FIGHT TO THE FINISH!

I titled this post Fight to the Finish for MANY reasons!! 1. Because I feel like EVERY day right now is a fight to the finish just to get through it!! Not the same kind of fight I used to have after Dakota’s accident (fight of physical, emotional, and spiritual survival) but more a fight to FOCUS and accomplish EVERYTHING that needs done and EVERYONE that needs me for SOMETHING!!! Some days I feel like my brain might EXPLODE!! To all you working mom’s out there, my hat is off to you!! Working for Zach, helping him do this Kickstarter campaign about threw me over the edge!! I have a hard enough time keeping my house clean(and it’s a tiny basement right now), making dinner, keeping up with the bills, helping Zach with just the normal things he needs help with, and being a mom to 2 fully dependant kids…Throw a full time job of marketing, advertising, and maintaining this Kickstarter thing while trying to focus on building a house…let’s just say I did NOTHING well!! I feel like these last few months my house has been insanely dirtier and unorganized then ever, we have eaten A LOT of pizza, my one on one with my kids (which is my most prized and valued thing) was fewer and far between, I wasn’t filling all of Zach’s needs as a wife, I haven’t even had time to pick out and enjoy house ideas, I rarely do something I WANT to do (like blog, run, even shower some days ;)), and let’s be honest, I was only a semi-good marketer for the Germavoid! There were literally days where I felt like throwing in the towel to EVERYTHING and just laying in bed! Not that that could EVER happen but I WANTED to!! And the bummer part about it…in the end we didn’t even hit our Kickstarter goal!!! :(


We are trying to stay positive around here…take what we have learned from our experience, learn from it, and hope to make something from it!! I know Heavenly Father is mindful of us and there is a reason behind all of this madness right now…there always is!! As we try and sort out what direction to go next, what decisions we make for our families future…I know Heavenly Father will guide us! As always…it just takes longer and requires more patience and work then I sometimes like! But obviously we have been through A LOT worse….so in comparison this is nothing!! I am grateful that Dakota has taught me to put things in proper perspective! As bummed as we were, we both looked at each other and thought…...at least we are all healthy! (Our version of healthy! ;))


For now…Zach is back at his landscaping full time. My heart breaks for him as he was hoping this would take him in a new direction and landscaping could start to take a back seat! Being a blind landscaper was never what he planned for his future but he has done AMAZING at learning to take what you have been given and make the best of it! He sure is my hero!!! And literally every day for him is truly a FIGHT to the FINISH! He is a fighter for sure!!


So what’s next for the Germavoid?? Well, Zach had two products ready to launch for the Germavoid and the Clean Touch was the first. The second product he designed is for use at gas pumps and costs A LOT less to make and manufacture. So, he is contemplating launching that in the near future but now with landscaping in full tow it might have to wait a bit. It is still up in the air though as he fears wasting more money on this if it is not going to do well. We realize you have to risk money to make money but there is that fine line between knowing when you have risked enough and need to move on or keep going. So…we will keep thinking, praying, and pondering on it and go from there! In the meantime if anyone hears of any great job opportunities in sales, product design/development, or whatever let us know! He is still keeping his eyes wide open for a new career! ;)


The kids are still growing and changing as fast as ever!!! Navy will be 1 this month!!! I can’t believe it!!! (I realize I have missed posting about 10 and 11 months...I hope she will forgive me ;)) so her 1 year post will catch you up on her soon! ;) Let’s just say she is still full of life and joy!! She is busy and crazy but we love it!! She continues to bring SOOO much life to our home!



Dakota man is for sure still Fighting to the Finish EVERY day!! I would say physically we haven’t seen much change and progress except for the fact he is growing taller and getting stronger every day!! Luckily he is still my skinny little boy so lifting him is still manageable. He stiffens up (literally straight as a board) when he is excited, happy, mad, or just randomly…so that’s a lot! When he does that it makes him 100 times heavier and harder to carry but we make it work!

We were SO blessed to get some help from insurance to get a new car that allowed us to put a special seat in it just for Dakota. We just got the seat in this week and it is seriously a LIFESAVER!! It makes getting him in and out of the car 100 times easier!!

It rotates all the way out of the car like this to easily get him in and out. It is a little slow which is the only downfall but it is SO worth the wait. Dakota thinks he is pretty cool to have a chair that COMES to him! ;) And Navy LOVES a turn to ride in it when she can! Who needs Disneyland when you have a moving chair!?

Although physically we aren’t seeing a lot of changes, mentally Dakota is still improving the most!! He is seriously so smart even though he still can’t talk. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get what he wants! ;) At school they finally got the new Toby device that is an eye gaze communicator and they are working on teaching him to use it right now with fun games. He is getting faster and faster and looking and choosing things and I hope soon he will realize how much this device can help him to really communicate!! Technology is AMAZING!!!

We still obviously have our moments of frustrations not understanding what in the world is going on! His days are still sporatic and random…some days so happy you can’t stop him from smiling and laughing. Other days so ornery you can’t sneak in a smile. Some days are a roller coaster…the nurses call it bipolar ;) laughing and smiling and then the next second crying. These moments by far are still the hardest. Trying to understand what causes the changes and what he is feeling. But for the most this kid shares his smile and light and that is what we LOVE!! Heaven is SO near when he smiles that huge smile and his eyes sparkle like no other!! He knows more then I will ever understand…I can see it in his eyes!! He is still our guiding light back home to our Heavenly Father and we love him more then EVER!!

Lastly…I put FIGHT TO THE FINISH because the 3rd annual Fight to the Finish 5k for the Giving Trees is already around the corner and of course we are planning another Team Dakota!! It is AUGUST 1ST!!

 
My favorite sight! ;)



Our AMAZING team last year!! Thank you to ALL that came!!! Means the world to us!!


We need 25 people to make a team…and I”m already behind in getting the word out. We would LOVE to have ANY and EVERYONE come join us in this neatest event!!
It truly is more of an event then a race! For those that have joined us you know what I am talking about!! It is seriously such a fun, special, inspiring morning where so many come together for a great cause!! I never posted about last years so here is my summary!!

There are all of these teams…each in honor of someone who is a shining example of Fighting to the Finish.

Just a few of my favorite teams!! (Missing Team Lincoln…also a fav!!) Although I love them ALL!!!


There is inspiring messages at the beginning and end. The balloon release in honor of each team.


And thousands of people ALL joined together to help my dear friend and hero Ann raise enough money to continue the tradition of the Giving Trees in honor of her son Tyler who fought a hard fight and passed away at the age of 15. Ann is truly a saint!! I wish EVERYONE could know her!!



She gives of her own time to plan this huge event with Becky from Anything for a Friend. Then all year, she selflessly gathers and organized these trees and finds these families who are facing tragedy and brings them a tiny source of peace and light during their difficult time with a tree filled with money, gift cards, and inspiring quotes…all with nothing in return!

This is why I am SOOO passionate about this race and always doing a Team Dakota. It touches my heart to watch Ann do SO much and this is my TINY way of helping her!! And of course having a team in honor of my fighter Dakota makes my heart so happy!!

So please join us!! Whether we know you or not!! We LOVE to see as many people that can come, wearing their Team Dakota shirt and helping support this AMAZING cause!!


First time his sister got to be on TEAM DAKOTA!!  I can’t believe how tiny she was!

Little does she know she is on Team Dakota for life! ;)


 
Me and my people!

My 2 favorite parts about last years race was 1. Meeting one of my biggest heroes FINALLY in person! ;) I have blogged several times in the past about Ashley Sullenger. She lost her daughter to a drowning several months before Dakota’s accident. She was one of the few people in my dark time that gave me hope and strength to keep going! She will never know how much she did for me!! It was her first year coming and doing a Team for her sweet Preslee! It was so fun to meet her in person and see her darling boys! I loved it!!



Meeting her cute boys!


Alicia and Ashley..TWO of my heroes! ;)

My second favorite part about last years race is that they challenged each team to find someone to do a Giving Tree for. Ann would match $500 to go towards the tree and provide you with the tree and all the fixings but as a team you were supposed to find someone and come up with more money and gift cards. This made it even more meaningful.

So Team Dakota did a tree for my 16 year old hero Mckindree who has been a true example of Fighting to the Finish through her bone marrow transplant!

Mckindree and her mom.

Seriously, this girl has endured more pain then probably anyone I know! Her fight has definitely not been easy but she continues to fight with a beautiful smile on her face! Her and her mom are quite literally superhuman!!  Her mom is probably one of the most inspiring and beautiful writers I have ever read from. To follow along their journey and to be more then inspired go here. Together with donations from Team Dakota and Ann we were able to give her around $1,500 in gift cards and cash. Team Dakota you rock!! Because she lives in AZ we had to have my family (Team Dakota AZ) put the tree together for us and deliver. The pictures my mom sent me of my nieces and nephews helping get it all together touched my heart!!
 
Love this crazy bunch and they LOVED being a part of it
Giving to others is truly the best!!

So…please come out and support the Giving Trees so they can keep blessing the lives of so many people. Here is the link to sign up! You only have until July 11th to join our team! We hope to see you there!!!