Eating Disorder ProAna Blogger Focused on Body Image and Self Esteem

"This disease takes our best and brightest."

Words spoken from a glassy-eyed father, arms folded in defeat, as he tells of his once genius-level violin playing daughter who can now barely hold down a part-time job. 

"Where will she go?"

Inquires a small business owner, and mother of a 17 year old anorexic daughter, as she fights back tears to explains that her daughters insurance coverage will soon expire.

"I am here for my daughter."

Echos a voice in the back, where a proud mother and her elegant, college-aged daughter are seated united for their cause.

These and many others spoke at the NEDA STAR Program Legislative Hearing in Madison, WI on March 17th. I was honored to attend and take part in this changing day for eating disorder sufferers. 

The Worldwide Charter for Action on Eating Disorders big. Really big. 

Here's why:

This legislation will require insurance coverage for eating disorder sufferers. No more bogus assessments, no more worrying about random discharge from inpatient, and finally there will be official recognition for this mental disease.

Here's what you can do:

1) Sign the charter….this takes 6.2 seconds, please do it now!

This is a global, worldwide initiative with major supporters and lobbyists on our side.

2) Rally.

Find your government official in your US State or Country of Residence, and participate in the STAR event in your area. If you missed the event in your area, find out who is in charge and call them to find out how you can get involved.

3) Stalk.

Legislators literally say they have a "rule of ten," meaning if 10 people call or email on a certain issue they will take notice. T-E-N, that's insane how low it is! Please, please, please call and email your legislator. Post back here to let us know who you did your part!

US State Representatives

Other Countries: Please send me links to your government representatives for me to post.

4) Talk

Start talking to people you know and educate them on why this matters. Ask them to sign the charter or make a call.

From the bottom of my heart,

Thank you!

mamaV

——-

PS In the meantime, here is some information to help you deal with insurance problems in the US:

How to navigate insurance issues

Other Countries: Please send me links to post.

Talk about being yourself…..

Then again, I had a feeling that juice bottle was filled with hooch which may have helped the cause.

I took this picture while in Madison, WI today, attending a NEDA STAR event. More about this on the way.

-mV

During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I attended a presentation at Marquette University by Jenni Schaefer, the author of "Life without Ed."

As I walked to the presentation room, I caught a glimpse of the cool window art created by Marquette students, and I was impressed!

Schaefer presented to a group of about 200 people, a mixed crowd of students, parents, and press.

I would describe her style as soothing. 

As she spoke, her soft, genuine expression, lit up the room, even as she held up a yellow, dance tutu that she wore at age 4…the age in which Ed 
came along.

Ed, in this case, is not an abbreviation for Eating Disorders. "Ed" is what Schaefer named her disorder. She admitted that when her therapist first brought up this idea, it seemed a bit nutty, but she gave it a try. Opening herself up to the concept of treating her eating disorder as a relationship rather than an illness or condition, started her on the road to recovery after
decades of struggling.

"Ed and I lived together for more than twenty years. He was abusive,
controlling, and never hesitated to
tell me what he thought, how I was
doing it wrong, and what I should be doing instead. . . Ed is not a
high school sweetheart. Ed is not some creep that I started dating in
college. . . Ed's name comes from the initials E.D. —as in eating
disorder. Ed is my eating disorder. —from the introduction of Life Without Ed.

If Schaefer is anything, she is a shining example of hope for full and total recovery. Here are the four main points I noted from her presentation;

Ed was a tool she used to recover and made her realize;

1) I am not an illness. The concept as Ed as a relationship created separation in her mind.
2) Ed gave her something to fight for- fight Ed not herself!
3) Responsibility was now on her shoulders, excuses were no longer possible.
4) Gave the hope she desparately needed to recover.

Perhaps this is a concept you have never considered for yourself as you go through recovery or consider recovery?

Read more here;
Life Without Ed
Jenni Schaefer Site
Jenni Schafer Blog

 'If I'm gutsy enough to do this, this is a good thing for everybody. This is the everywoman, here she is,'" Ray reveals to Nightline. 

Is this good for everybody?

Does Ray's sexualization of herself actually hurt the everywoman?

I have always taken the stance - To Each Her Own. Live your life, I'll live mine .

But there's something about this story that struck a cord with me. I am left asking – was this really necessary?

What do you think?

-mV

This is part 2 of a post about the book About Face.

I said I would follow up with my story about "what I see in the mirror," but I've got to tell you- this was a rough one. I wrote two totally separate versions; one nice, one angry. I choose to post the nice one, with a few angry jabs stuffed in. Here goes;

Who is this freaky chick?*

Happy-Go-Lucky

I can't remember a time that I looked
in the mirror and I did not like what I see.

 Sure, there was the gangling teeth stage,
the teenage zit phase (which has not ended by the way and I am almost
40 for cripes sake), and the post modeling days when I cruised around
in a black baseball hat and baggy clothes in an effort to keep all
eyes OFF of me so I didn't have to live up to everyone's beauty
expectations.

But all in all, I've never wanted to
change anything about myself.

I am well aware there are way more beautiful
women in the world; those beaming with perfectly
symmetrical faces,
exotic expressions, and sex appeal leaking out of their pores…but I
have never wanted to be someone else.

 Ever.

My nose is kinda crooked, and its
getting bigger with age. We joke my dad that he has a “bulb” at
the end of his nose, just like his mother, and now I see mine growing
slowly but surely. It makes me proud to know, a part of him is now
part of me.

My facial structure is from my mom. I
remember when she came to Paris with me and my agent took one look at
her and said “I see where she gets her high cheekbones from!” My
mom was grinning from ear to ear. We still joke about it, and when
she brings it up kiddingly I say “yeah, yeah….its all because of
you mom.”

My height and big feet are from my
Grandma, the one that walked a bit hunched over, but held her head
up high, and didn't take any shit. She lived in the ghetto of
Milwaukee, the only white women among many black families, who
accepted her as one of their own. She was a firecracker, independent
as hell, as she walked the blocks to the bus daily, and never, ever
got mugged (sure, they tried, but she held on to her pocketbook and
told them to get lost). And the tough little punks ran from the
little old lady, with a glare that could knock you sideways. I'd like
to think I also got my spunk from her.

Image Laura Bell Flickr

My features are now passed on to my
children. A “mini-me” daughter and my blue-eyed-boy that is going
to give me an ulcer when his hormones kick in. They both were lucky
enough to inherit two very distinct features from my husband –
dimples and flat feet, the true sign of a Blessington.

When I ask my parents what I was like
as a child, they smile and say “you were happy-go-lucky.”

I love that saying, perhaps because I
believe it fits me to this day, and now I see the same quality in my
children which makes me so very proud.

What more could you ask for than to be
happy-go-lucky? A free spirit, born to roam, totally immune to
cultural expectations. Free to just be who you were meant to be
without looking back, without questioning, and without the imaginary
stress the masses carry from day to day.

Perhaps the best part of this quality
is that one doesn't care much about how others view them. Not in a
crass, selfish way, but in a realistic world view way.

 Truth be told, I did spend the bulk of
my twenties ashamed of my beauty.

With beauty comes attention.

With attention comes envy.

With envy comes hurt.

With hurt comes shame.

Who is this sad skinny chick?*

I was shamed for my beauty, made to
feel as if I was somehow selfish for it (actually I should say I was
told point blank I was selfish over and over and over and over until
I started to believe it). I spent some time convinced it was true, until I got smart. This ploy is always just a front to
accommodate the nay-sayers insecurities.

So here I sit, approaching 40 years of
age, still that happy-go-lucky girl that my parents admired, doing
nothing more than looking forward to what the next 40 will bring,
paying no mind to the the signs of aging that will continue to creep
across my face and body, because if I have learned anything at all, I
have learned that you can not get the time back.

Who is this happy, cool chick?*

You live with the memories you create,
the destiny you chase, and the legacy you leave.

And I, for one am enjoying the ride.

Your turn,

mamaV

—–

Image Info

Freaky chick is me in NY, perhaps during the one and only photo shoot I enjoyed. Wearing a wig was so fun!

Sad, skinny chick is me in gay Parie' way back when. My mom found these images last weekend, they make me sad because I remember it like it was yesterday.

Happy, cool chick is me, now, 39 and feeling fine!

DeLaVega Site

UPDATE FEB 20: FRIEND CONNECT IS NOT LIVE, TECHNICAL ISSUES.

I am wrestling to get this to function properly! More to come…

I am working on adding some really cool social networking tools to the blog. On the right side of the page you will see a Friend Connect widget.

**if you see an error message, go to this web address: http://mamavision.typepad.com

These new features will allow us to:

• Interact with each other (as opposed to just with me through the blog or friends through comments).
• Post an image or anonymous avatar to display your personality
• Add more info about yourself if desired.

Coming Soon!

• Wall widget, similar to facebook. You will be able to direct others attention to content you like on this blog (for example a great blog post that is now buried in the archives, a kick-ass mamaV Youtube video, and more!)
• Chat live, a real time chat module, to allow chatting rather than just posting.
• Rate things (to be added, I am planning on building a ED Treatment Center rating system

Freaked out by new things? Read more here before joining;

• Please go here to read about Google Friend Connect
• I chose this tool because it allows you to sign in with your already established Google, Yahoo, Open ID or IM user name and password.
• Also – its free and there are no ads!

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns…this will take us to the next level!

See you there or see you square,

-mamaV

A treadmill. For a toddler.

What is wrong with this country?

What happened to "Go play outside kids!"

What about "Let's go play catch."

What kind of parent purchases a $154.00 treadmill for their toddler to "burn off extra energy?"

And look at those little footprint stickers on the runner, how adorable.

I know what it is to have energetic kids. My son is a little firecracker. He's the greatest. The kid goes from morning until night and barely takes a breath (in fact he is crawling around on the floor right now pretending his Thomas train is flying, this after a full day at kindergarten).

Children need to be PLAYED with.

FRIENDSHIP needs to be encouraged, so kids get out and experience the world.

I can just see neglectful parents that buying this thing, and props a TV in front of it. It is just shameful.

And don't even go down the "there's an obesity epidemic" line of thought. We are talking toddlers here. Young children that parents should be teaching and cherishing, and encouraging IMAGINATION to cure any boredom.

I swear, sometimes I think I was not meant to live in this crazy place. I just don't relate. Moreover, I just don't want to.

Off to fly trains with my boy,

mamaV

I received a few requests to write about bulimia. The reason I haven't focused on bulimia up until this point, is because I do not have a personal history with the disease.

Here's where I need your help.

I think it will be beneficial and educational for everyone to hear your personal struggle with bulimia, a few questions to ponder;

1) Tell us the sequence of events that lead up to the first time you purged.

2) What recovery efforts have you made, and what advice do you have for other sufferers?

3) What would you say to someone who has just started purging and is headed down the bulimia path?

I look forward to reading your stories, and I am sorry I have not addressed bulimia more specifically up until now. As I said, I don't have a personal history with the disease – and that is because I tried purging only once in my life and I will never, ever do it again.

Here's my story;

I was about 17, back home from Paris. I was an insane workout fanatic, and master restrict-er, so it was a rare occasion that I would allow myself to overeat. I had watched my model friendsthrow up their cakes and pastries for years but I had never had the urge to do it myself.

On this day, I found myself eating some graham crackers, and before I knew it I ate the whole package (1 package of the 3 contained in a box- not a whole box). In my eating disordered mind, this was the end of the world, I was a failure. I could already see that I was fatter, and I decided I would get rid of it.

Home alone, I had privacy, so I went into the downstairs bathroom and knelt at the blue ceramic toilet. Fingers down the throat first only made me gag. Tried again. Again. Again. Finally, out it came, a brown crusty mess.

The evil food was out, mission accomplished.

I was not prepared for the face I would see in the mirror as I looked up. Bloodshot eyes stared back at me as I wiped my nose and felt an unfamiliar soreness in my throat.

Right then and there I decided; I would never, ever purge again. And I never did.

The entire process completely freaked me out, and for me, it was just a hell of a lot easier not to eat.

Your turn.

And thank you, ahead of time, for sharing your story.

mamaV

xoxo

I started my YouTube channel on a total whim. Back in 2006, I saw my first episode of America’s Top Model, and flipped my lid.

First Video

Top Video

Pro Anorexia Informational Video

My Favorite Video

Thinking about video blogging yourself? Go for it! Here are a few tips from an old pro;

RULE #1: Who cares what you look like
If
you are going to prim and pluck before starting the camera rolling -
forget about it. Be yourself, be real, becaues that is what people want
to see.

RULE #2 Post the first take
Every single video
you see of mine is the first take. I don’t mess around, nor should you.
Start rolling, have your say, and post it. No looking back.

RULE #3 No editing
Trust
me, you are going to babble on some videos, but let it go. Your videos
will be more authentic if you don’t edit them – let it out there flaws
and all.

RULE #4 Have fun!
Give it a try, and have fun
- if you find you are not having fun and you are instead all stressed
out over your videos – hang it up. Perhaps video blogging is not for
you. Try a blog instead!

Good Luck!

-mV

I actually had a male boss say this about me behind my back. It took everything in me not to strangle the bastard. Needless to say, my tenure with him was short and certainly not sweet. 

Check out how the pay gap is shrinking at a snails pace since the 1960s.

Ladies- we are only making .77 cents on the dollar compared to our male counterparts.

Why are we not up in arms about this?

Do you believe that this discrimination is not happening to you?

You can bet your ass it is.

So when you go to work or school tomorrow, I want you to glance at the dude sitting next to you and think about the fact that he makes more than you simply because he is a man.

Or, if you are really in a mood, ask your male colleagues that you trust to confide in you their pay. I can tell you right now you will be irate at what you find. Then shove it in your bosses face and demand equal pay.

This is why I FINALLY run my own business. No more letting others control my financial future. No more Corporate greed driving my income potential.

This is bullshit beyond belief.

Carry on,

-mamaV

—————–

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Join the WAGE project

Contact The Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi

Order your Equal Pay Day Kit

I checked the results of the latest poll on Self Esteem, and I feel discouraged….but not surprised. Check this out;

Question: How is our Self Esteem these days?

See full poll results at the right side of the blog. Sorry – only US map available!

Nearly 60% hate ourselves. Hate. That is the strongest word we can use against ourselves, and I chose it deliberately for the poll.

I want to hear from you…

Why did you vote how you did? 

If you didn't vote – do so now and explain your choice.

I could sit here and tell you all the benefits about the power of positive thinking, and try to convince you to put on a happy face, but unless you feel it and believe it, and want it…you'll never get there.

I love myself. I truly do, and I am not afraid to say it.

I'll be 40 this year and I am excited about life! Sure, aging is kinda scary, the wrinkles are starting to show, the body not the same as 20 years ago, but I say who cares! Who cares because I am here to live my life and I am not going to miss one single moment of it on vanity.

I was born with one gift, and that gift is to have a very distinct, constant, awareness of death.

Life can not and should not ever be taken for granted because it can be over in a snap. If I was gone tomorrow, I would go knowing that I lived my best life, I spent everyday trying to be the best person I could be, I tried to give and love to the fullest, and most of all – no regrets.

No regrets…now that's an amazing thing to be able to claim.

How about you?

Love,
mamaV

How will you better yourself this year? I hate to admit it but my resolution is the same as last year. I just didn't master the task.

I am chronically late.

Not majorly, five, ten minutes…but that is enough to be irritating. Rude to the person who is waiting for me, and stress inducing for myself.

I used to be someone who was always on time, even a bit early. But as marriage, kids, career, and blog piled on my priority list I lost some sense of reality. Time to give myself a kick in the ass!

Ok, your turn – what is your resolution (don't say a diet or I'll flip my wig).

Happy, Happy New Year!
-mamaV
XOXO

Today I perused my local Barnes & Noble to check out how insane this years diet frenzy has become, " What I found was mind-boggling, well beyond what I expected….

The moment I stepped into the store, I had this dude telling me "he can make me thin." Bonus – his breakthrough book can be pre-ordered! 

Think about that title "I can make you thin." Pretty ballsy if you ask me, but then you have to reach far to complete with the other 14,000 diets books out there.

That's 14 thousand books on dieting. Search for yourself on Amazon.

Do you think its time to admit this is all one big sham? Are you convinced we are all a bunch of suckers being taken for everything we have got? Na. Lets carry on.

 Moving on to the shrines tables perfectly arranged with a fancy custom sign that reads"True Stories of Dieting." You can bet your ass these are displayed in every single store across the country.

They smell your money girls.

Up the escalator I went, in search of the "Diet" section. I was not prepared for what I found. No lie – there were 5 bookcases stuffed with diet books. Five bookcases! Each case fits 300 books x 5 = 1500.

1500 diet scam books all making the same ridiculous claim – they will make you thin. So we keep buying, and buying, and buying.

Women's Health was next. The subjects here focused on cancer, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid conditions, so I figure it would be totally inappropriate for diet books to be included here right? Nada – The Perfect Body Diet slapped me in the face, right next to Preparing For Cancer Treatment.

At this point, I am all sweaty, lugging my heavy winter coat and backpack from aisle to aisle. Other shoppers appear a bit scared of me, as I mumble my disgust and continue snapping away photos with my blackberry.

On to the Addiction/Recovery section…its got our name written all over it. A good 50+ books dedicated to disordered eating, all focused on women. Not one book was marketed to men.

Wait! There's hope- Women's Studies. I dart over to the two bookshelves to find a decent selection of empowerment stories, enlightening topics and leaders in feminism….only to find a few weight stories weaved in. Now that's out of line! Is nothing sacred?

Ok, rant over. Thanks for listening. But please just take a moment to soak this all in.

I hope you will spend your New Year's Day celebrating rather than dieting, being thankful instead of dreadful.

Be one of the smart ones and walk away from this crazy sham, head held high because YOU know the answer to this dieting dilemma. 

Simple self acceptance.

-mamaV

As Hollywood stars go, Jen Aniston seemed to be halfway cool. In interviews she has a nice personality, she is humorous, and up until this point she had class.

Then I see this GQ cover and it leaves me asking "WHY?"

Why is posing nude the answer?
What happened to class?
Why not leave something to the imagination?
Do we just want plain old sex -right there, front and center – blunt, in our face?

GQ is a mainstream magazine for gods sake. Barnes & Noble had this rag on a rack of twenty positioned at the perfect level for my kids to glare at it as we walk by the stand. How do you explain this as a parent, when you are trying to teach your children about not showing their private areas, in an effort to protect them in today's society?

To make my POV clear, I am not irritated because I think nudies are hurting women. Women are always going to have an element of sex to them. The female body is naturally sexy, and I think there's a time and place for showing our sex appeal… but for me the time and place is not sitting bare assed posed on the cover of GQ (which is admittedly photo shopped).

Frankly, it looks desperate.

But, it is a personal choice. I am disappointed in good ole' Jen. I thought she was one of the good ones. When I saw this centerfold spread, I visualized her having a daughter in the future, and possibly regretting this move in her career.

Back in the modeling days, I had my share of pressure to take it all off, and I am proud to say I got out fully clothed….and I caught major shit for it.

I was in Paris mind you, the European culture with topless beaches, and billboards with huge breasts blasting in your face every which way you turn….so trust me, it was not well received when I said "No, no and no again."

Day after day, the castings called for topless posing, and although I told my booker numerous times "I don't do topless," I would get sent anyway. I'd leave and wait for my old, pervert agent Claude Haddad to call me and bitch me out for leaving.

Call me a prude, but this just isn't my style.

Here's the kicker, when she was asked what she sees as a disturbing problem in Hollywood, she responded;

"Look, I think all women on some level just want to rage against the
machine… There are too many movies out there that don't empower
women, movies in which their only way of being happy is finding a man.
And you know, that's not my favorite theme."

Dude…are you frickin' serious?!?!?

-mamaV

We raised $120 for NEDA this year, and this total will be matched by an anonymous NEDA donor for a total of $240!

If you did not get a chance to donate, and you would still like to, feel free to email me by the end of the day today December 28, 2008.

I will be sending in our donation, along with the personal stories posted on Fight The Good Fight, tomorrow via mail.

Thank you, thank you! I am so proud.
mamaV

PS I still have one more prize to give away. If you care to donate, I will send you prize #3 "You're Beautiful Pass It On" T-shirt!.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to Fight The Good Fight thus far!

I was initially afraid to ask for donations, thinking no one would do it because of economic conditions and every charity hurting for money these days, but you've proven me wrong!

Here's some incentive to donate NOW…we've got a long way to go to hit the $500 goal and we are nearing the December 28th deadline!

To donate Go to the "Chip In" section on the upper right corner of the blog!

FREEBIE #1:

The next person to donate wins my favorite book, "Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters," by Courtney Martin!

FREEBIE #2:

"Life Doesn't Start 5 Pounds From Now," by Jessica Weiner is the prize for the second donation received after this is posted

FREEBIE #3:

"You're Beautiful, Pass it on!" t-shirt goes to the third generous donor after this posting.

Go, go, go! I'll post the winners of these lovely prizes.

AND don't forget to post your story  after sending your donation. All stories will be compiled and sent to NEDA with our group donation.

Be a part of something good today,

Love,

mamaV

*Winners will be notified by email. After this post is launched, I will receive email notification of the first,  second, and third donations accepted through PayPal. I will then contact the winners directly via email address provided to gather your shipping information. Freebie's compliments of Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.

More people die each year from an eating disorder than any other mental illness. Most of us here are either suffering ourselves or know a loved one in need of treatment.

Please join FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!We are trying to raise $500, we've already got $80….and our funds will be matched by a NEDA anonymous donor. Thank you all who have contributed this far! Any amount will help, so please join mamaV's effort!

Here is NEDA's newest video;

National Eating Disorders Association from NEDA on Vimeo.

If you choose to donate, please post a message here, telling us why you care about eating disorders. I am sending all personal stories to NEDA with our donations. Lets show them the power of blogs!

Love,

mamaV

XOXO

—-

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. We campaign for prevention, improved access to quality treatment, and increased research funding to better understand and treat eating disorders. We work with partners and volunteers to develop programs and tools to help everyone who seeks assistance.

In 1999, NEDA established a toll-free helpline and has assisted more than 50,000 people find appropriate treatment. Tallying more than 50 million web hits each year, NEDA is proud to serve as a clearinghouse of information on eating disorders.

Our mission:

NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care.

Our vision:

NEDA envisions a world without eating disorders.

Our history:

NEDA was formed in 2001, when Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention (EDAP) joined forces with the American Anorexia Bulimia Association (AABA) – merging the largest and longest standing eating disorders prevention and advocacy organizations in the world. The merger was the most recent in a series of alliances that has also included the National Eating Disorder Organization (NEDO) and the Anorexia Nervosa & Related Disorders (ANRED).

Here are a few holiday tips from NEDA to help you manage all the social gatherings filled with food and pressure.

Enjoy your time with friends and family.

Love,

mamaV

Last year, I posted a video "Thanksgiving without an eating disorder," showing my daughter and I making a pie.

This one is a little more nutty- I had my kids and some friends over, and we decided to make cookies.

"We just want to eat them," said the boys, moaning and groaning about decorating them.

I got them rolling, the only rule being – no licking the tubes of frosting, too grody for me. As you can see from the looks of my kitchen table, we had a blast.

My daughters little buddy from China said, "You know, this is really, really fun!" He had never made "American style" Christmas cookies before and it was so neat to see his face light up.

Out they went, carrying their tray of cookies, excitedly telling their parents what they did, and thanking me over and over.

Needless to say, I felt like a queen for a day.

What special traditions do you do during the holidays?

-mamaV

I was going to send in a donation to the National Eating Disorders Association, but then I thought it would be cool to send in a group donation. Especially since the funds will be matched, dollar for dollar by a NEDA anonymous donor!.

If you choose to donate please post a comment here telling us why eating disorders matter to you. I am going to send to NEDA all the personal stories we collect along with our donations.

To join in the giving, click the donation widget on the upper right of the blog now! You will be directed to PayPal* to donate, no amount is too small - hey if we all chip in just 5 bucks we will rake it in for a cause that is so near and dear to our hearts.

If you are not familiar with NEDA, check out their web site.Of all the eating disorder organizations, I have the most respect for their work. They are constantly striving to improve their services, and they are fully engaged in research. Best of all, their CEO Lynn Grefe is a pistol! She is never afraid to express NEDA's stance on issues, check out her comments on stick thin fashion models,wow!

I hope you will join me in this effort. One thing I have learned about giving to charitable causes is you can't wait and say to yourself "can't afford it, I'll do it next time" – both are b.s. excuses.

The best part is about giving? It will never, ever fail to give back to you in ways you never imagined.

Trust me on this one,

-mamaV

XOXO

*Note: On PayPal, you will see the name "McGaw Group, LLC" as the company you are donating to, this my business account. I will report back to everyone the totals we raise.