When a Heart Breaks

There are few things that I know to be absolutely, 100 percent, without a doubt, no-strings-attached TRUE....

I don't normally talk about religion, spirituality, beliefs on this blog but today I feel compelled to do so.

That two thing I know to be true are the strength of the human heart the power of prayer.

In my life I've gone through a lot of heart break in various situations in my life, as have all of you. Our degrees of heart ache vary but we have all been there and once we've been through it it never really leaves us. I believe our heart's are a super strong muscle and can endure much and even can be broken time and time again and yet they still work. I am a firm believe that hearts can literally be broken -- and can just as literally be healed.

It may seem crazy to some but for me, this is what I know. Some pains our so intense that you literally feel your heart break. I woke up this morning in tears, for many reasons but my heart was just hurting for lots of people in my life and for some things in my own life. I turned on Pandora while I cried for a few minutes (I've learned it okay and actually good for me to cry every now and again). A song popped up on Pandora that brought me to my knees, lirerally. I felt this over-whelming spirit of comfort and heart ache fill the room all at once. I'd never heard this song before but it truly touched me so I had to share...



Many times in my life I have been confused about my religious beliefs, where I belong in the scheme or where I attend church or what I believe on various levels and at various times in my life but one thing that has always stood constant. When I pray, it works. I have seen my prayers answered far more times than I ever really deserved. Recently, my mind has been confused but I have tried to focus on the one thing I know for sure, that I CAN pray for comfort and guidance.

The results have changed my world and have helped me realize that the answers will come, that I need to pray more for others than myself and that no matter how full your head is, there is comfort in prayer or conversation with whom/what ever guides your life.

When a heart breaks, it will heal. Not today but it will. When you don't know what else to do, pray, seak guidance in whatever it is you choose to seak guidance in. I don't know a whole lot, but this I am certain of.


Photo: Prayer, the world's greatest wireless communication.
 

Over the Heel: Shoe's for All

My 30th birthday is just around the corner, it's hard to believe it! So when thinking about what I wanted to do to celebrate this milestone birthday, I thought what better way to celebrate than with shoes! I know NONE of you who read this blog are shocked, shoes are one of my most favorite things.

Photo: Life is better with a new pair of shoes.

So this weekend, Saturday March 30 my mom and sister are throwing me a shoe bash! I hope any of my friends who will be in Salt Lake this weekend will join us, email me, if you need details. I would be THRILLED to see some of my friends I have not seen in years! :)

Picture: Hot pink high heel shoe invite my mom made for the party. So cute.

HOWEVER, for those of you who can't join the party, there is a way you can help me celebrate...

One of the things I wanted to be sure was a part of my 30th b-day was that I would be able to give-back in some way. In my 30 years of life LOTS of people have stepped up and given me things, love, support, guidance...you name it I've been on the receiving end. SO for this birthday I wanted to do something for someone else.

SO I am asking all my party guests, and honorary party guests who can't make it in person,  to donate a pair of shoes to be given to a local women's shelter. My goal is to collect/donate 30 pairs of shoes in honor of my 30th birthday.

Here's a few ways you can make it happen:

1. Come to the party and bring a NEW pair of women's shoes to donate.
2. If you can't make the party but live in Salt Lake, take a pair of shoes to my mom's house or give them to Ambree or DIane at the dance studio this week!
3. Ship a pair of shoes to me to donate, email me for my address.
4. Make a donation to the Atkinson Action Fund online through PayPal and write "shoes" in the comment box.
5. Buy a pair of shoes and donate them to a local shelter in your area, BUT take a picture and post it ot my personal Facebook page or the Slate and Stylish Facebook page (so I can count your donation in my tally).

EVERY women deserves a cute pair of shoes. In my opinion, shoes can change the whole way you look and feel about yourself.

Let's make it happen, 30 pairs of shoes for my 30th birthday!

Quote: Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.


Grey Matters

My dad has been on my mind a lot lately (that's really nothing new). I still think about him every single day!

May is also Brain Tumor Awareness Month so I wanted to share some fun things/products with you!

The ribbon for brain cancer is gray.

Show your support for Brain Cancer Awareness by wearing this cozy scarf! It is lined with soft gray fleece for warmth, and made primarily from a cotton designer fabric from the "Snowberry" line. It is heather gray, with large light gray polka dots in rows with small white flowers and aqua accents.

Awareness Ribbon is appliqued onto the bottom of the scarf and measures approximately 4.5 inches tall.

100% of the proceeds from this sale will be donated to Miles for Hope (www.milesforhope.org).


Go here to get this product: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68440847/brain-cancer-awareness-gray-ribbon-scarf


These beautiful ribbon charms are 5/8" long and are silver-tone with an enameled color finish. Each charm has an enclosure hoop that allows them to be easily attached to your favorite bracelet or necklace. Available in all of our cancer awareness colors. I just love these!

Purchase one (or two) here: http://www.choosehope.com/product/ribbon-awareness-charm

Next time I get a manicure, I'm doing this. Love the dark nails with the grey ribbon on one finger. Fun way to show support!



I so smitten with the next item.

Show your support with cancer ribbon awareness earrings. These are Gray which supports Brain Cancer. Hand stitched using delica beads and surgical steel hooks. Approx 1.25" drop.



Get these beauties here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/97442475/brain-cancer-awareness-beaded-ribbon?ref=sr_gallery_44&ga_search_query=brain+cancer&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all

There are so many fun and wonderful products over on Etsy so be sure to check them all out, just type brain cancer (or whatever form of cancer you would like) and click search.

One of my favorite gifts to give (hint, hint Mother's Day is like SOON) is one where the products I purchase helps a good cause!

Remember, Grey Matters!


To learn more about brain cancer please visit: http://www.braintumor.org/

Tying the Knot: A Little Give...

It's SO CLOSE to wedding time!

But we need your help now...

To help us celebrate our happy day we are asking that you make a donation to the winning charity or our Inspires the Soul: Wedding Edition contest!

Please go to the

 Jerry Seilhan Memorial Scholarship Blog

 to read about this amazing cause!

Dianne, Jerry's wife is my co-worker and has become like a mother to me. She is truly one of the kindest people Lucas and I have ever known, we truly love her! She is always giving and generous and so full of love, despite the difficult times she's had this past year. She has welcomed me to Louisiana with open arms and I am forever grateful for that.

If you would like to give Lucas and I a gift for our special day, the best gift you could give us would be a donation to this terrific cause!

On the blog is a Donate Now button where you can make a contribution. One-Hundred Percent of the proceeds will go toward this wonderful cause!

THEN, go to out Wedding Website Guestbook and leave us a message, a word of encouragement or advice, we'd love to hear from you!

Thank you all for you love and generosity! And tune in for more details on our magnificent wedding day!

With Love,

Deja & Lucas

And the winner is...

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 

JERRY SEILHAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP!!!

After more votes than we ever anticipated, we Lucas and Deja, and thrilled to announce the winner of our Wedding Charity Contest, What Inspires the Soul to the Jerry Seilhan Memorial Scholarship!

It was a lot of fun and we are glad that we didn't have to choose because each of these charities holds a special spot in our hearts and would help a variety of our friends and family members. We are grateful more and more every day for such loving, giving, kind people in our lives.

A little note about the winning charity...

Miss Dianne (as I so lovingly call her), who works in my office and who is truly one of the kindest people I have ever known, lost her husband in 2010 pretty suddenly after complications with lung cancer. I didn't personally get to meet her sweet Jerry but I feel like I did know him after hearing from EVERYBODY how wonderful of a man he was! He was a local high school football coach here in Louisiana and left a lasting impact on a lot of lives as a teacher and coach but most importantly a husband, dad and grandfather. I see it everyday is Miss Dianne's eyes how much she misses her sweet husband!

We couldn't be happier that this wonderful scholarship was chosen as the charity of choice. The number were HUGE for this cause and they deserve a little shout out for making such an amazing effort to vote and vote often!

Congratulations to Dianne and her family and the lucky student who gets to be part of the Jerry Seilhan Memorial Scholarship Program.

Ways to support this cause will come soon, so stay posted! I know after the holidays is tough, but I hope you can dig deep and give a little to this great cause!

Thanks for everyone's votes and participation in this fun little project of our!

Much Love,

Deja & Lucas

2. The Lutz Family Blog

The Nomination:

"What is important to me right now is my kids. I have one very responsible 11 year old son, 1 10 year old daughter who is vision impaired with sticklers syndrome, one 7 year old daughter who is vision impaired with sticklers syndrome, and 1... 3 year old son who has a hearing loss and is Autistic. They all teach me different things in different ways!!!" 

Website:http://melnbrettlutzfamily.blogspot.com/

Go. Check it Out. Vote.

8. Primary Children's Medical Center

Nomination:

Primary Children's Medical Center is the pediatric center serving five states in the Intermountain West - Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada and Montana. The 252-bed facility is equipped and staffed to treat children with complex illness and injury.

Primary Children's is owned by Intermountain Healthcare, a non-profit health care system. In addition, it is affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, integrating pediatric programs, research and training for childhood problems. The hospital is located in a beautiful facility designed to meet the special needs of children and their families.

Mission:
Attain the highest levels of excellence in the provision of healthcare for children in an atmosphere of love and concern. Primary Children's vision is to provide the highest value for outstanding pediatric care, medical education, child advocacy, and research, in the United States.

Website:
Primary Children's Medical Center

7. St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

Nomination:
"I have fallen in love with St. Jude Children's cancer/research hospital. I have read on it a lot and really believe in what they do. 1st thing on my bucket list is to just go visit their. Their sang they go by is " No child should die in the dawn of life ". I love this. Recently a 5 year old girl in our community that loves the same thing as I do and that is "Dance" is battling childhood cancer. I have read her blog and laughed and cried with her family. What human deserves to battle such an evil disease.....let alone a child. Dad loved children as we both know he had a special connection to them. I know he is taking care of all the children who have lost their battle the same way he did. I believe this is something dad would love to see your money go to. St. Jude is a hospital who will never turn someone away for their inability to pay. But the hospital and research center run strictly off donations. Their child cancer survival rate has gone up 30% in the past 5 years."


Mission Statement:
The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

Vision

Our vision is to be the world leader in advancing the treatment and prevention of catastrophic diseases in children. This vision will be pursued by providing outstanding patient care; by conducting basic, translational and clinical research designed to elucidate biological mechanisms, understand disease pathogenesis, improve diagnosis, enhance treatment outcome, prevent diseases and minimize adverse consequences of treatment; and by educating health care and scientific research professionals. Through these efforts we seek to cure and enhance the quality of life for an increasing proportion of children who come to us for treatment, and by expanding and sharing knowledge, to advance treatment of children with catastrophic diseases worldwide, while developing strategies to prevent catastrophic diseases in children

Website:
St. Judes

6. National Federation of the Blind

Nomination:

"The National Federation of the Blind. I now have the positive philosophy that I can do anything. I want to see my children grow up with the same philosophy. I want all other blind people to have the skills and attitudes they need to succeed."

Mission:
With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.

The NFB has affiliates in all fifty states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and over seven hundred local chapters.

Website:
National Federation of the Blind

5. Bikers Against Child Abuse

Nomination:

Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.

Website:

Bikers Against Child Abuse

Personal Piece:

Lucas and I have had conversations about BACA and if either of us were bikers we'd, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, belong to such an organization. Child abuse is something we both can't even begin to tolerate! What a great organization!

4: Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance

Nominiation:

"Our mission is to provide grants to assist families of faith, including Latter-day Saints, to adopt children with special needs and other hard to place children."

Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance is dedicated with love to
Karissa Dawn Smith
September 10, 1999 - August 15, 2004
who taught us the joys of adopting a child with special needs.

Website:
Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance

9. Project Strive

Nomination:
National Federation of the Blind of Utah: Project STRIVE is dedicated in providing quality programs to help meet the unique needs of blind and visually impaired youth throughout Utah. Project STRIVE instructors are positive, educated, blind adults who are fully dedicated to model, mentor, encourage and teach life, education, and employment readiness skills. These skills, along with a positive attitude towards blindness is absolutely critical for blind and visually impaired youth to transition successfully as adults

Websites:
Project Strive on Facebook
Project Strive Blog

10. Muscular Dystraphy Association

Nomination:
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education. 

MDA combats neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive medical and support services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. With national headquarters in Tucson, MDA has more than 200 offices across the country, sponsors more than 200 hospital-affiliated clinics and supports more than 330 research projects around the world.

MDA supports more research on neuromuscular diseases than any other private-sector organization in the world. MDA scientists are in the forefront of gene therapy research and have uncovered the genetic defects responsible for several forms of muscular dystrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), childhood spinal muscular atrophy and several other neuromuscular conditions.

The Association's comprehensive services program includes diagnostic and follow-up medical consultations, flu shots, support groups, MDA summer camps for youngsters, a medical equipment loan program, assistance with equipment repairs and resource referral.
Through its national advocacy program, MDA works to make life better for people with muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases by providing representation in matters of public policy and research advancement, nationally and internationally; and facilitating active involvement in these areas by the people it serves.

MDA was created in 1950 by a group of adults with muscular dystrophy, parents of children with muscular dystrophy and a physician-scientist studying the disorder. Since its earliest days, it has been energized by its number-one volunteer and national chairman, entertainer Jerry Lewis
Website:
Muscular Dystrophy Association