After volunteering for March of Dimes since we lost the boys in February and becoming close friends with several of the Directors in the Austin office, I was offered a full time fundraising position in July and gladly accepted it.
While working in non-profit was never on my radar before, the job that was offered gave me opportunity to fundraise the March of Dimes mission within my community and be responsible for planning & facilitating one of our top fundraising events of the year: the annual Signature Chefs Auction Gala. It also gave me the priceless opportunity to walk into an office every day where my peers and those I talk to in the community know me first as Sawyer & Tristan's Mommy.. and second as a March of Dimes employee. I knew there was no where else in the world that I would get that opportunity.
With the Gala in October, I barely had time to walk into my office before work started piling up, but I made sure to hang a few things on my walls that first week: our Team Sawyer & Tristan banner we walk with in the March of Dimes walk, pictures of their tiny footprints at my desk and the white butterflies our Moms carried in honor of the boys at the walk. Now walking into my office, I see my sons everywhere around me and remember every second why I'm doing what I'm doing with my life.
Ask any brave "Mission Mom" at March of Dimes: talking about your children and the struggle you endured, or continue to endure is not easy. You do it because you hope the process of telling your story is cathardic for both you and others. You hope the words that you're saying strike a chord with someone who is silently coping, or knows someone who is.. so that they know there are others out there that know their pain. More than anything, you hope your personal story helps someone.. and maybe by telling it through the March of Dimes it can help another Mommy & Daddy not have to go through what you went through with the research so many scientists are doing with grant money raised through March of Dimes. Most importantly you do it... it's a sacrifice that you do for your children.. a way to continue to parent that baby you miss so dearly.
Although many of my days are filled with conversations with lumps in my throat & tears in my eyes, I can tell you that I've never felt more fulfilled by the hard work that I do and I've never felt more of a drive to succeed than I currently feel.
Our Gala was last Thursday: I worked so hard on this event and was so proud to see it come together. Our office goal was to raise $280,000 at the event, my personal goal (which was gawked at by some coworkers) was $350,000.
We raised over $450,000.
Trae and I walked out of the Gala, me carrying my heels in my hand and Trae holding my hand. We looked at each other the same way as we had so many times before this year: with tears in our eyes, love in our remaining hearts and smiles on our faces before we simply said "I love you."
I consider myself so lucky to have found a home with March of Dimes. My office is filled with lovely souls all coming into work daily with the intent to save lives through their talents.
We hug each other through the good times and the sad and everything in between. I know Sawyer & Tristan would be so unbelievably proud of their parents for finding this new family that loves us and them so much.
