Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a wonderful time yesterday celebrating with family and friends and remembering all that you have to be thankful for! I know I am so thankful for my family, my friends, I'm thankful we have a home and plenty of food to eat (we had way too much food yesterday!), And I'm especially thankful for my wonderful Heavenly Father who has blessed our family in so many ways. As I think of all the that I have to be thankful for, I am also reminded that there are those out there that are a lot less fortunate than us. I truly believe Heavenly Father works many of his miracles for his suffering children through us and our willingness to serve others. So I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you all a way that you can help someone less fortunate this holiday season. My friend Emily has been working hard these past few weeks to raise funds to help this family in need. Here is her story...

Kara married her husband Hutch Henrie less than a year ago (about 7
months). They were so in love and happy. Recently, the newly weds were
involved in a tragic accident. I believe Kara was the driver and she
swerved to miss something in the road, but was unable to keep control of
the car. Her husband was thrown from the car and died shortly after. If
this story isn't heartbreaking enough there is more; Kara was a couple
months pregnant when she lost her husband. Not only that, but they did
not have life insurance because his company didn't offer it, and she
will shortly, if she hasn't already, lose the health care benefits her
husband had through his work. The financial burden on top of the
emotional and spiritual heartache is too much for someone to bare on her
own. There has been an outpouring of love for Kara and her family, but I
feel like we can do a lot more. She has to deal with so much more than I
can imagine. Kara's story has really struck me to the point that I
cannot lie down to go to sleep without thinking about her and what she
is going through right at that moment. I do not know Kara personally, I
know her sister-in-law a bit (she is in my ward) but I have such a
strong feeling that I need to help her. I wanted to do all I could
anonymously, but I feel I could do a lot more by asking for YOUR help.
The Henrie family has lost 3 members of their family in less than a
decade: Their sister at age 21 to a car accident, their mother within
the past year or so to breast cancer and now their brother to another
tragic accident. I know that Heavenly Father must feel like this family
is strong enough to endure the pain and struggle that they have, but I
feel like we can help ease the basic needs of Kara's and help her to
focus on the things she needs to in order to get through this hard time.
I think about the baby that is such a gift from our Heavenly Father, but
which might feel like such a burden and she must have so many mixed
emotions about her situation. It was supposed to be such a happy time
for her and her husband to be starting a family together, and I feel
like she can find peace eventually, but with the stress and burdens she
has I feel like she needs our help. I know these are tough economic
times for a lot of people, but I also know the blessing of giving
yourself to a deserving effort.
Here is how you can help:
There are 2 separate trust funds set up at Zion's Bank and America
First, email Emily at givebig33@gmail.com if you are interested in donating to one of these and I will send you all the information you need. I am also taking cash or
check donations in her name, Kara Henrie, as well as cards, gifts, etc.
If you know companies or businesses that would like to help out please
let me know and I will do all I can to support them in helping Kara.
Please remember her this Holiday Season and find someway to help be a
part of renewing hope in this devastating situation. For more
information or if you have any questions at all please email Emily at
givebig33@gmail.com. I would really love to do all we can the quickest
that we can, so do not delay! Thank you, and Happy Holidays!

I know that if you are like us, extra money is scarce and these are hard economic times for everyone but I also know that you will be so blessed if you give, even just a few dollars, to help someone in need. And if your financial situation makes this impossible, even just a letter of encouragement and hope would help this girl so much at this devastating time.

I love you all and I hope you are enjoying the holiday season so far. More posts are coming soon. Sorry I've been such a blog slacker lately!