The Ball in Pictures and SURPRISE!!!!!

This seemed to be the theme of the night Spreading Hope.  Ethin's Heart Still Beats in all of us and to me that brings HOPE!!!  This is a picture of one of the Auction tables and the wall behind it.

When I started this journey of putting this ball together I never dreamed that it would be all that it was or that I would cry as much as I did.  I want to share some of the highlights of the evening and give the amount of money raised.

Our night started out with a great dinner cooked by CSK catering.  They are so excited and have already signed on to do it again.  This ball would have never happened without CSK Catering.  They donated all of the food and their time for this cause.  It is a family owned business and they truly completely support this cause.  Here is a few pics of them....I am telling you contact them for your catering needs they love to cook and it shows!!!  Thank you Jen and Scottie, James & Jen, Tony, Halie and all your friends You all were terriffic!

After dinner was served the night began with a good friend of mine Tom Coverly providing some great entertainment.  He is an illusionist that I met shortly after my son passed away.  He quickly became someone that I knew would pray for if I ever needed it and before I knew it he was someone that I knew Ethin had led me too.  He brought his girlfriend who is also a CHD survivor.  Here is a pic of Tom performing and then of Tom, Tracy, and I.

Me, Tom, and Tracy.  They are both truly amazing people!

After Tom was finished we watched the slide show that I posted the other day.  Go back one post to see it if you missed it.  When that was done I introduced Ethin's Buddy Dr. Bryan Goldstein.  He spoke and did great.  He brought tears to my eyes.  He recalled me saying to him a month after Ethin had died and we spoke about what happened I told him, "Something Good WILL come of this."  I hope that Bryan always can look at Ethin's life and know that something good is coming from all  of this.  Bryan thank you for speaking and being more than a doctor!

Hugging Dr. Bryan Goldstein before he spoke.  This was a Dr. who was literally there from the time Ethin was born until Ethin's very last breath.

After Bryan spoke I said a thank you and began the Waltz in memory of Ethin.

Thank you Tony for dancing with me....Derrick you will be my partner next year!

When that was done there was music and plenty of pictures taken.  So here are some those from the night.....Enjoy........

Valaria(My Grandmas neighbor), myself, and my Grandma

This is me with the two heart families that showed up.

Heart Mom Bonds!  Terri(Mommy to Warrior Brycen), Myself, Monica(Mommy to Angel Faith)

This is me with Denna(Left) and Cassie(Right) they helped me put this whole thing together.

When I talk about my little brothers this is their parents.  Tammi and Tom....My family is not normal, but I love it and they are part of mine!  Tammi took the pics of the night.

One of my fave pics from the night Tammi and I.

This is a picture of me with all the people from my church that were there.  We dubbed this the CLC crew.  Left to Right: Ethin's Pediatrician Dr. Mark Byland & Jen, Steve & Deanna Traxler, Me, Carrie & Dave Crosley.

This is who Ethin is named after this is Rai...She was in the room when I had Ethin.

The night was long and fun.  My feet hurt when it was done, but I truly could not be happier.  Ethin' Heart Still Beats in all of us.  There were 32 people in attendance and this is the grand Total of money raised at the 1st Annual Ethin's Heart Still Beats Heart Ball........

$1835

Yes I am happy with the night and how it turned out....Also announcing the date for the 2nd Annual Ethin's Heart Still Beats Heart Ball will be January 8, 2011

So the ball was done and I had one more thing to do surrounding Ethin's Birthday and that was to go to the Newaygo City Council Meeting and get this........

Proclamation for the City of Newaygo declaring February 7th-14th 2010 as Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

Mayor Ed Fedell reading the Proclamation at the City Council meeting Monday January 11, 2010

The Mayor signing the Proclamation

The mayor giving me the Proclamation

Me with the Proclamation in hand!!!

Thank You to Newaygo City Council and Mayor Fedell for this Proclamation!!!!!

Now I am starting to plan CHD Awareness week events!!!!  I will keep you posted!!!

I have some huge prayer requests and I hope that you can go to these kids pages and please leave them some encouraging messages.  My Heart Family is all having things done this week and I wish I could be with them, but they all live in other states.

Jordan had surgery yesterday is doing well.  She is having some issues keeping her sats up, but otherwise flying through it doing well.

This is Logan and he is having his Rastelli tomorrow.  Please pray for him and his parents and brother as they go through this.

This is Andrew and he is having a Heart Cath on Friday.  This cath will determine whether he has to have another surgery.  Please pray for the cath to go well and that it will be able to hold off surgery.

This is Derrick/AKA "D" he will be heading to surgery on Monday.  Please pray for him and and his parents as they go through the rest of this week preparing and next week as they have to wait for D to come back from surgery.

These 4 Warriors are so close to my heart and their mothers and I are all very close.  Tracey, Stef, Jen, and Shannon have all been so amazing with supporting me through the loss of Ethin.  These women are truly my Heart Mommy sisters.  I wish I lived in Iowa and South Carolina so I could be with them through the rest of this week and next, but I am in MI and so far from them all.

I think that is all for today.....I will update again as I feel the need to say a lot lately, but most things are not coming out of my head and hitting the keyboard.  My emotions lately have been from one extreme to the other as the high of the week has really been wow and the low of not having Ethin and these other kids that I love are all going through something that I am not sure if I am coming or going.

Again I want to Thank everyone that helped make the Ball possible.....And please remember that Ethin's Heart does still beat in us!

Blessings, Jessica