Thursday, October 25, 2012

Happy 11th Birthday, Bre

At this moment eleven years ago, I was in Labor and Delivery listening to Breanna's heartbeat stop... I was in the process of being prepped and taken back for a C-section.

This was my post on Facebook a little after midnight,

Happy Birthday to one of my reasons for living, Breanna

Eleven years ago right now I was "trying" to rest while in the hospital knowing that within the next 48 hours I would be giving birth to a preemie and terrified of the outcome. For 15 weeks I had been on bed-rest and fought like hell to keep my unborn baby alive. I had spent more time admitted in the hospital than I had at home and had hea
rd my daughters heart slow in beats and stop at times. After an Amniocentesis the morning of October 25, the docs had a better idea of how developed Bre's lungs were and alerted NICU that they would be inducing that afternoon. Within a couple hours of them inducing, Breanna's heart stopped beating and I was rushed to the OR where a perfect and tiny, 5 pounds even little girl took her first breaths. It took a few minutes for them to get her to breathe and for us to hear the soft and sweet cries... Kevin was able to hold her briefly and I was able to kiss her head before she was rushed off to NICU. Within a couple of days, we were able to take home our baby, weighing 4 lbs, 7 oz...

We have faced many obstacles with Bre in the last 11 years, but have been blessed with a smart and beautiful little girl that we were told would never live. She has beaten the odds and brings a smile to the faces of many.

Happy Birthday, Breanna! Thank you for changing our lives in the way that you have. We love you and are so proud of you, kiddo!

As I wrote that last night, I found myself with tears rolling down my face. What an eleven years it has been. In exactly 50 minutes eleven years ago, Kevin and I welcome a tiny baby, not even weighing what a bag of sugar weighs, into the world. At that moment, our lives were forever changed. It it hard to believe that so many years has passed and that our little girl is now turning into a young lady as every day passes. My heart still aches for the little girl she use to be, but pride swallows me as I see the intelligent and beautiful girl she has turned into.


Thank you to those that came out this past Sunday to celebrate Bre's special day with her and us. It was the first one in nine years and has made this birthday extra special.

Stay tuned for the birthday photos!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Brings a Smile

No matter how emotional I feel with things in life, one of four people always find a way of bringing a smile to my face, while making me feel and know that everything will be okay...

Tonight, looking back at a couple photos brings the sense of peace over my emotions...

Monday, October 8, 2012

Giving Back to Wounded Warrior Wives

If you read this blog often, then you are well aware of our surreal summer! We are still trying to transition into this "new" life that this past year has brought to us. It has been such a different kind of year from Kev's medical retirement to living in Arkansas to moving back to Georgia. You also know that I am a Thirty-One Consultant. 

After all that Operation Homefront has done for my family and all that their program, Wounded Warrior Wives does for the wives of wounded combat veterans, I want to give back. They way I am doing so at this point is by adding more products to the WWW Welcome Bags! I did receive a bag a couple months ago and love it! I would love nothing more than to add more products to the bags. To do this, I need your help. 

Here is how you can help, go to www.mythirtyone.com/bbiddle
Click on Place an Order in the pink toolbar
Click on Shop Now next to the Wounded Warrior Wives Event

Below are the flyers I have created for this event, with the details of the products we are looking to add! Make sure that you click on Send to Hostess when you order! Also, you can save my flyers to your computer by Right Clicking on the photo and saving it! Please share the flyers and info/Facebook Event Page, https://www.facebook.com/events/131631796983372/?ref=ts&fref=ts  with people you know! Thank you so much for taking part in this! Our goal is a minimum of $200 in products every month. With your help, we could do so much more every month!

Please contact me at:
Brittney Biddle
478-719-0733
britts31gifts@gmail.com

A question I have received in regards to this, yes, your purchases are a tax write off.








OHF Posted Our Story on Their Site

Operation Homefront added us to their National Highlights and to the recipients of the  houses! 

Below is the article, but make sure to check out their actual website on this article!

To view Operation Homefront's site, please click HERE

And of course, if you are in a position to give back, there are two ways you can do so:
1 - Donate financially directly to OHF on their website, by clicking HERE
And/Or
2 - Check out my Facebook Event page I am running indefinitely by clicking HERE and joining the event. Wounded Warrior Wives is a program ran by Operation Homefront. You can read about WWW, by clicking HERE The flyer for my Giving Back to Wounded Warrior Wives is at the bottom of this post.

McGraw, Chase and Operation Homefront Donate Home to Wounded Warrior in Georgia

Operation Homefront was pleased to join Tim McGraw and Chase to award a mortgage-free home to Staff Sergeant Kevin Biddle, US Army (Retired). The Biddles were invited to attend McGraw's concert, meet him personally and get the news about their home. His wife, Brittney, blogged about the move and being surprised even more by receiving vouchers to buy new furniture for their home from American Signature Furniture.

Read the rest of their story:
For as long as he could remember, Kevin wanted to be in the Army. In 2003, he decided to make that career decision and joined the Army in Kennesaw, Georgia. After enlisting, going through all his basic and advanced training, as a 92 Foxtrot, fuel handler, he, his wife Brittney, and his daughters Breanna and Caitlin, headed for their first assignment with the 1st Armored Division in Germany. Life was good.

But all good things had to come to an end, so in 2006, the Biddle’s moved to Fort Bliss, Texas where Kevin was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. The days were long and he was advancing in his specialty, but before long, and not too much after the birth of his son, Nicholas, he began what was to be his first of two deployments to Iraq.

While in Iraq with the “First Team,” Kevin’s duties went far beyond fuel handling. It also included vehicle gunner and other convoy security duties. Convoys were often attacked with improvised explosive devices, mortars, or armed assaults. It was during one such incident in 2007, near Mosul, that Staff Sgt. Biddle found his convoy under an intense attack and he was severely injured. He was treated in country and finished out his combat tour and came home in late 2007.

After a short time at home with his family at Fort Bliss, SSG Biddle was assigned to the 1st Armored Division, where he met a few of his fellow warriors from the 1st Armored Division units in Germany in which he had served earlier. Again, it wasn’t long until he was headed back to Iraq. It was there that after being exposed to RPG, mortar, and rocket attacks, the full extent of the injuries from his previous tour became evident. He was medevac’d home during his 2009 deployment because of the nerve/spinal damages worsening so the pain became too intense for him to wear his gear and hold his weapon. Also, while his PTSD had started to show when he returned home from his first deployment, it was not professionally diagnosed until late 2009.

He returned to Fort Bliss in late 2009. After months of surgeries, procedures, therapies, appointments, and permanent profiles, Kevin began the Medical Evaluation Board process in early 2010. In late September of 2011, Kevin got the news that he was being medically retired.

Since November 12, 2011, the Biddle’s have been living in Mena, AR, hoping to start the transition into the "normal" civilian life. Little did they know that "normal" was out of the question. They hoped Mena would provide the small town life to help Kevin to adjust to life outside of the Army. However, the numerous, constant, and log distant VA visits needed for his recovery caused even more physical pain and issues. Currently, they live with their three children, now 10, 9 and 5 and their pit bull, Riley, who has become a therapy to Kevin. Riley picks up on his mood changes, nightmares and so much more before anyone else can.

The Biddle’s discovered Operation Homefront after hearing about it through word of mouth. They decided to submit an application for a home, never dreaming they would actually receive a call. They hoped to return to Georgia to be closer to their family, as well as better medical care not only for Kevin, but also for the rest of the family. Through the ‘Homes on the Homefront’ program, the Biddle’s were awarded with a mortgage free home in Macon, Georgia, only a couple hours away from family. This new home will finally give them the opportunity to stabilize their family in a place where Kevin can get the medical treatment and rehabilitation he needs, and Brittney and her children can have a more normal life, get their respective educations, good healthcare, and be able to look toward a long, bright future.


My Flyers for my Giving Back to Wounded Warrior Wives event: