Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Lauren's Letters 2014

Thank you everyone who sent us a letter and did an act of kindness in memory of Lauren. It makes our Christmas so very special when we get to read these. Here are Lauren's Letters we received for her stocking!: 

Adrianna N: In honor of Lauren, I paid for the order of the lady behind me in line at Starbucks! Hope you and your family have a very merry Christmas! Love, Adrianna, Mommy to Avery

Meagan M: Hello Autry Family! Everyday on my drive to work I pass by a very large (and very sad looking) cemetery. I often times think of my friends who go visit their Angels in a cemetery and think about how they decorate, cry, talk to, and just be with their babies there. This year for my RAK I was inspired to go to the cemetery and leave a flower and a note on some of the headstones of babies. I hope this gesture in Lauren's memory will bring someone comfort and joy this holiday season. Thank you for inviting me to be apart of something so special! Thinking of you, Meagan M

The Mendez Family: For our Angel Lauren Isabelle, we honored her by selecting 2 Angels from the Angel tree. Our family selected a boy and a girl, to donate Christmas gifts, to hopefully make their holiday special as you are. We wish you a Merry Christmas, we love you Lauren! The Mendez Family

To my niece Lauren, 

This poem is for you: 

Somewhere across the winter world tonight
You will be hearing chimes that fill the air;
Christmas extends its all-enfolding light
Across the distance...something we can share.
You will be singing, just the same as I,
These familiar songs we know so well,
And you will see these same stars in your sky
And wish upon that brightest one that fell.
I shall remember you and trim my tree,
One shining star upon the topmost bough;
I will hang wreaths of faith that all may see --
Tonight I glimpse beyond the hear and now.
And all the time that we must be apart
I keep a candle in my heart.
(Written by Mary E. Linton)
I think of you everyday and carry you within my heart. Your Christmas present was a pretty ornament to hang on the tree each year. I especially like it because it has purple ðŸ’œ. I wish you a Merry Christmas Lauren, we love you! Aunt Christy 
The Rodriguez Family: Hello our sweet Lauren,
First off, We want to wish you a Merry Christmas!  I want to tell you how loved & missed you are from the Rodriguez Family.
We often talk about you & picture your beautiful face. You're one very special little girl, with all the lives you touch each year & especially the ones who got the honor of meeting & spending time with you. That is something your Uncle Joe & I cherish. I would have loved for your cousins to have met you.

They would smother you with love! Trust me, you'd be pushing them away! When I see Samson growing older it makes me miss you even more. I know you two would have been close.

Although you left us way to soon. You are in our lives always. Your mom & dad keep your spirt alive & it's a beautiful blessing to witness. Your big sister Halley also takes part in remembering you with lots of great art work. You will not ever be forgotten.

To me there's only one reason I can think god took you from us. It's that heaven needs babies too & we needed another angel to keep watch over us.

Sometimes the most tragic losses in our life, although very painful & sad. Can result in a family coming together. That's what happens each year for your birthday & Christmas. Our family as well as friends all come together to honor & remember your spirit with lots of love.

We love you Lauren, you're our niece & that's a fact that will not ever change. Until the day we shall we again, I will keep you in my heart.

Love the Rodriguez Family: Aunt Nicole, Uncle Joe, Joey, Iggie, Matthew, Noah, & Samson

The Garza Family: Christmas 2014:
So this year we wanted to do our letters to you a little different and decided to write it as a family.

It's always hard this time of year especially when we have to write you a letter, rather have you here with us instead of in heaven, but only God knows why. We didn't really get that much time spent with you but only a few minutes, but in that very little time you became a big part of us and loved you from the moment we laid eyes on you princess.

This year we had another baby, so now you have another cousin and his name is John ADAM! We had a scare after he was born, he had to be in the nicu for days. And we feel like he had you as his guardian angel in there watching over him every moment.

Good deeds that we've all done: 

Tia Amber: Dec.22, 2014

Today at Starbucks was CRAZY! But I really wanted and needed it that morning. When I got to the window to pay for my order the man at the window said the lady in front of you paid for your order. I just smiled and still handed him my card and said OK then I'll pay for the truck behind me. Their order was slightly more then what mine was but I still paid it forward.
#gooddeed #freecoffee #starbucks

We all four donated a couple toys to Toys For Tots!

Lauren even though you aren't physically here with us you are always with us and will ALWAYS be a part of our lives. We love and miss you mamas. And may we meet again one day, along with the many loved ones we have also lost.

Love you always and forever Lauren. Merry Christmas princess!

Xoxo xoxo The Garza Family!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Our 2014 ROAKs

Below will be the Random Acts of Kindness we completed in honor of Lauren during the month of December. 

1) We donated to Saint Jude's Hospital. 
2) We donated to a medical fund for past classmate of mine from high school who is going through treatments for cancer. 
3) We went around our entire community and left candy canes on our neighbors mailboxes. We hoped the little treat would make someone smile. 

Here are a few pictures! 












Sunday, December 14, 2014

Lauren is ready for Christmas

Brandon, Halley, and I went to decorate for Lauren on Friday 12/12/14. Christmas is our favorite time of year so we always have to make sure Lauren is decked out! Some of the decorations are from previous years and we added a few new things this year as well. Halley even decorated Lauren's tree, which I didn't get a good picture of, but it definitely makes her entire area more festive. We also decorated her pink Christmas tree, that was gifted to her last year, added some of her stuffed animals from previous years, added the new "Santa stop here" sign and of course a new snow globe! If you know us well, you know we are big collectors for snow globes, so we always take her a new one. Brandon also made her a Christmas tree with red and silver garland and we added candy canes to that one and her other Christmas tree. We also left her  lights around her headstone this year, instead of on the tree, but decided to leave them on the entire time this year, so it can be festive 24/7 for her. I think we did a great job. :D <3

As a mini act of kindness, we added some of Lauren's flowers a man's vase that is buried close to Lauren. We do not know him, but sometimes see his family visiting him. Any time we go and his vase is empty, we add something in there for him. I know it must be hard on them without their husband/ father. They once did that for Lauren, added a flower in her vase, and we were so grateful and thought it was so kind, so we make sure to continue to do it for them. 






Saturday, December 13, 2014

Lauren's Stocking Project 2014


Happy Holidays everyone! ♥ 

Every year my family creates Lauren's Stocking Project. We ask that you complete a random act of kindness in honor of our daughter, Lauren, who passed away in 2011. 

Because we do not have her here with us, we choose to do acts of kindness in remembrance of her every year. We invite all of you to join in this with us. It can be anything! Big or small! We do this because sometimes you have no idea what people are going through at Christmas time and sometimes other people need a little pick-me-up. Sometimes the smallest gesture can make the biggest impact.  

I ask that once you complete your act of kindness, you write it out, and email it to me. Please email it to mautry0508@gmail.com and please put in the subject: DO NOT OPEN - RAOK or something similar. I will print them all out and stuff them in Lauren's stocking. We will not read any of them until Christmas morning when we are all together. 

I cannot believe this will be our 4th year doing this! It is amazing every year to read everything that people have done in honor of Lauren. It is simply beautiful. You may not understand, but it is very comforting for my family to include Lauren in every holiday. She lived for 15 days but lives forever in our hearts. ♥

Here is Lauren's Story: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2012/05/laurens-story.html

Our 2011 RAOK: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2012/01/our-random-act-of-kindness-christmas.html

Our 2012 RAOK: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2014/12/our-2012-raoks.html

Our 2013 RAOK: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2014/12/our-2013-roaks.html

2011 Lauren's Letters: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2012/01/christmas-day-with-letters-for-laurens_1189.html

2012 Lauren's Letters: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2013/11/laurens-letters-from-2012-stocking.html

2013 Lauren's Letters: 
http://autry-family.blogspot.com/2014/12/laurens-letters-2013.html

Monday, September 15, 2014

Updates


Well hello again!

I have so many post updates to enter so I hope to have time for that soon.

Soooooo... September is Cycle #37 for TTC our Rainbow. I haven't been back to the RE since April when we tried IUI #2. Partially because it is pretty costly but also because my husband knows that once I start going again, I won't stop for a while. It takes a toll on you mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially so we figure we would try by ourselves for a few months. Of course pregnancy hasn't come yet, but I hope by December I'll be pregnant. If not, in 2015 we will be going back to see the RE.

I have also been in the process of trying to lose a little bit of weight to see if that would help. Personally, I do not think it will help me get pregnant, but you should know I am willing to try anything and everything, so I want to lose weight just so in case it could give me an advantage, I have it. I’ve lost 14.8 pounds in about 6-7 weeks. Sure it isn’t a life changing amount, but since I have always struggled with my weight and the so called yo-yo dieting, I really want to do it the right way this time. I want to be healthy and accountable for what I am eating and not just take a magic diet pill, lose the weight, and gain it all right back. I have been skinny plenty of times before, and was pretty active in the past, but with depression, stress, and home -work-family life, things get a little hectic and I have less time to think about what is really best for me. I think eventually I will get it down.

In August the property I worked for finally sold. This means I lost my job but I also lost the majority of my stress. I think less stress has been amazing for me. I miss being in demand, having something to do all day, and being in charge, but I don’t miss the ghetto, shootings, fights, threats, drugs, or unappreciative residents and supervisors. I took about 3 weeks off from job hunting and just took time to spend with my daughter before school started up again. I felt extremely bored and my husband didn’t want me to get too comfortable with not working, so I found a part time job. Sure it isn’t my dream job, but it gets me out of the house, puts cash in my pocket, and still gives me 3 days off a week to be as lazy as I want! Pretty good I think!

<3

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Lauren's Birthday Wishes

A couple of days ago we celebrated Lauren's 3rd birthday with family and friends but today it was just Brandon, Halley, and I. We took her cupcakes and just spent time by her grave. We put a candle on her cupcake so she could still make a wish. Oh how I miss her. </3

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Lauren's 3rd Birthday Party


I am so grateful to have family and friends that constantly show love and support to Brandon, Halley, and I. Honestly, I figured as each year passed, less and less people would come to her party. Instead we are surrounded by so much love. No one thinks it is weird or strange to celebrate her birthday by her grave.. instead everyone wants to celebrate her coming into each of our lives. They embrace it and sing Happy Birthday to her with us. I cannot explain how much that means to me. When I want to cry, I have people who will listen to me, hug me, cry with me, and help turn the tears of sadness into tears of joy by remembering the sweet things about her. Again, Thank You for coming out today, on Father's Day, and celebrating Lauren's short and beautiful life with us. 

~Lauren Isabelle Autry ♥ 06/17/2011-07/02/2011~