Our Fourth March for HER

Today, we participated in our fourth March for Babies as "Team Sammie B."  Other family and friends walked in other states (nearly 50 people walking for our girl -- my mom and her St. Louis team, my dad and his Florida team, and even some of our friends from my mama support board that have never even met us in person walked in Sammie B's honor in Texas -- pretty special).  We raised over $4,000 for this cause, and everything about today was perfect.  As I explained to B, it always feels like another birthday.  A day where we just spend the day with people that love and adore our girl, and every second of the day is about her.  There are always a few tears (mine, if you were wondering!), as I reflect on our time in the NICU and as I see other families walking for babies that didn't get to go home from the NICU, but most of all, the day is just filled with this feeling of happiness, because our girl is so, so amazing and has inspired so many people.  Because "Team Sammie B" (today and everyday) is filled with amazing people who, like us, believe in our girl's potential with every ounce of their being.  What an amazing feeling.

Our first March for Babies, in April 2009:

Our second walk, in April of 2010:

Our third walk in 2011:

And today:

After the walk, we usually go out to brunch as a group, and we did that today.

It doesn't take much to transport my mind back to the NICU.  To remember the machines, the beeping, the not being able to hold my girl anytime I wanted to . . . but on days like today, even though those moments -- the NICU moments -- are forever engrained in me, nothing feels better than just being with my little family, and those that love us.  Today, I truly felt so, so blessed.

And, let us not forget the newest, miniest member of Team Sammie B, our sweet Mia.  Mia was born full-term, and while we may never know WHY she made it to full-term and Sammie B didn't, we do know that my pregnancies with both girls were similar (pre-term labor, bed rest) but with Mia, I had weekly progesterone shots, an intervention discovered, in large part, due to research supported by the March of Dimes.  So, for that too, we are grateful.  These two girls just make my world go 'round.  Today and everyday. 

This organization is a part of us, and today, we walked for it.  For the March of Dimes, for Sammie B, and for all the other babies born too soon.

Here's to Team Sammie B!