*Happy Mother's Day!*

"Happy Mother's Day!" Much love to you moms out there!

Thanks to everyone who came out in support of the blood drive yesterday! I can't remember how many people came- some were not able to donate for one reason or another. They had a goal set at 15 and we had 27 donations, with one very rare blood type that goes to infants, so they were very happy to have gotten that. We also had several first time blood donors! THANK YOU SO MUCH! You all did great and now that you see how it's not so bad after all, I hope you will donate more often. This was one of their best Wal-Mart blood drives. I was so happy to hear that. I know what this would have meant to Cody. I feel so loved! We're planning on this becoming an annual event!! : ) It made me so sad when they said that only 5% of healthy adults donate. We have got to do something about that. We will save 81 lives by our donations yesterday! WOW! And on average, it takes only 5-8 minutes to donate your blood!

I met a woman there in the blood mobile who lost her mother to AML. I really, really felt for her. We could relate to each other in so many ways. Her mom had a very short experience... but all was just so familiar. I had to fight the tears because I was getting ready to donate and didn't want to be all emotional while I did. The first person to donate had a niece that had been diagnosed with AML at the age of 6 months and she felt honored to be donating for such a cause- in loving memory of Cody! Everyone got a little thank you sack from me when they donated.

A friend and I are going to donate platelets here in a couple of weeks. I'll have to let you all know how that goes. You can donate platelets by appt only, since it's a longer process and they only have 2 machines in their center. From Cody's experience, platelets are needed just as much as blood. So, if any of you are interested in doing platelets too etc, please visit: www.cbco.org
For those of you who donated yesterday, we are able to donate again July 4th. According to the site's calendar, the next blood drive in Siloam is
JULY 15, 2009
12-5
ARVEST BANK
109 E. UNIVERSITY
I will try to remind everyone of that : )

I'm glad the blood drive was yesterday because it helped me to get through the day. What a special way to do so, too. I hope you all really do know that you made a difference!

Cody,
You would have been so happy to see all of the people coming to donate. Early on, there was a steady flow of people... then here and there... and then got busy at the end again. I know they were so happy to have made their goal- they said anything over the 15 was extra, was GREAT and they actually only had enough stuff with them for double the goal, so 30, and if all that came were able to donate, we would have been over!!! We miss you greatly, but are so glad that we can do these things in your memory. The world can be a little better because you had been in it and a part of our lives and we are still here to do something about it. I am going to try to donate regularly now. I need to. And, I hope the platelet experience goes well and then I can do that regularly, too. I also need to call and find out more info about joining the bone marrow registry. Last week was really hard for me. I just have so much on my mind right now. Everything. Life.
I think of my mother's day card that you and Zane gave me last year : ) This is my first mother's day with Kadee... and without you here. This is all just so hard. I love you.
Fi