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What to Expect When Getting a Breast Lift

Originally posted in October 2015, right after having my surgery (My current notes are in red):

BACKSTORY
When I got my first pair of implants in 2005 I was young and all I knew was that I wanted bigger breasts.
I ended up with size 38DD-38DDD breasts, a big change from my natural 38B.
Fast forward to gaining and losing a total of 90 lbs., 2 pregnancies, and 2 breastfeeding attempts.
I say attempts, because I did the best I could with breastfeeding. Each of my kids were breastfed for about 2 months. My initial incisions were under the fold of my breasts.
Then, after losing all the weight from my second child, I decided my large breasts were no longer proportionate to my smaller body.
The shape of them didn't change much, there wasn't much sagging or anything, they were just too big.
I was starting to have a little issue where when I would lay on my back, they would fall to the sides a bit. Again, not really a huge deal, but it began to bother me.
To me, they just looked like big, natural breasts.

I have been wanting a smaller implant for a long time. I knew that with a smaller implant, though, I'd have to have a lift. The reason you need a lift with a smaller implant is that when you take a big implant out, you will need a big implant to fill up that tissue, OR a lift with a smaller implant to remove the excess skin.
And the whole reason for getting them redone was because I wanted them SMALLER. It would not have been possible without a lift.
You can't just go in and put a smaller implant in when you've had a big implant there for 10 years.

My previous implants were 550 cc saline implants. Silicone was not a choice back then, unless you were allergic to saline.
On my 5'6, then 155 lb. frame, the 550 cc took me to a full DD, or DDD.

Over the years I wasn't able to wear certain tops, I had to wear very supportive sports bras, etc.
Now, on my 5'6, 135 lb. frame (remember this was written back in 2015, I was about 15 lbs lighter than I am now!), I went with a 390 cc silicone implant for a cup size of a C (hopefully; I will know for sure when they settle and aren't so swollen). They did settle to a full C cup.

MY DOCTOR
My doctor that I chose is a very respectable doctor in the Dallas area. He is triple board certified and I have seen his work, first hand, and have been very impressed with it. It is NOT the original doctor I went to back in 2005 for my breast aug, as I heard ONE bad story about him over the years and that solidified my decision not to go to him for future procedures.
If you're looking for a good doctor, ask around! Word of mouth is mostly how these doctors get their clients!
Then set up a consultation and meet with the doctor. Feeling comfortable and confident with your doctor is important!

COST
The cost of the procedure can vary depending on several things. I had a mastopexy with new silicone implants put in. My doctor had to do a bit of reconstruction because I had previous implants, so it was a bit more invasive. He had to break up the capsule around the old implant, which makes for a more painful recovery.
It was an option for me to keep the same implants, and solely do a lift (which would have brought me down a full cup size) and to solely do a lift with no implant (which would have brought me down to a small B). Neither of those were what I wanted (at the time- I'm now considering having them taken out completely, but that's another story!), so I stuck with a new, smaller implant.
For a lift with a breast implant, expect to pay around $7,000-$12,000. It all depends on the doctor, area, etc. Most doctors give a discount for cash payments as well. And extra tip: these prices ARE negotiable in most cases. 

Say you get a quote of $11,000- maybe say "I can pay $9,000 cash" and see what they say.... can't hurt to ask!

HELP
If you have small children, you will NEED HELP!
I had my surgery done on a Friday morning and I had help all weekend with them. They stayed with family members and their father, but came to "visit" me. I could not mother the first 2 days. Not even a little bit. I am very thankful I have family and a supportive ex husband to help me out.
I also had help with ME all weekend. You do not want to be left alone for the first 2-3 days.
You won't be able to pick up your kids for 6 weeks. My youngest is almost 4, so I can get away with this. If he were any younger, I'm not sure I'd be able to hack it.
The kids know mommy had surgery and they have to be very careful with her and help her out. PS- this is a great way to see what big helpers they are. My oldest offered to cook dinner until I was better. He's 6. :)
You will need help with the little things, like sitting and standing, and getting dressed.
Having someone there to help you, cook for you, help with showers etc. will take a lot of pressure off of you and allow you to rest and heal.

PAIN
Does it hurt?
YES. I recall my first breast augmentation being very bearable. It just felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I had minimal pain. Of course, that was 10 years ago, and it was a much less invasive procedure. And I've had two babies since then, so I may have the tendency to forget how painful things are when the outcome is so good (i.e., having children :P)
The pain this time, has been worse.
That is to be expected, as it is a more invasive surgery.
You will be given pain medication to help relieve the pain. The day of surgery, I was taking 2 pain pills every 4 hours. The pain was pretty brutal.
The second day I spread it out to 2 pain pills every 6 hours. The third day, I began taking 1 pain pill every 4 hours.
So every day I'm able to manage the pain a bit better. 
My pain is about a 2 on a scale of 1-10 when I'm laying down (propped up!), but when I get up to stand, I begin to feel the tightness and pressure and my pain goes up to about a 6-7 for the first 2 days.
I recommend getting up slowly. Anytime I got up too quickly, I felt like I was going to throw up.
FYI- the pain medication will cause constipation. I was drinking a lot of fiber to try and keep things moving post-op.

FOOD
I haven't been very hungry since the procedure. I have had a few pieces of toast, a banana, some chicken soup, but mostly I just try to eat something when it's time to take another pain pill.
I am very thirsty, however and have been drinking a ton of water.
I was just advised to not eat anything spicy or heavy for 24 hours after surgery (incase that was to come up, it would have hurt).
Other than that, I have no food restrictions.
My sister brought me taco soup, my mom brought me mashed potatoes and chicken and dumpling soup, etc.

SCARS
This is the big thing everyone wants to know about.
I have a full anchor scar on both breasts.
Yes, they cut off your nipple and sew it back on. It is supposed to fade and not be visible over time. Spoiler alert: You can barely see any of my scars now, over 5 years later!
Many of the lifts I've seen you can't even see a scar.
If I could give you one piece of advice, DON'T STARE AT THEM AFTER YOU GET THEM DONE! The scars I mean. Every time I stare at my scars I start getting light headed and nauseous.  It messes with your head. It looks like it hurts, so you start thinking you're hurting.
Be warned: they will look bad. The scars are raised at first and you'll wonder "what have I done to myself?"
I'm still trying to stay on the up and up and not focus too much on the scars.
The size, from what I can tell so far, I'll be very happy with.

full anchor scar

WAIT UNTIL ATER KIDS?
I didn't wait until after I had kids to have my initial breast augmentation. I wish I would have. But I was young and stubborn. I don't know if my augmentation had anything to do with my difficulties breastfeeding or not. My incisions were under the fold of the breast, so the nipple was not affected at that time. However, after my first procedure I did lose feeling in both nipples.
If you are wondering wether or not to proceed with surgery before having children, I would recommend waiting. Everyone's situation is different, but if breastfeeding is important to you, I would hold off on getting a lift until after having kids.

THE PROCEDURE
The morning of the procedure I had to be at the facility at 7am. They hooked me up, took my blood pressure, and put the leg circulation things on me and took me into a waiting area. When the Dr. came in to mark on me, I sat up in bed. He marked on me for what felt like forever. I started to feel like I was going to faint, so I had to lay down for a few minutes.
Thinking about the procedure, having not eaten or drank anything from the night before, and the nausea patch wasn't a good combination. I went pale white and began sweating.
My Dr. said it was normal and happens quite frequently.
They started the IV on me, and I met with the anesthesiologist. He then started me on something and I said goodbye to my loved ones (read: Travis, who was there for me the whole time).
The last thing I remember was being rolled into the OR.

WORKING OUT
I will not be able to work out for 4-6 weeks.
I plan on resuming minimal cardio and light work when I feel up to it, as long as it's cleared by my doctor.

I hope I have helped answer all your questions. I know it's still a bit early, but so far, I'm very happy with my results!

 

Products From Direct Sales Companies I Love

I was introduced to direct sales in 2012. I had no idea what direct sales were, I just knew that every day, multiple times a day,  I was getting emails from blog readers asking to send me a product called Spark.
I had recently lost 60 lbs. from diet and exercise and I was too proud to try supplements. I wanted no part of it. I didn't know what I didn't know.
Finally, after about the 100th time being asked, I said yes. That yes would quite literally change my life. I tried Spark and fell in love with it, so I began to try other products.
All I did from that point forward was continue to do what I was already doing, which was sharing products I loved with my readers. The only difference now was that I was actually getting paid for it.
Over the next several years I made many new friends, gained some amazing knowledge and for the first time ever in my life, made a six figure income. All because I said yes.
I know direct sales is not for everyone. There are many people that do it wrong, giving direct sales companies a bad name.
I have always said that I was never going to be pushy. I would never cold message people or ONLY talk about direct sales. I would sprinkle it in with my day to day life, only share what I truly loved, (which I'd been doing for years and gained the trust of my followers and readers) and never come across pushy.
And I've continued to do that in other direct sales companies I have tried since.

The following are products I have tried from different direct sales companies. I don't make a commission off of these and am linking who I buy products from, for the exception of Advocare. I am still a distributor for Advocare.
But everything else is just stuff I personally love.
If you know people that sell these products, reach out to them! Or you can click on the products link and it will go to the person I buy that product from. :)

Modere
(I am not a rep for them, but I do have a coupon code for $10 off, which just earns me credit toward MY next purchase as a customer.)

This is a hot one. It's all over social media right now. I have tried MANY Modere products and my favorites are the following:

Biocell Skin Liquid Collagen
I take the skin liquid collagen and have been taking it for months. I feel like it's made my skin brighter and more firm. Highly recommend this stuff!

I also love their skin care line. I have been using the following:
The Cell Proof Serum & Cell Proof Moisturizer. They smell like oranges and go on like silk!

Dual Action Eye Gel
I just started using this but so far I love it and it's just $26!

I have tried Trim and it was fine. I'm just not super big into using supplements for any type of "weight loss" effects at the moment. I do know many people that love it though! I just like other products better.

Advocare
I have taken every product under the sun from Advocare and I think they're great.
Spark saved me during my last pregnancy from exhaustion. It's also a great sugar free energy drink that tastes great!
If you have any Advocare questions I'd be happy to help. :)

Rodan + Fields
Lash Boost
I swear by this stuff! It has grown my lashes to look like extensions.
It is a bit pricey, but a tube lasts me several months!

this is my natural lashes- no extensions- using Lash Boost

Beauty Counter
I was gifted a baby set from Beauty Counter and I LOVE their baby wash. So gentle and leaves Trace's skin smooth! No heavy scent either!

Eniva
My husband loves this stuff.
I have just gotten into it, and I really like it as well. It focuses on wellbeing and wellness with products like Chlorophyll, Omegas, multi minerals, join health, probiotics, and digestive health.

These are just the products I love from different direct sales companies.
I am not looking to get involved in any more direct sales companies, but I do think they main thing to remember here is if you do decide to start up a side hustle to make sure you love the product you're selling so it comes off as genuine!
And as always, support your friends and small business owners if they are in direct sales. :)

Other things I haven't tried or have tried and wasn't a fan of:
Beachbody - I tried a shake once, it was fine.
Herbalife - I did try a shake of theirs once as well and wasn't a fan- this was a long time ago though)
Monat - I used this for a few weeks and then found a Facebook group of thousands of women having hair loss from using the products and it freaked me out so I stopped using it. Again I'm sure it works for some people and not others.
Young Living Oils- I have tried YL and I think it's great.
Arbonne- Haven't tried.
Plexus- I tried the Pink Drink once, I didn't love it. I also only drank it one time, so I couldn't get a full idea of how the product worked.

Hopefully this was helpful. These are just my opinions and I'm sure some people hate the things I love and vice versa! Just find what works for you! :)

How I Lost 60 lbs. in 11 Months (10 years ago) And Kept it Off

It's a brand new year. If you're anything like I was 10+ years ago, you are vowing to make THIS the year that you finally get in shape.
You see, I did that every year, for 5 years.
Each year I steadily gained 10 lbs.
Each year I said that THIS was going to be the year I lost that 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 lbs.

I never did.

I got pregnant instead. And gained 35 lbs.

Then I had my son in 2009 and decided I was just going to TRY to lose weight.
No empty promises. Just honest EFFORT.

So this is what I did to lose 60 lbs. in 11 months.

1. BABY STEPS
I started so incredibly small. I was a fast food addict. I ate fast food 2 times A DAY! I was consuming upwards of 1500 calories, per meal! So I cut out the fast food.
It wasn't life changing, and I still ate like crap at home, but I was cutting out 1500 calories right off the bat. I don't care which way you slice it, weight loss will ALWAYS be calories in vs. calories out.

2. MAKE HEALTHIER SWAPS
When I started feeling like I could put a little more effort into my other meals at home, I started paying attention to what I was eating. Not in a "I'm going to eat grilled chicken and veggies for every meal" kinda way, but in a "I'm making sour cream chicken enchiladas tonight for dinner, how can I swap out some of these ingredients for healthier options?" kinda way. So I'd swap out the full fat sour cream I normally used for fat free sour cream, or greek yogurt. I swapped out the full fat cheese for low fat cheese. I swapped out the flour tortillas for corn tortillas.
I'm not saying low fat, fat free substitutes are the BEST option, but for ME, they were a BETTER option at the time.
Remember, weight loss is forever about calories in vs. calories out. By making these swaps in every meal I made at home, I was cutting out hundreds of calories, and STILL eating the things I loved.

3. DON'T OVERTHINK IT
If you were thinking while reading that last paragraph "but isn't fat free stuff full of chemicals?" Then you are overthinking the process.
I ate fast food for every meal for YEARS, fat free anything was a thousand times better than what I was doing. I realize that is a major concern for some people, I'm just saying to make better FOR YOU choices than what you are currently doing. That looks different for everyone.
If you're eating McDonald's every day for lunch, big sized with a large Coke, maybe you get a kids meal with a Diet Coke?
They DO NOT have to be these mind altering changes to be effective!

4. MOVE
It took me 3 months into my journey to actually start working out. I didn't feel like I could until then. I started with an old pair of tennis shoes and an oversized tshirt and gym shorts that rode up when I walked.
I printed off the Couch to 5k Program (back then in the days of Blackberries, we didn't have apps on our phone to download it) and ran/walked it 5 days a week. The program only called for 3 days a week, but I couldn't keep up with the workouts on just 3 days a week, so I repeated the 3rd day, 3 times each week to be able to keep up.
It was hard. I cried so much every time. My thighs rubbed together and I could physically feel everything jiggle with each step. It pissed me off and made me so mad at myself for allowing myself to get there.

5. ACCEPT IT
This brings me to the most crucial part, acceptance.
Look, I was angry. I had 60 lbs. to lose and thinking about that number seemed damn near impossible. I was mad that it seemed everyone else around me could eat whatever they wanted and not gain weight. I was mad that no one else I knew ever worked out and always ate like crap and didn't have weight problems.
WHY WAS I SO FOCUSED ON THEM!?!??!
I had to accept that this journey was about ME, and not THEM! And that if they can eat hamburgers and not workout, it's NONE OF MY DAMN BUSINESS ANYWAY!
I also had to accept that they had NOTHING to do with wether I was successful or not. They didn't force feed me fast food. They didn't make me sit on the couch every day after work instead of getting off my butt.
Accept what YOU'VE done to YOU. Own it. Yeah it sucks. But now guess who's the only one that can change it??
YOU!
Put the blinders on and stay in your own lane and focus on yourself!

6. TRUST THE PROCESS
How many times have you heard that? Probably tons. Weight loss is not linear. Meaning you most likely will not lose weight every day, so don't weigh yourself daily (I recommend every 2 weeks), and trust that you're doing what you can, even when you don't see the scale budge!

7. DOCUMENT 
Take pictures, measurements, whatever you need to. I took pictures with every 10 lbs. I lost and it motivated me to lose the next 10!

8. KEEP GOING
This trumps all other tips I have for you.
You will stumble, you will have crappy meals, you will miss workouts and have bad weekends and bad months, YOU ARE HUMAN! And it's OKAY!
But recognize that behavior and get right back in it!


9. CALORIES IN VS CALORIES OUT
Have I beaten that into your head yet? Weight loss is ALWAYS going to be about calories in vs. calories out. Basically that means you need to be burning more calories than you take in. It's science. And it will never change.
That being said, there are many ways to achieve this goal.
Keto, Intermittent Fasting, Paleo, Clean eating, Whole 30, South Beach, and ANY OTHER DIET YOU CAN THINK OF all have one common denominator- they focus on consuming LESS CALORIES.
Period. End of story. That cannot be argued.
So find what works FOR YOU!
Your best friend might have lost 40 lbs. by doing keto but you can't fathom not having carbs (girl I feeeeeel that in my soul! :P), it might not be for you!
Try not to focus on a specific way of eating at first, just make better decisions than you did yesterday.



Whatever you do, DO NOT QUIT! Even if it takes you months, or years! Small steps every day lead to BIG RESULTS over time!

left was 2009- right was 2014 while training for my first bikini competition

2019 

New York City with Kids

This year, instead of a bunch of gifts the kids usually get for Christmas, we decided to travel with them instead.

When I was cleaning out their closets a few months back I found Christmas gifts from last year that hadn't been opened! Lego sets that hadn't been put together, etc. The amount of stuff they receive from not only us, but their grandparents and their dad's side of the family is just embarrassing. 

I know we are very blessed, but instead of all these THINGS, we need to make MEMORIES with them.

Big T has been asking to go to New York City for several years now, as he's seen it on TV and in movies. 

They had been asking to go back to our favorite spot, Breckenridge, CO. but I knew the snow would be TOO COLD for them (we usually go in the summer). 

So we booked a trip to the magical New York City during Christmas break.

We wanted to keep it a surprise, and not tell them until we were at the airport. So for weeks I bought hats and gloves, and snow boots and packed their suitcase in secret. 

We told them we were taking Travis to the airport for a business trip one morning before school and then I was going to drop them off at school afterward. 

When we got to the airport at 7:30am we parked and told them we had a surprise for them and that they were going with us.

Big T was excited, Mushy was sad about missing Polar Express Day at school. 

It took him a minute, but he was excited as well. 

Here's what we did and what I recommend with an 8 and 10 year old. (We left Trace at home with my mother in law, as we are a bit adamant on not traveling with him for a few more years and have a very eager grandma that wants to stay at home with him any chance she gets!)

Statue of Liberty

I looked into touring the Statue of Liberty (I've been before, but the kids and Travis have not) and I figured the boys would want tickets to the crown, but when I went to book them (about 3 weeks before we left) they were sold out.

I didn't think they'd like touring Ellis Island and just seeing the Statue of Liberty up close and not going in the crown, (Ellis Island has an AMAZING museum, but the boys would have been bored), so we opted for the FREE ferry to pass it. We took a cab from Times Square (where our hotel was) to the Staten Island Ferry which is free and runs every 30 minutes on the weekends.

The boys loved the boat ride and seeing the Statue of Liberty that way.

Top of the Rock/Rockefeller Center

This is one of the most crowded places in NYC during Christmas, so if you're going to want a good 360 degree view of the city, buy your tickets ahead of time!

The boys lasted about 15 minutes before they were ready to go. They like more DOING than SEEING.

Ice Skating 

We opted for ice skating at Bryant Park's Winter Village. This was our favorite activity.

I know it's very iconic to ice skate at Rockefeller Center with the big tree, but we loved Bryant Park. 

They have a ton of pop up glass houses with local artisans and cool gifts, food, and more. 

It's truly like a little winter village. I would have loved to shop around if we didn't have the boys.

We ice skated for about 2 hours and they boys LOVED it! 

I bought tickets for a specific time online the day before. 

FAO Schwartz

This toy store is in Rockefeller Center and it was PACKED. Of course, it's Christmas time and it was newly re-opened but they have cool demonstrations of the toys and stuff you don't see everywhere! 

Definitely recommend taking your kids here to see all the cool toys!

The Lego Store at Rockefeller Center

This is super cool! The boys loved seeing all the lego builds in here!

Black Tap Milkshakes

This was a must do for us. We waited in line for probably 45 minutes for a diabetes packed milkshake. Worth it.

Times Square

We actually stayed at the Sheraton Times Square and it was a great location.

I had so many people say not to stay in Times Square because of the crowds, but we really liked the location. When we walked ANYWHERE we had a rule of holding a kids hand at all times. Travis held and hand and I held a hand. The crowds are no joke, especially around Times Square, but we knew it was going to be like that. 

The boys got a kick out of the street performers and all the craziness of Times Square.

Central Park

We didn't make it to Central Park this trip. I think this would be great with better weather. Maybe a bike ride around Central Park in the Spring or Summer (I've done it in April and it was GORGEOUS!)

Broadway Shows/The Rockettes 

Many people recommended seeing The Grinch, or Frozen and I just didn't think my boys would enjoy that, so we didn't do any shows. 

However, I have seen The Phantom of the Opera on a separate trip and it was AMAZING! So I would definitely recommend a show without kids!

John's Pizza

This was by far the most recommended pizza place. When we got there, I realized I'd been there before but just didn't know what it was called. They have the best pizza! 

We waited for about 45 minutes for a table. Their bruschetta, cheese bread and pizza is amazing!

Junior's Restaurant

I heard this place is great for cheesecake, but we never made it.

Getting Around the City

We walked almost everywhere. If something was more than a 15 minute walk we took a cab. They have an app you can download in the cab to pay, its super simple.

I know a lot of people said to take the subway, but we opted for cabs. 

Clothing

I wore fleece lined leggings and then Lululemon leggings on top, long soft socks, comfy boots (THESE ARE AMAZING!!), a sweater, a parka, E tip gloves, and a hat and scarf or this awesome face mask thing I bought there.

The biggest thing was your face getting cold. It was in the 20s and 30s with SUPER cold wind chills the entire time. My body was fine, but my face got cold quickly!

I also wore a fanny pack the entire time and I gotta say, I'M A FAN!

I hadn't worn one since probably 3rd grade, though they're called belt bags now, but this was a game changer for me!

I wore it under my zipped up coat and it was great to be hands free and safe from pick pocketing while in the big crowds. 

The boys wore fleece lined leggings, sweatpants, thick socks, snow boots, parkas, neck warmers, and face masks. 

Eating

If you're going to go to the popular places, make a reservation. 

Most places you'll end up waiting 45 minutes to an hour to eat. 

We found some great lunch places based on reviews on Yelp.

The Counter in Times Square was GREAT! I had their veggie burger and it was awesome! 

Their fries are great as well.

Gregorys Coffee is my favorite coffee place, and Le Pain Quotidien is our favorite place for breakfast. The boys loved this place, too.

Be prepared to spend a pretty penny on food. Each meal of ours was on average $100 for the 4 of us, more if we had an alcoholic drink. Travis and I aren't big drinkers, so when we drink, it might be 1 glass of wine with dinner. I think we did this at 2 meals. 

All in all, we had a great trip. There's definitely stuff I'd like to go back and do, but we got to check off NYC at Christmas time off the Bucket List. It truly is a magical place at Christmas. The music, lights, shopping, it's really neat to see!

I really feel like you could live in NYC and still not see and do everything, there's so much!

I wouldn't recommend taking your kids if they are less than 10 years old, though.

I know people do it every day, but taking a stroller and small child around the city, in stores, up stairs, elevators, with coats and hats and everything, just seems like it would be a lot. 

We really enjoyed giving the gift of travel this year and look forward to continuing this tradition with the kids!

Pay it Forward- Rebecca

This is Rebecca.

"I’d love to nominate my Nanny, Rebecca Payne, this year. In my opinion, she’s an 83 year hero and here’s why - she worked her whole life as a single mother to provide for my dad and uncle when they were younger and then me when I was a teenager and moved in with her. Yet now, as a senior citizen, she struggles financially from month to month trying to survive on social security and retirement and it completely breaks my heart. She struggles to have enough money to purchase groceries (which are rarely healthy because they cost so much more but are crucial to her health as a diabetic) and pay her mortgage. utilities, property insurance and property taxes. The home she lives in (70+ years old) is falling apart but because she has refinanced it over the years and already struggles she can’t afford to have any necessary repairs made. Her home has no central air or heating (she uses window units and space heaters), the linoleum in her kitchen and bathroom has worn away and the subfloors show throw, her bathroom is full of mold and can’t be healthy among other problems. She would never ask for help or handout because that isn’t how she and her generation were raised; however, I know she would be so humbled and appreciative to receive any help that people felt led to give. And as her grand daughter, I would love to see her burden lightened and give her hope for her future."

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Location: Greensboro, NC

How you can help:

Rebecca is in need of grocery gift cards. 
You can send her a Walmart gift card (this is where she gets the majority of her food) HERE and send it electronically to:
RebeccaPayne1936@gmail.com

You can also purchase Visa gift cards to help with paying her bills and home repairs directly from her Amazon Wish List .

*Please make sure to choose "Send to Rebecca's Gift Registry Address" at checkout.

As always, Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Traneice

This is Traneice and her boys.

"Traneice Williams is one of the most hard working and giving single moms that I have ever had the privilege of knowing. We met at Texas Baptist Children’s Home in Round Rock, TX when we were living in the same cottage with our kids. TBCH is a wonderful organization that helps single moms get back on their feet after going through hard times. Read about Traneice’s story before she moved into TBCH HERE. After her time at TBCH, she moved into income based housing and had a car, a job and a promising future; life was going well. Unfortunately, her car ended up getting repossessed after she missed a few months worth of payments because other bills were piling up. Due to not having a car, she ended up losing her job. This caused a domino affect with other bills. With her parents no longer being around, she has no one to turn to when she needs help financially. Even though Traneice has been through so much in just 30 years, she’s never given up hope and always believes that God will provide. She does whatever she can to preserve for her boys. Not only does she do what she can for her boys, this woman, who has had such a rough life still finds it in her heart to serve and give back to the community. Most recently she helped a family by sponsoring their thanksgiving dinner and helped them prepare their home to host their family. Traneice’s heart is pure gold. She is definitely someone I admire and I aspire to be more like her. I just want her to be able to have one worry and stress free Christmas. She is an amazing woman and she and her sweet boys deserve every bit of love they can get. ❤️"

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Location: Austin, TX

How you can help:

You can purchase items directly from Traneice's Amazon Wishlist to be sent directly to her to help her and her boys have a great Christmas!
Make sure you check "Send to Traneice's Gift Registry Address" at checkout!

*Once all items are fulfilled, the list will be empty.

Thank you for Paying it Forward!

Pay it Forward- Chris

This is Chris & Kim.

"I am nominating my dad and his girlfriend (basically my step mom), Chris Lieberman and Kim Hann. I am nominating them because in a time of great need of assistance, they’re still striving to help others. My dad was the Founder and executive Director for the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon (I had the privilege of meeting you and cheering you across the finish line when you ran your first marathon!). 

March 8th, 2016 our family’s lives were turned upside down. I was a freshman in college, my sister just graduated college and landed a job in Dallas (away from home) when we received a call to let us know our dad fell off of a ladder in the marathon warehouse and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, he was being rushed into emergency surgery and they said he most likely wouldn’t make it. 4 weeks in a coma, in the Neuro trauma ICU + many many months in the hospital + many YEARS in inpatient rehab facilities around the US (I encourage you to follow his Facebook page, Chris Lieberman Updates, we have shared his story there since the week of his injury) he survived and our family has started the Brain Injury Recovery Foundation this year, to help and care for families who are just now going through what we’ve gone through. My dads fight isn’t over. They are currently living off of disability and Kim’s part-time job income, traveling to Dallas for my dad to receive therapy 3-days a week and still giving the foundation their all. We have a goal to make it easier on families in Oklahoma, to not have to travel out of state for therapy like we did, and build a rehab center in Oklahoma.. however, we need donations to make that happen and I need my dad back! In order to get my dad back, he has to continue therapy and our family doesn’t have the means to continue supporting the traveling to Dallas financially. I am asking for help in two areas, 1) gas cards and fast food cards while they’re on the road to recovery and 2) donations to make sure Oklahomans have resources in state to receive affordable therapy to overcome neurological injuries such as brain injuries, strokes, MS, spinal cord injuries and more."

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Location: Tulsa, OK

I have had the pleasure of meeting both Chris & Kim many years ago, as I ran my first ever marathon at the Route 66 Marathon. They are both amazing people and are so incredibly deserving.

How you can help:

You can donate directly to the Brain Injury Recovery Foundation (tax deductible) HERE.

You can purchase items directly from Chris & Kim's Amazon Wishlist.

You can purchase gas gift cards HERE and email them to:
kim@braininjuryrecoveryfoundation.org

Pay toward Chris's continued therapy at REACT Dallas HERE.

Thank you for Paying it Forward.

Pay it Forward- Cassandra

This is Cassandra and her family.

"Cassandra is a mother of two kids, Camryn & Colton. Cassandra & Camryn are going through an extremely difficult time. Something horrific occured that none of us could even fathom. This is Cassandra's nightmare that she is living every single day. On September 21st her estranged husband broke into her house and beat her until she was limp and unconscious. He then went on to assault their 9 year old daughter. Thankfully she was able to slip away from his grip. The monster then went upstairs and shot their 18 month old son 9 times while he napped. He then went on to kill himself. She did everything that she could - got a order of protection and had a loving home for her and her two kids. This didn't stop her estranged husband. We've come together as a community but Cassandra still needs support. She was a stay at home mom before this tragedy. She hasn't returned home since the loss is so deep. She has become an advocate for domestic violence victims Camryn is trying to live a normal life but now she's left as an only child. I know the loss is so tremendous. Cassandra has always helped others when they need it and would give the shirt off her back to help someone else. I would love for them to feel a little spark of joy in their hearts and know that there is still good in the world."

Here is a post directly from Cassandra, a letter to her son, Colton:

You can read about the full story HERE.

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How you can help:

You can purchase items directly from Cassandra and Camryn's Amazon Wishlist and they will be sent directly to them (choose Cassandra's Wish List Delivery option at checkout).

Thank you for Paying it Forward.