Last night as I laid in bed because I wasn't feeling well, my mind started to wander. I started thinking about my grandma. There are days I really miss her and it helps to think of my fondest memories of her. 
    I started thinking of all of the things of hers my mom and my aunts have given me. To some people it would seem like junk, but to me it is a treasure that no price could be put on.
    One of the most precious is a ballerina doll. When I was real little and I was visiting her at her house, my grandma would let me play with it. But she never could let me for very long because the doll was broken. When she had to put it away she used to tell me that the doll had to go to sleep because she was sick. That way I wouldn't get upset.  After my grandpa died,( My grandma died a couple years before him) my aunts were cleaning out the house and I told my mom to ask them if the doll was still there and ask if I could have it. Well when one of my aunts came to Florida to visit she surprised me by bringing the doll. Its arms and legs are broken, its dirty and the pink layered tutu it wears is ripped in many places, but to me there is nothing more beautiful. I love it and am so happy to have it. I also have some of my grandma's jewelry which I take really good care of, a ballerina painting that used to hang above my mom's bed when she was little, a ceramic bell that used to sit in my grandma's dresser, her nametag from when she worked at Jcpenney, and one of the dearest things to me, her rosary. She prayed with it everyday until she went into the hospital for the last time. It was an unexpected moment of generosity that my grandpa let me have it. All these things mean so much to me. When I look at them they remind me of all of the good times I had at my grandma's house. I will miss those times, but my memories and my momentos are the treasure that make me truelly rich. :)

    I know that sometimes life gets hard and it is hard to find the silver lining in a bad situation. I have been there many times. But the older I get the more I come to see that inspiration is everywhere. To find it, we just have to open our eyes. To show you what I mean I will give you some examples of where I have found inspiration in my everyday life.
    One day when i was at work, I was on my lunch break and I went to the register to pay for my food. A lady in front of me turned to me and asked, "Are you on your break?" I said that yes, I was. Then she told me I could go ahead of her in line because she knew i probably didn't get long to eat. I thanked her. That simple act of kindness was a bright spot in my hectic day and inspired me to pay it foward. So I did my best to do some kind things of my own the rest of the day.
    I have recently gotten more active on Twitter and have met some very amazing friends. They inspire me everyday with their words, their artwork, and their compliments of my fan fiction. It makes me feel good to know that people like what I write and that I inspire them too. Their support and kindness gave me the courage to write these blogs and it also makes my writing so awesome too.
        A friend recently told me about this book she had read that really inspired her called The Alchemist. It sounded good so I read it too. I loved it. It was all about believing in your dreams and having the courage to go after them. It really spoke to my heart. There have also been many other books too that have affected me in the same way. 
    And I have found inspiration and solace in music. When I was feeling really said after my grandma died, I heard this song on the radio on the christian music station that was so beautiful. It was called "Before the Morning." It really made me feel better and helped me to know things would get better.
    So never forget to stop and smell the roses because you never know when inspiration will find you. It could come in the form of a rainbow in the sky, a favorite flower, and act of kindness you didnt expect, or in so many other ways.  For all of you out there, I hope you find what inspires you and all your dreams come true!

Today I want to write about a little fun treat that I got yesterday that made me smile. I mentioned in an earlier blog I believe, why rainbows are special to me. But to make a long story short for anyone who hasn't read my blogs before I think of them as my Grandma saying hi to me from heaven. :)
    So anyway, I was driving home from work yesterday, tired after a very hectic shift and a kind of dramatic one too,(someone I never thought it would happen to got fired)and I couldnt wait to get home to relax. I was thinking about a new friend I have recently met and how I was feelling happier than I have in awhile, though I still have my sad moments. Then the coolest thing happened. As I was turning into my neighborhood, I saw a rainbow in the sky! And it wasn't even raining! I smiled and said, "Hi Grandma!" I had not seen a rainbow in a very long time so I was excited to get home. I hoped it would still be visible so I could get a picture before it faded away. As soon as I was parked in the driveway, I jumped out of my car, pulled out my phone, and snapped some pictures. They turned out good too! 
    Later, when I asked my mom if she had seen to too, and she said yes, I had another thought! "Hey I think Grandma was also wishig Rachel a happy birthday!" (It was my sister's birthday today.) My mom agreed. Seeing a rainbow in the sky never fails to make me smile and make me feel better when I need a lift. Which is just what I needed after the long day at work! Thank you Grandma! I love you! :)

It took me a couple of days to figure out what to write for a new blog. Then it hit me. I am going to write about a sweet moment that happened Sunday afternoon. But first I have to give you a little backround.
    My younger siste Melissa is handicapped. She has Cerebral Palsy which is a form of brain damage. So even though she is 31 years old, she has the mentality of a five year old. I love her to death. But the times have not always been easy. When she was real little she used to have seizures which always scared us. Finding good schools for her was very hard. Not many were good with special needs children. Then when we first moved to Florida, my sister had a breakdown. It was heartbreaking, but we got her through it. That's my sister in the picture above. I am the one on the right, and she is the one on the left. Anyway we have had to go through many tough times, but it only made the good times that much sweeter. I would not change my sister for the world. 
    Now to the story I want to share.  My sister likes to go on car rides and she always used to want me to go with her. Sometimes for a treat my mom would take her to get ice cream or to McDonalds for lunch. Well one day my sister  decided she did not want me to go in the car with her anymore. It made me sad. I always enjoyed that time with her. But I knew that I had to stay home if that was what she wanted. 
    Well Sunday afternoon I got a nice surprise. I got home at 2 because I had worked early in the morning and my sister was going to take my sister to get some ice cream. My mom told my sister it was time to go, and I was shocked when she came to me, took my hand, and took me out to the car with her because she wanted me to go to. I was so happy! And so was my mom. We had a really fun time too! I know that this will not happen every time, but the fact that it even happened once filled me with joy. It totally made my day. There may be more bumps in the road ahead with my sister, but we will get through it because love can conquer any hardship. And I love my sister more than anything.

    There are days when I really forget how blessed I am. When I am having a very stressful day at work, or if I am feeling sad or upset about something I tend to get a little negative. I think we have all felt that way. I will think to myself, "Why can't my life be better?" Or "Why did this have to happen to me?" 
    Well the truth is, life is how we make it, and I have learned that if I don't like something in my life, I have the power to change it. And if there is something I can't control or change, than I can change my attitude about it. If I do that, than my life will get better. And it doesn't need to really be better because it is already great.  So When I start feeling down and out, I think of all of the things I have that enrich my life.
    1. I have a nice house to live in.
    2. I have plenty of clothes.
    3. I have plenty of food
    4. I have the most wonderful family.
    5. I have the greatest friends ever.
    6. I have a job so I can make money and pay my bills.
    Those are things we take for granted and I really try not to because I know how lucky I am. There are a lot of people who don't have the nice things I have. Sometimes I lose patience. Sometimes I lose faith. And yes, sometimes I am Negative. And I admit that there are things I wish for.  Like a nice guy to love me. And to be married someday. But I am POSITIVE that I will always always be grateful for every blessing that is bestowed on me and for the greatest gift that a person can ever have: the love of family and friends. I can't ask for anything more.

This month it is fours years since my grandmother passed away from cancer. It still feels like yesterday and I still miss her so much. I always will. But I cherish all of the special memories I have of her, I will always be grateful for the time I had with her, and will always think of her with a smile. So in tribute to her I would like to share a poem I wrote about her after she died. 
 
 In Loving Memory
 
 There are no words
                                                                    for all there is to say
                                                                    Just pain that sometimes feels like
                                                                    it might never go away
                                                                    My heat is broken, ripped apart
                                                                    though for you I know it's not an end
                                                                    but a heavenly brand new start
                                                                    For you are not just my grandma now
                                                                    but an angel too
                                                                    That and bittersweet memories
                                                                    will help to see me through
                                                                    Though I will never stop
                                                                    thinking of and missing you
                                                                    But I have faith and comfort
                                                                    that you have gone into the light
                                                                    and your spirit is shining eternally bright
                                                                    Someday the pain will ebb
                                                                    the tears to cease
                                                                    I will find peace
                                                                    I will be fine
                                                                    And I thank God that
                                                                    of all the grandmas in this world
                                                                    YOU WERE MINE

My Blog today is inspired by Tropical Storm Isaac. Having it come so close to Florida, where I live, has brought back memories of all of the storms I have survived. One in particular which showed what the power of prayer can do.
    It happened several years ago when Hurricane Frances struck Florida. It was the first ever hurricane I went through, and I was so scared. It was projected to be a Catagory two storm when it made landfall in South Florida with winds at over 100 miles per hour. Not good.
    It started to come through at 8am. At 8:30am we lost power. So we all sat around to ride it out. I tried to read but it was dim in the house with the hurricane shutters covering every window and the sound of the wind was so loud! The worst weather came through during the night. I was literally up for 24 hours straight cause I was too scared to sleep.  My mom and my two sisters went to bed around ten and my dad and I stayed up watching the tiny battery powered tv we had so we could watch the weather. At one point we had to barricade the front door with a heavy piece of furniture because it almost blew in!  Yikes! 
    Then my dad fell asleep. Well the storm was so powerful the whole house shook and I was freaked that the roof would blow off. It didn,t because luckily, they build houses strong in Florida because of Hurricane Season! But I know that wasnt the only thing I had on my side. Before the storm hit, my mom and I went around the house sprinkling holy water everywhere. And that night, scared, and wishing the damn storm would just go away,(it was very slow moving so it took forever for it to pass through Florida), I started to pray. I prayed that my house would stay in one piece and my family would stay safe. I swear I prayed the whole night! 
    When morning came, and the weather got better, my dad and I went outside to inspect the damage. What I witnessed I believe was a miracle. While we had lost some tiles off of our roof, and we had some trees down, there was NO major damage! Not only that, but every home around us had lost their screen enclosures around their pools EXCEPT for us! Our enclosure was still standing! Even the cars in our driveway were totally unscathed! The only hard part was we were without power for five days which meant no air conditioning in very hot summer weather! Believe me, I never took electricity for granted again! The night of the storm, not only did I see the power of mother nature, I also saw the power of prayer when it was all over and my house and my family were safe. I know all of my prayers and the holy water helped to bring us through the storm. The power of God's love is mighty indeed!

I thought I would add onto the thought I touched on in my blog yesterday that nothing is impossible. This is about a photo that was given to me that is very special.
    Being a huge Bealtes fan I love anything that has to do with them. Especially with my favorite one John Lennon. Many of you may not know, but he was shot and killed on December 8th 1980 by a derranged fan. My favorite song of his is Imagine. To me it is a song of hope for a better world.
    Anyway my dad used to be the Vice President of Office Depot and all of the people he worked with liked him. One day he happened to be talking to a guy and told him how I am a huge John Lennon fan.  Well as it turned out the guy was friends with a photographer. And this photographer had photos he had taken of John Lennon, and when his friend told him I was a fan he generously offered to give me one of his photos!
    When my dad told me, I was out of this world excited! And when I finally got it, it was amazing! The picture was of John in New York City, in front of The Dakota building where he lived. What makes this photo special is it was taken the DAY he died only a few hours before it happened. It was like holding a piece of history in my hands. I was honored and humbled that a guy who didnt even know me would give me such a precious thing! Today it is framed and hanging on my wall. It is not the picture shown with this blog LOL. That's just one I found in a magazine. Anyway that one 8 by 10 picture is one of my most treasured things. That is just one of the many blessings I have been given in my life. And this I know is true: Each blessing you receive is proof that anything is possible, dreams do come true, and you should always pay it foward. That is why I write these blogs. In hopes that through the telling of the
things that have touched my life, I can inspire the lives of others and pass on the happiness I have been
given. Everyone should always have a reason to smile!

I thought I had run out of ideas for new blogs but then I thought of something great to write about. I mentioned this concert in passing I believe in one of my other blogs, but now I want to go into detail because it was amazing how everything came together to make it an amazing night for me.
     My parents surprised me with tickets to a Ringo Starr concert for my high school graduation present. I was never so excited in my life! I am a huge Beatles fan and to be able to see one of them perform live was always a dream of mine. The concert was in Ohio in the Cleveland Browns football staduim. My mom and I flew there the day of, which was awesome since that is also my hometown! It was the first time I had ever flown in a plane too and I was so freaked! I think back on it now and it was pretty hilarious.
    Anyway I ended up going to the concert with my aunt cause she and my uncle were the ones who had gotten the tickets for me. When we got the stadium, we bought some tshirts for souveniers and then we went to check out our seats. Let's just say from where they were, Ringo would have looked like an ant. I was still happy to be there though. But Fate had something awesome in mind for me that day.
    My aunt and I were inside the stadium because it was awhile before the show would start, and as we were standing there, two amazing things happened! First, Ringo walked right by me with his bodyguards on the way to his dressing room. So close I could have touched him! So cool! Then, my aunt happened to strike up a conversation with the guy standing next to us and she told him I was there for my graduation present and I loved The Beatles. As it turned out his girlfriend worked at the stadium and he told us she was getting him tickets for the seats on the field. Much closer than ours! So my aunt boldly asked if he would ask her to get tickets for us too! And he did! I could NOT believe it! Talk about luck!
    Then  the show started, and my aunt and I went out on the field. But instead of stopping at our row, she kept pushing me foward. I ended up right in front of the stage in the second row! And the people sitting there just moved over and let me in! I got to see the whole show from this fantastic spot and it was the most magical night. When the concert was over, I was high as a kite from all the excitement and singing along! It was the best time of my life!
     To this day I am still amazed how everything worked out for me that night! I mean of all the people my aunt could have talked to it was the boyfriend of someone who worked at the stadium who had access to tickets! Who would have thought! And that is how I know that nothing is impossible!

At first I thought there would be no blog update tonight! Yikes! Earlier there was a bad storm which knocked out my cable, phone, and internet. So I sat in the living room just talking with my parents for awhile. Then when my internet finally was fixed two hours later, I was excited to start writing a new blog! Yay! But when I got up to my room I could NOT think of a single thing to write! I thought I had hit a dry spell. Not the end of the world but very annoying.
    Then my eyes fell on something. A book I hadn't looked at in awhile. A lightbulb went off in my head! Yes! I knew what my new blog would be! I would like to share my most precious memory of my grandma.
    When I was very little, there was a little ritual she and I would do everytime I came over to her house. She had this box of toys for the grandkids to play with when they visited and inside was a single book. (The one pictured at left.) My grandma and I would sit on the couch together. Sometimes I would lay down and she would cover me with the afgan. Then she would read me that book. I loved it. The voice she used when she read it would always make me laugh! I don't know how many times she read that book to me, but it was a lot. I always asked her to read it when I was at her house. I never forgot it.
        When I was grown up, I think it was when I was in high school, I went to the grocery store with my mom. When we walked by the little section of kids books, I saw it! The very same book my grandma always used to read to me! Of course I had to buy it because that is my favorite memory of her. Now I can look at it whenever I want and remember that wonderful time I spent with her and how good it made me feel. Those are the kind of things that stay with you even when that person is gone. Even at 33 I still love to read that book and it still makes me laugh! Sometimes it's almost as if I can hear my grandma reading it to me. That is just one more memory that keeps her close to me. Her love will always be there.