Happy St. Patty's Day!

Our sweet little leprechaun!

I think the tongue came out in response to something

about getting kisses for being Irish. :)

She Makes Me Laugh

Tonight I was able to catch a few moments of Amelia on video to share. I love this girl! She definitely knows how to make her momma laugh. I hope you get a good laugh too!!

Okay, so this is a little long but I promise you, the end is hilarious. I was trying to video how Amelia cleans off her tray when she's done eating. Then, she made me SO grateful that it's a bath night!

Amelia seems to love music. Her daycare provider says she is always dancing when there's music on. I've noticed when I left her watch The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse she always dances along with the Hot Dog Dance at the end of each episode.

I'm a Survivor...

In mid-February I attended a women's luncheon event hosted by the American Heart Association. The Go Red For Women Luncheon is a national fundraising event to raise awareness about the number one killer of women - heart disease. I joined almost 500 other women at this event for two reasons - the networking and to support a cause that I want to embrace since I feel like it's the best one I can relate to for personal reasons.

In the last year I've told my story dozens of times. It's not something I offer-up just because - usually someone sees my scar or there's a related topic on the table. I try to tell the story with the tone of "thank God I was pregnant and my daughter is a miracle in more than one way." She is a lifesaver, whether she knows it or not.

At the luncheon a local women, Michelle, stood up and told her story. It was moving. In short, she came home from the grocery store and collapsed in her driveway. Luckily her husband was right there, but so was her young daughter. I can't image how that affected her daughter. Her husband did CPR and the luckily, the local rescue squad got her to the hospital in time to save her life. She suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. I don't know for sure if she has a defibrillator or not. I think so, but it doesn't matter. She's a lucky woman and a Survivor.

After Michelle spoke, she asked the attendees to make a gift to the American Heart Association. On the table where pledge cards to fill-out with your information. Part of the pledge card allowed you to make a gift in someone's honor or someone's memory. I filled out my pledge card and then was informed by a friend that she made her gift in my honor. I didn't know what to say so I just said, "thanks." I didn't think of myself the way she does - a Survivor. I know that's what she thinks because she also informed me that she think next year I should be the Survivor Speaker and she was going to tell the committee members she knows about me. All I could think was "Ugh!" and that I don't have a story that would impact enough people, because thinking like that wasn't how I look at it. How could I even compare myself to a woman who had pretty much died and came back? I don't know what I consider myself but despite calling Amelia a lifesaver, I have never called myself a Survivor.

After the luncheon I went about life. Then last night I was watching The Evening News and they talked about a Michigan high school team that was playing their first game since the sudden death of a teammate, Wes. (see the story here) Wes made the winning shot of the game and collapsed on the floor. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Sudden cardiac death at SIXTEEN years old. Tests found he had a large heart and was never treated. He played that last game despite flu symptoms. He made the winning shot, but it also cost him his life.

I found myself sitting there watching the piece with tears welling in my eyes. I got lucky. I collapsed in a parking lot and two people saw me go down. Wes collapsed in a gym FULL of people. I lived. I am a Survivor. I don't know why that's weird for me to say. Calling myself a Survivor is like trying to talk with a dry mouth full of cotton balls. Maybe it takes it all to a whole new understanding of what really happened that day. I don't know, but I guess going forward, I know wether I say it or not, I'm a Survivor.

Crazy Snow Storm!

We got PUMMELED yesterday/last night/today with a TON of snow. The back deck had been cleaned off but not anymore...

So Shaun went out to shovel (darn reflection ruined my good picture but you get the idea)...

Amelia Playing in Her Jammies

Just waking up from her nap...

"Eating" some chocolate cake...

(guess I should give her a real snack)

Watching Daddy shovel the back deck...

Blowing Daddy a kiss...

Daddy & Amelia waving to each other...

She Makes Me Laugh

Amelia being silly with her shirt on her head like a wig and

giving me some attitude. What a cheese ball!

Such a Happy Girl!

NO!

Amelia's favorite word - "no!"

With the head shake to match. :)

D3: Dreamed.Designed. Delivered.

In January I gave notice and left my job with the National MS Society to start my own business.

I decided that "ShawnnaLea" and "Zemanek" were too unique to incorporate into a business name and have people easily find me. I wanted something that wasn't too "wedding-y" because I didn't want to pigeon-hole myself into just weddings. After playing around with names, D3 Event Management & Consulting was born. D3 standing for Dreamed Designed Delivered.

I designed business cards and got them printed. I've started distributing them to everyone I know. The next step is getting my website up and running. It will take some time to write all the copy and get the pictures together, but I'm hoping to have it done in the next two weeks. *fingers crossed*

So far I've done some consulting work at two resorts and I'm busy with the yoga conference that is taking place next February in Jamaica. And networking with plans to do a lot more networking.