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Sunday, April 8, 2012

little patrick

i've sat down to write thisblog at least 16 times.
i don't know how to write. or what to write.

i've said it here before.
the very second you find out you are pregnant with twins,
you are immediately inducted into one of the most loving sororities you've ever known.
other twin moms wrap you up in their ever-loving arms.
you can't understand it at first.
actually, it's kind of weird.
how does this person who doesn't know me that well care so much about my pregnancy?
or my twin my babies?

and then you have those babies.
and you get it.
you're one of them.
you know they understand how hard a twin pregnancy is.
or, at times, how hard a mama worked while she was pregnant to keep those babies in her belly.
for as long as possible.

i realize
i may
at times
appear ungrateful.
partly because i know you all love a good story.
partly because some days i am.

our friends, neighbors, and former classmate, pat and april emrich lost a baby.
his name was patrick. litle patrick. he was a twin.
to savannah.
that makes her a twin mom.
so my heart burns a little more for her.

april is one of those moms who worked hard to keep her babies safely in her belly.
she went into labor at 21 weeks.
she was on 100% bed rest for ten weeks.

ten weeks.

for ten weeks she stayed in bed.
for her babies.
you can't fathom that, can you?
neither can i.
she worked so hard to keep those babies safe. and healthy.
her muscles had atrophied so badly during that time that she couldn't walk.

on november 6, 2008, patrick and savannah were born.
they were nine weeks early.
on november 30th, 2008, sadly, little patrick's fight to survive ended.
you can read more of their story here.

did you read it?
i know.
you'll never be able to imagine their pain.

so here's how i feel,
they are my neighbors.
i want to go to their house multiple times a day and wrap my arms around them and praise them for their strength. and their dedication to each other. and their family. and the march of dimes.

since it would be so awkward for me to randomly pop in and hug pat and april every day,
i am soliciting help from all of you.
so it will be like a bunch of mini hugs.
less awkward for them, i'm sure.

i heard april say a couple of weeks ago "i just don't want another family to ever feel this pain."

after hearing a mother say something so selfless after all the pain she has endured?
it put me into 5th gear.
i want her to exceed her goal.
by a lot.

april is walking in the
March of Dimes: March for Babies
those huge letters are a link to her page.
donate to it.

please.
please go get your wallet right now.
i know it's in the car. or in the kitchen.
and i know it's annoying to walk out there and get it.
but, do it now.
you'll forget later.
and it will be harder to go get it at 3:00 am when you can't sleep and you're thinking about sweet little patrick.
trust me.

you will be changing lives by doing so.
every single little dollar helps.

help April and Patrick fulfill their dream of raising money so one day every baby will be born healthy.

and after you donate to the March for Babies in honor of little Patrick,

come out for the

2nd annual dodge ball tournament.
to benefit the March of Dimes . little Patrick, and the Emrich family.
on april 16th.
the tourney starts at 7:00 and check in is at 6:00 pm.
yeah, i said it. dodge ball.
dodge ball! how fun is that? 
invite all of your "favorite” coworkers and friends to airheads trampoline arena and
and hit them with balls!
on trampolines!
for a good cause!

i know, it doesn't get any better.

how amazing will you feel the next day at work?

the cost is $100.00 per team.

there are five members on each team so it is basically $20.00 per player.

i have my team,
so no.
i can't be on yours.

if we win? which i think we will, everyone will win.
why?
because my husband's company,


will match a $100 entry fee to in honor of Little Patrick and Savannah.

so,
let's recap:
go here to donate to April's March for Babies page.
message/email me to register a team for little patrick's
2nd annual dodgeball tournament.

or,
go here:
team captains can register and pay online at:

or:
just donate to april's march of dimes: march for babies in honor of little patrick. and savannah! and the emrich’s!

mkay?




1 comment:

  1. Your post was very touching. I am the mommy of twins as well. My little boy was born at 30 weeks and my little girl was stillborn. I miss not being able to see them grow up together. I love following your blog, I get to see what I had to miss. hug your babies tight, you are a lucky mommy and they are lucky to have you.

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