Auction Item #10-AZ/UT 1 Hr. Massage

So I have an amazing friend in Phoenix AZ who has donated a 1 hour massage. This is estimated at $50! She is absolutely amazing and has been such a huge help in this process! She has called Hospitals, and checked with nurses, and found out all about Doctor's to make sure I will be getting the best care possible. Megan we love you!! I can't tell you what you mean to me.

Anyway you people in AZ that want this massage are truly lucky! I wish she was here in UT 24/7 so I could make her my personal therapist! She said if you are from Utah that you could bid on it too and she will be here within the next few months. If you are willing to wait you will get an amazing massage, or you AZ people have fun bidding!

Megan MacDonald
Massage Therapist

You can bid on this massage and we will give the winner's information to Megan and she will contact you personally. Again she is in Phoenix AZ, but will be in Utah in the future if you are willing to wait. This will go until 4-12-10 at 11am. THANK YOU MEGAN! We love you!!

Auction Item #9-SCENTSY!!!

So thank you to another amazing woman! Aubri Bale has graciously donated a LOAD of Scentsy stuff! It's estimated value is $84!! Thank you Aubri! You are amazing to donate when you don't even know me. That is true kindness and charity and I can't tell you how much we appreciate it! You can contact Aubri for you Scentsy needs at:

Aubri Bale
www.scentsy.com/aubrib

We will close this bid on Monday the 12th at 11am. Have fun bidding! How can you not absolutely love Scentsy stuff?! I'm so excited because now I have my Scentsy girl!!

Inspiration

So I just have a little heartfelt story to share. Tonight was a rough night. I ended up in the ER with severe vomiting that would not stop and needed attention. After 2 hours they were able to get it under control and get me feeling better (only 7 days!!). As Dave and I were driving home we were talking about a lot of stuff and how amazing people are. We pull into the driveway and we have a gift sitting on our porch wrapped in beautiful silver wrapping paper and fun ribbons all over it. The card says:

We want you to Fight We want you to Live So someday you Might Get a chance to Give Always remember and never disguise the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. You have really touched our lives and don't forget.....WE LOVE YOU!! Your friends in Highland

As I open the gift with Dave it is full of envelopes that have a quick little comment on the front. They don't have any cards in them and no information on who left them. In each envelope was money. I just cried. I couldn't help be so deeply touched. I can't believe the good that is in this world.

There was a particular envelope that made me cry and truly made me realize how much love Christ has for me. The envelope had a little child's writing on it with a big smiley face. I opened it and inside were 2, 1 dollar bills. This hit me so hard. I could only imagine a little child who saves their money up from allowance, and helping with chores, etc. and giving me everything that they had. They gave me all the money that they had earned to help me live.

I just pictured my little niece's and nephew's and how hard they work for their money and them giving their $2.00 to someone they don't even know. Wow, what unconditional love the Children of God have. Jesus loved the little children for a reason. They are the heart and soul of my faith and why I have so much hope for this world. Thank you Highland!

Because of Highland and all your donations on Paypal today, we raised $1,000! I can't believe we raised that much in 1 day! I am truly touched by your love, support, and generosity. What incredible people I have in my life! I want you to know that I am the one blessed to have you.

Auction Item #8-Fort Knox Pistol Safe

Hey everyone! I am really excited about this item! For all of you guys out there, this is a item just for you! Or girls like my friend Sara that loves guns! :) My Dad is one of the VP's at Fort Knox Security Products. He is donating a pistol safe. I have one that I keep all my medication in and my documents and prescriptions at my house. You can store anything in them. They are great! I have had mine for years and I absolutely love it! The estimated value is $189.00 A special thanks to Tom James and the rest of the Fort Knox Team for donating this safe!!
Fort Knox Security Products
993 N. Industrial Pkwy.
Orem, UT 84057
http://www.ftknox.com/
801-224-7233

Again you have until 4-12-10 at 11am to bid on this item!! Thanks Dad!!

My Thoughts

So I have been posting donations so much this week and I haven't had a chance to post how I am feeling. I can't express in words how deeply touched and how amazingly grateful I am for the love and support that has come my way. People that have known me for years, people that have just met me, people that know be through the last year, and people that have never even met me, have touched me so deeply. Your outpouring of love is the most amazing act of kindness and true charity that I have ever experienced. I can't express to each of you what you mean to me. I wish so badly that I could wrap my arms around each of you and tell you how much I love you!

This week has been a rough week. I don't know if my body is just kind of giving up because it knows the surgery is so close or if I am just really weak, but whatever it is I can tell you I am exhausted! Last night was horrible. I slept all day yesterday and then spent the entire night throwing up so violently sweat was pouring from my face and chest. I hadn't even eaten anything either which was weird, because I only really throw up when I eat something. My body seems to just slowly be shutting down though. Today I have tried to rest and slept until about 2 hours ago. I just can't seem to get the strength to do anything. I can't tell you what strength your love has given me. It helps me get out of bed to be able to post things on my blog. To know that I have to update my Facebook because people genuinely are concerned and want to know how I am doing. It's such an amazing feeling to know that someone cares. I had no idea there were so many amazing people in this world.

I want you to know how thankful I am for each of you. I know I don't have all the money yet, but I know we will get there. I know I am going to be able to have this surgery and be able to live. I have to tell you that when my doctor told me that I had to have this surgery to save my life I was terrified. Then when he said I had to have to money up front I knew I was going to die. I knew that there was no way that I would be able to pay for my surgery, and I truly thought that I was just going to slowly die. I was scared to death. I have never felt that way and I hope no one ever has to feel that way.

I can't express the gratefulness I have to my Father and Mother for donating the first $15,000 dollars toward my surgery. They have truly given everything they have for me and I can't explain how truly thankful I am to them. Because of my parents and each of you I am going to be able to live. Because of the kindness of all of you I am going to be able to continue to live with my sweet husband. I fight everyday so that I can spend one more day with my Dave. He makes my world go round. I love him more than anything in this world and if it wasn't for him I would have given up so long ago. I can't describe the pain I have been in for the last year. I can't describe the horrible exhaustion I have had. I can't verbalize the overwhelming emotional and mental trauma this has caused in my life, and I know I wouldn't have gone this long and kept fighting without my sweet husband Dave standing by my side.

There have been so many days when I have not wanted to wake up. There have been so many times I have gone to sleep and prayed that God would take me home, but I know I am here for a reason. I know I have gone through all of this for a purpose and although I don't know what the purpose is at this moment, I know I will one day.

I can't wait for the day that I am able to give back to someone what all of you have given to me. You have given me my life. I know that this surgery is not a 100% guarantee that I will live. I know there is a huge possibility that I will die from this and never wake up, but I know that if I don't have it there is a 100% chance that I will die. I am having this surgery for a chance to live. I couldn't do it without you and I just want each of you to know how grateful for each of you in my life. For your donations, your prayers, your support, your love, and your outpouring of kindness you have shown me over the past year. I can't wait to have many more years with each of you! Thank you for giving me that opportunity. I would not have it without you!

Love,
Jilly Roberts Strasburg

Auction Item #7-Nursing Cover by Liz

Thank you Liz for donating this darling nursing cover!!

Nursing cover: handmade by Liz from
alittlegirlie.blogspot.com
made in a smoke free pet free home. Size: approx 36" x 46"

Liz has been a family friend for such a long time. She has been so loving and kind to me forever! I remember being little and Liz would come over to my house and take me out just the 2 of us. I love that we have the chance to keep in contact through Facebook. Liz is such an amazing person and as sweet as pie! I know I have so many amazing friends, but I just have to brag about each one of them a little bit! Thank you Liz for donating this darling nursing cover!

You can bid like all the others until 4-12-10 at 11am. Liz will get your information and will ship it to you. Thank you so much for your generous donation! I wish I had a baby so I could have it! I love you tons Liz!

Auction item #6-1 Hour Family Photo Shoot

Mandy Roper Childs Photography
This photo shoot is being donated by one of my best friends! Mandy Childs is an amazing photographer! I especially love her work with children! Here is what she had to say about her dontation:Hey Jill...I want to donate a photoshoot to auction or raffle off...You can say it will be a 1 hour family photo shoot up to 4 kids with individuals of each kid and the couple. They will get around 30-50 photos completely edited and on a cd to order their own pics from. I will take the pics during the month of May. Location will be my choice, outside for sure, probably in Springville or Provo either 10am or 4pm weekdays only...I'll email you some pics of other shoots to put up on your blog...Hope it helps...I was trying to think of something I could do...hope this helps! Love you!
Mandy is such an incredible person and so talented. I have posted a few of my favorite pictures she has taken to give you an idea. This is an awesome photo shoot to win!! Thanks Mandy for all your Love and Support through all of this!

Again, you can bid on this in my comment section up until April 12, 2010 at 11am.

Auction Item 5-90 Min. PHOTOSHOOT!!

This auction is going to be fun! I wish I could just keep all of these fun things that I am auctioning off! Anyway, this item is a 90min. Photo shoot by an amazing photographer!! It is being donated by Urban Xpressions Photography. Here is a link to her Facebook and Website:

Leslie Smith
http://urbanxpressionsphotography.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Xpressions-Photography/184868295360?ref=ts#!/pages/Urban-Xpressions-Photography/184868295360?v=info&ref=ts
She is willing to do a family/individual/kids session!! This will be such a fun giveaway! Above is an example of her amazing talent!

Like always what we will do is have you bid on the item in the comments and the highest bidder on the last second on April 12, 2010 at 11am will win!! You can pay by donating on my blog by using the paypal Donation button.

Thank you to another amazing person who is helping to save my life! I'm so grateful and blessed to have you, and what an amazing talent you have! Everyone loves your photography!!