turned away, I was depressed. Then, on top of it all, my husband was 'downsized'. There were days I thought about leaving. I mean just running away. The only thing that was keeping me here was the faces of my two sweet babies. I love them more than life itself, literally at the time. Also, when I looked in the mirror, I saw a shell of my former self. Old, sad, my skin looked like crap! I swear I looked 10 years older.
    I knew about a company that was new to the skincare world. A very good family friend of mine was involved in it. Then, my own SISTER joined, this was the point when I said, "Hmmm, there may be something to this". So, I gave it a try. After a week, my skin looked so good, even the husband noticed. Now, I know a lot of you would say ,"So, my husband worships me, he notices if a hair has been changed, or an eyebrow plucked". Well, mine wouldn't notice if  I stood in front of the tv nude, unless football was on and he was telling me to move. The more I used the regimen, the more I got totally addicted. I felt so much better, I know this sounds ridiculous, but for someone who was in as low of a point as I was, looking prettier really boosted my self esteem.  Hubs and I talked about the possibility of becoming a consultant myself. I liked that idea,
     One night, we were laying in bed. I was crying, he was tossing and turning, our question ...'What are we going to do?'  How are we going to pay our mortgage?  I went to the sofa, to get on facebook for some mindless stalking. And guess who was on there....My friend who had been trying to get me started in the business since day one. We chatted, and I made the decision that if we were going to save this family, I was going to just jump, I was going to do it. It was about this time hubby walked out, sat down beside me and said ,"Have you thought about this skincare business anymore?". It was a sign from GOD!
     Now, I'm only in month two, but I can say, without a doubt, my life has been changed. I am happier, my husband is happier. We are by no means back on top, but I know we are on our way. 
So, when I say that this business changed my life, believe me, it has.
    

Let me tell you about MY skin...

 

All of my life, I have never been happy with my skin. I have caked makeup on to cover up pimples, discoloration, lack of radiance. I worked for Estee Lauder and Clinique for a combined 6 years. I used ALL the latest , newest, most advanced products. I saw... results, but nothing that ever just blew me away!! A very good friend of mine told me about Rodan and Fields. They were the dermatologist that invented Pro Active and they were doing for Aging what they did for Acne. My sister became and independant consultant in March of this year. She gave me a REVERSE Regimine. I reluctantly started to use it. I kept thinking, "There are not enough products or 'steps'  here to do anything".  I started noticing  darkspots disappearing within a WEEK! I could not believe it. Then I started using the AMP MD system. Even my husband noticed my skin looking better. I didn't think he ever noticed that! He recently told me ,"You have been using 3 step ever since I met you and I have never seen your skin look this good'.  I can go without make up now and feel good about it! I honestly believe in this product. I wanted to share it with all of my friends before I began selling it. But, don't do like me, I waited 3 months before I decided I was impressed enough to become an independant consultant. I have never been so excited about a job in my life!! yes, I know I've sold other products (jewelry), but the stucture of this is so different.  If you would like to find out more about the product, check out my website www.jlawley.myrandf.com  or let's meet for coffee, a drink, lunch, whatever! If you would like to find out more about the business, check out my business website www.jlawley.myrandf.biz we can meet to talk about that too! ;) "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" - Walt DisneySee More

By: Jennifer Chinnis Lawley

to the ASS that changed our lives....

Dear P....R....,
I am just wondering how you sleep at night? Let me tell you how I sleep, with  a handfull of Xanax and a Prozac. I lay awake worrying how I am going to tell my daughters that, no, we can't take ballet because daddy put 5 years of his life, heart and soul into a company. He spent 50% of his time away from us, and was excited to be able to talk to his little girls via computer. I lay awake and worry if we are going to be able to afford braces, glasses, or college. I lay awake thinking of the day he came home, with tears in his eyes, and immediatly started looking for a new job. Of course, as you know, this 'economy' sucks, and has been told so by hundreds of potential employers. I lay awake thinking about how his pride was bruised as he had to activate an old pink blackberry so that he could start contacting people trying to find a way to support our little family. I lay awake hoping that something will give, so that I can even take my children to a movie! What I don't lay awake worrying about is that I layed off a perfectly good employee who did everything that I ever asked, worked his ass off so that I could send my kids to ballet, the movies, and yes, even college. That's your job, So sweet dreams asshole.