Another hard step

I'm still in rearranging mode in my home. I'm having to still make room for my roommate and stuff is everywhere.  I need closet space and my wedding dress was in a huge box after being preserved. My sister n law came over and told her i needed to get rid of it and i didn't want to bother trying to sell it. My first choice was to donate to Angel gowns.  This is an organization that creates baby burial gowns from donated wedding and formal dresses . They're given to families who have suffered the loss of a child before, during or shortly after birth.   They actually have so many donations that there was a waiting list for them accept your donation.
My next option was the successful one. There is a shop about 40 miles from the house called We're all about the Dress.  This is straight from google:
About us

"We want to make sure every military bride and every prom lady feels like a princess when they walk out of the store."

Our Mission
To provide free prom dresses for teenagers whose parents do not have the financial resources, an provide military and fire, police and EMT brides with free wedding gowns.
The Founder
Janie Tillery-Wood founded the non-profit project "We're All About the Dress" in 2008. During their first two years of operation, they expanded their services to cover not only Birdville Independent School District but the whole State of Texas.
In 2013, after the loss of her brother, a retired U.S. Navy Seal, Janie decided to give back to the military by offering wedding dresses and accessories to military personnel of all branches.
In 2016, Janie added police and fire officers and EMT brides  to our giving in honor of their service to our communities

When we called , they said they were only taking size 12 and up and to just come straight over . If if was smaller, they couldn't accept it .  Fortunately my dress met the standards and we jumped in my truck and arrived at 3:39 and they closed at 4.    It was a very emotional drive home.  That dress represented everything wonderful to me.    I pray it makes the next person feel like a princess and bask in the beauty of the dress.  I remember the day my friends and i went wedding dress shopping. One of the most special days of my life. When i put my dress on, everyone said immediately that this was the one!!  I tried on dozens but i went back to that one.    So now its gone.   There was no reason to hold onto it.  
Please send strength.

Wednesday thoughts

I received the sweetest package today from my work team.  Its a light box with Nanny's name and date on it. It was sent to the office and I started crying immediately when I read the box. I have some thoughtful people on my team!

I've still been on a roll of going through stuff at my home to toss or donate. Last week in our mailbox, there was a flyer that was from a charity north of us and asked for donations to be left on our porch and to schedule a pickup. Man , was that perfect timing for them! I had already packed 2 bags of stuff that I was going to drop off . On Saturday, I spent 4 hours straightening up a side of the garage that needed organized and I ended up filling 3 more bags up. The charity picked up yesterday.  I still have much more to do including another closet. 

We had some severe thunder and rain storms this week and my dogs hate the thunder. They bark back at it which is both funny and annoying. We got woke up this am by some loud thunder claps at 3am so I have very puffy dark circles under my eyes.  I am so tired and seeing an early bedtime tonight!  Todd flew home today from his work meetings so that is always nice too to have him home. 

Lastly, the picture of coffin was from Nanny's funeral. I don't know what prompted me to take it but as I watched each of my cousins who were pallbearers take off their flower and add to the coffin, I snapped a quick photo.  Saturday, as I was organizing the garage section, I came across Nanny's small travel carry case. It had her address label stuck on the side and I burst into tears and cried for a few minutes. I had to pull myself together quick because I had created this HUGE mess around me in the garage and I was doing it alone and didn't have time to allow myself to wallow in grief.  I still feel that a time will come and the flood gates will open up and there will be no quick 3 minute cry. 

I hope yall have had a good week. I'm honestly ready for Friday!  

This has a light inside of the box

5large lawn bags packed for charity pickup

lack of sleep and allergies have caused my eyes to be dark and puffy. I also have no clue how to use eyeshadow!

The pallbearers stuck their boutonniere in the casket 

"O"- Organ donor?

Are you an organ donor? Did you know you can make sure by going online? It's on your drivers license so log into your DMV and simply check the organ donor box.  

I'm very passionate about Organ Donation!!! Why? My sweet Daddy was diagnosed with a rare lung disease almost 6 years ago. It progressed rapidly and I watched Daddy decline and end up confines to a wheelchair and an oxygen machine.  It was the most amazing phone call I'll ever remember when Dad got the call to get to hospital for his lung transplant.  He received a double lung transplant.  Weeks later, he walked me down the aisle at my wedding with no oxygen and no wheelchair.  We got almost 3 more years of a full vibrant life. I wouldn't trade these last 3 years for all the money in the world . Seeing Daddy have those extra years were priceless and all because a selfless amazing person was a donor.  When Daddy passed a few months ago, He of course was also a donor. He donated what he could and the hospital also was going to use what they needed for science and medicine.  I like to think that the surgeons, professors and doctors will discover a cure from daddy's organ donation.  

Please consider being an organ donor. 

Thanks y'all!  - happy Monday