You can help make it come true! Grant a wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation!
Lulu
"If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky."
Friends
A friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be!
I can relate!
Misfits aren't misfits among other misfits!
William Shakespeare wrote: "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." This wise statement best applies to those who have shown us that being true to yourself never goes out of style!
I love tennis!
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80% of all donations go directly to wish granting!
Believe in yourself!
Look to your star, it was born to shine brightly there in the darkness, just as you were born to dream and to never give up. Hold onto your dream and believe in yourself. This is all your dream asks of you; but THIS IS EVERYTHING!
John 15:4
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine."
To Let Go is to fear less, and love more!
"I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly!" - You've Got Mail
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
"Have you ever, like, seen somebody? And you knew that if only that person really knew you they would, well, they would of course dump the perfect model that they were with and realize that you were the one that they wanted to just grow old with." - While You Were Sleeping
As 2010 comes to a close, I am thankful and grateful to everyone who has supported me and loved me this year.I have a wealth of family and friends who are incredible beyond belief, and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without them.As I recall elements of this year that have made me laugh, cry and sigh, I am forever blessed by God and the goodness He displays all around me.With remembrance I think back to the earthquake in Haiti, the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the trapped miners in Chile, my Make-A-Wish children, the FDA approval of Benlysta for the treatment of lupus, Elizabeth Edwards, the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Winter Solstice since 1638, and much MUCH more!The travels I have made, the places I have seen, the people who have loved me, the job that pays me, the opportunities given to me, are ALL engraved in my heart and will be forever loved by me.May 2011 prove to be even more spectacular as new advances continue to be researched, love continues to be made, and life continues to be lived.May YOU be blessed by the grace of God now and forever!
As I sit here on this cold Friday night here in New Jersey I recall the hours that went by today and rejoice in knowing that TODAY was an UNBELIEVABLE day! For anyone who has dreamed of wishes coming true, well I am here to tell you that THEY DO! All you need to do is dream! You see, today is Macy's National Believe Day with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That means that it's double the Santa Mail at all your Macy's stores and double the wishes being granted by every chapter in the United States. This 2nd annual Day is sponsored by Macy's department stores and celebrates the true spirit of this Christmas season, which is to inspire kindness and generosity from coast to coast. Across the entire United States. I honestly believe that humanity and charity to others is the key to success. In giving, we are receiving!
Santa's sleigh is alive and well and if you listen close enough you will begin to hear his sleigh bells ring. Dream big, make your wishes count, and oh one other thing, clean out your chimneys so Santa doesn't get too dirty on his way down to surprise you with all your wishes come true underneath your Christmas tree on December 25th, especially to those children who battle with serious illness and simply want to be kids again. A BIG thank you to Macy's and of course, my favorite, the Make-A-Wish Foundation!
I lost a dear friend today. Elizabeth Edwards! Despite never have met her in person, I developed a liking to her back in 2007 when I read her autobiography "Saving Graces". She charmed me much like she charmed America. Her smart, likeable, down-to-earth personality caught my attention as much as it did the media's. In fact, back when I was honored to win the title of Mrs. New Jersey US 2007, I was asked in my onstage interview what book I had read most recently. My response was HER BOOK! Despite party differences, Elizabeth was a mentor to me. She was an honorable woman and I looked up to her. I feel a sudden sense of loss and grief due to her passing.
The very last sentence of "Saving Graces" ends with, "I've had a good life, and I just want to thank you for it." Well, thank YOU, Elizabeth! My heart goes out to you. And may you finally be reunited with Wade, your son, under the wings of the Angels flying in Heaven.
Ahhhh, Walter Elias "Walt" Disney would have been 109-years-old today, having been born on December 5, 1901. What a true iconic hero! He is the namesake of the theme parks we all know and love, spanning all over the world from Florida, California, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong. We ALL continue to benefit from his creation and vision first developed some 40+ years ago. And that lead mouse "Mickey" is still a huge icon for children everywhere. (I know he is for my little Charlie!)
Who knows if he even knew how important his life was going to be to children who still today dream of going to his theme parks. Walt Disney World (Florida) continues to lead the pack every year as the most requested travel wish for kids who are granted wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Magic Kingdom, and all the parks, turn themselves inside out to make sure that every wish child who enters their gates has the absolute time of their lives. No tiny detail is overlooked. No stone unturned.
Happy Birthday, Walt Disney! A personal "thank you" from me for giving many of my wish kids the opportunity to forget about their illnesses, to live their dreams in a loving, safe environment, and to experience the most magical place on earth!
After finishing a very busy week at my job, I still wasn't too busy to continue to grant wishes to 'one child at a time'. Little Charlie was my darling this week! Charlie is a dear, precious boy with a heart of gold. Like many, he suffers from cancer, but his strength, attitude and courage are impeccable. I'm mentoring a new wish granter, her name is Suzanne. She's a wonderful woman who will make a fine lead wish granter one day very soon. Together we are working on Charlie's dream wish; what an incredible joint effort and time together!
Also, my Taylor just returned from her special wish to Hawaii to swim with the dolphins. Although I can't publicly post pictures of her, this photo of the 'kissing dolphins' best describes her magical wish come true. :) It literally brought tears to my eyes to know first-hand the magic that the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey brought to her. Now, she will always remember back to this amazing wish come true and know that it was given to her with hope, strength and joy.
I also want to send out an extremely big THANK YOU to one of my best friends, Danielle and her husband Randy. They were recently on a cruise over Thanksgiving with Royal Caribbean. Little did they know that Royal Caribbean and the Make-A-Wish Foundation were teaming up for a special "Wishes at Sea" fundraiser. Dani and Randy participated in the walk-a-thon in MY honor (WOW!) and I just can't thank them enough. I love you both, Dani Dear and Randy, thank you so very much for supporting my efforts!
I continue to thank the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey with whom all these incredible wishes would not be possible. I've grown very close to the wonderful people who work there, as they are my friends. As I've mentioned before, close to 800 children are diagnosed EVERY YEAR in the state of NJ with a life-threatening medical condition. We are only referred about 400 of them annually. That's still 400 remaining every year that do not have the chance to have their fondest wishes come true. What we need most are those referrals! Children between the ages of 2.5 and 18 years of age are eligible. Their illness must be life-threatening, but not terminal. Please PLEASE think of the MAWF when you come in contact with an ill child.
FINALLY! IT'S DECEMBER 1ST! God is good! Although Santa arrived at all our parades on Thanksgiving Day, for me December 1st marks the day that officially starts this glorious Christmas season. For anyone who watched (or was lucky enough to attend) the NYC Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on NBC last night you saw such talented individuals perform around what is this years magnificent 74-foot Norway spruce, donated by a loving family in Mahopac, NY. This 75-year-old beautiful tree is decked with 30,000 multi-colored LED lights on five miles worth of wire. The incredible star that adorns the tippy top is crafted by none other than my favorite brand, Swarovski, with 25,000 crystals and one million facets, measuring 9.5 feet in diameter. If you have ever been to NYC's Rockefeller Center at Christmas time then you know how wonderfully magical it is. It's one of my most favorite places on earth! The scene goes something like this ~ a grand majestic tree dancing in sparkling lights, ice skaters twirling on their blades, the waft of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, shoppers hustling and bustling to find that perfect gift, the Radio City Rockettes high-kicking their way into your hearts, the Rock Center Cafe for when you get ravenously hungry, Saks Fifth Avenue with their adorable holiday window displays, trees adorned with snowflakes and twinkling lights from head-to-toe. I could go on and on, but you get the drift. The gorgeous Christmas Tree was officially lit last night and will stay lit until January 7, 2011. If you have the chance to visit, please do so, and even take a chance and hug the person next to you, I guarantee it'll be oh-so-magical!
For those of you that did catch the NBC show last night you saw the incomparable David Foster, one of my all time favorite musicians. As a record producer, composer, singer and songwriter he is mostly noted for discovering successful singers such as Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Buble and an incredible young girl named Charice. Charice did in fact perform at the Tree Lighting Ceremony last night with David Foster accompanying her on the piano; they performed one of my favorite Christmas songs entitled "My Grown Up Christmas List". It was absolutely spine tingling!
But....as that songs reminds us, at this holiday time we must NOT forget that there are wars still being fought in our world. Our military has been and continues to fight for our freedom. Families are still separated and will continue to be separated during this holiday season. Let us not forget their call to duty. Let us not forget to praise them and give them thanks. Here is a version of "My Grown Up Christmas List" dedicated to all the brave men and women who will be spending their holiday's away from their loved ones.
May God continue to bless you and keep you in His care.
If you haven't yet seen this adorable commercial by Macy's on TV featuring Virginia herself, mailing off her Christmas letter to Santa Claus, please do take a minute to view it. It's oh-so-cute and reminds all of us to drop off our letters to Santa, as each letter dropped into Macy's Santa Mail Box is a $1 donation directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to ONE MILLION DOLLARS! Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus!
As the first snowfall of the season was falling here in New Jersey today I couldn't help but think to myself that God was delivering a powerful message by allowing these big fluffy flakes to fall on this very special day of thanks. It hasn't snowed once yet this season, but it did today, on Thanksgiving! What are the odds? As I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade live from New York City I smiled with happiness knowing that Erika and Brian's Make-A-Wish dreams to "attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" were coming true. Six-year-old Erika lives with neuroblastoma (a nerve tissue cancer) and Brian, a 16-year-old, lives with muscular dystrophy. Their wishes lovingly came true today because of donations from those who support the Foundation. Thank you to ALL who graciously and givingly donate to allow these joyous wishes to come true.
It's officially the season of giving now and if you are brave enough to battle the crowds on Black Friday tomorrow, please visit your nearest Disney Store. Up through November 30th, Disney Stores across the country will be selling reusable holiday shopping bags to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. $1 from the sale of each bag will be donated to the Foundation, up to $50,000. http://www.disneystores.com/
And, don't forget to visit your local Macy's to drop off your letter to Santa. Remember, each letter dropped into Santa's Mailbox is one more dollar ($1.00) that Macy's will donate to the MAWF, up to $1 million dollars in total. Yup, that's One Million Dollars! http://www.macys.com/
The word DESTINY, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is "a predetermined course of events often held to be an irrestible power or agency". The first known use of this noun was back in the 14th century and is still used today by many to describe their fortune. Destiny is an extremely powerful word that I have found myself coming in contact with more and more lately. Just within the past two weeks I was introduced to someone at my job who has lupus and she asked me to explain it to her in non-medical terms. She is the mother of 5 children and is very scared about her future. One of my best friends, whose unemployment benefits ran out this week, finally got the call that she got the job. And one of my Make-A-Wish kids got his recent MRI results back and they were in fact CLEAR; life can go on for him. I could go on and on, but you get the drift. Destiny is what happens when life takes over. Destiny is God speaking to us in His loud voice. Are you listening? If you're not then you better! We can all create our own destinies by trusting in those around us who take care of our hearts. Allow yourself to have faith to those who care about you, as they are the ones who make your life worth living. To love and be loved are the greatest gifts of all!
Your love is the greatest gift I've ever got....
I'll always keep it close to my heart!
As always, thank you to those who continue to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation. With your support these incredible kids all have the opportunity to see their greatest dreams fulfilled. To find your local Chapter please visit the national MAW website at www.wish.org.
I am so thankful for the people in my life who have helped to mold me into the woman I am today. I have an eternally grateful heart that continually thanks God for giving me the gift of life.
The following is an excerpt from my "About Me" page that truly sums things up.....
"But my life is grand. Really grand! I have been given the special gift of delivering powerful news to children about their most magical wishes when they are dealing with their own medical problems. What an unbelievable opportunity! But then again, I'm just me doing what I love with the people I love the most. Doing things that I have been called to do. Creating moments of sheer happiness every single day of my life. Being positive. Not sweating the small stuff. Life is indeed good. I am thrilled, humbled and honored to have today, tomorrow and the future to experience life at its greatest. Simply by just being ME!"
May the excitement of the upcoming holiday seasons give you the warmth and good cheer you so naturally deserve!
This is a day to remember! It was absolutely glorious!! God is good and I feel alive. I can not say more about the picture perfect Fall day we had here in NJ today. The sun was shining, the leaves on the trees have never been more colorful nor more brilliant. Not a cloud in the sky for miles to see. In more ways than one the sense of renewal, happiness and love are indeed here and I feel them!
Once again the Make-A-Wish Foundation of NJ came through. After meeting with 12-year-old Rebecca in her home many days ago I had the distinct pleasure of phoning her mother today to give her the joyous news that "Rebecca is going to Disney World"! Over her birthday no less! Rebecca is an incredible girl so very much loved by her incredible family. Delivering messages like this is what life is all about. Loving and giving to those around us, to feel good about life, is what we should all live for. No medical charts, doctors or IV's. Just Mickey Mouse and ALL his friends!
Even as the hours of sunshine diminish day-by-day, and as darkness settles in, tears still well up in my eyes (literally!) when I reminisce about the truly joyous day that November 12th was. And.....if you have a chance, listen to a few of your favorite songs or read a verse from your favorite poem, and know that there are good people in our country who are making a difference in the lives of others. Thank you to those who have and are making a difference in my life!!
We survived the ghosts and goblins of Halloween and now it's a little over two weeks away until Thanksgiving. I'm not a turkey kind of gal, pass me Italian instead, but that's for a different day and a different post. :) Instead it's that time of year once again when I put on my elf hat for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Macy's department stores! With the huge support of Macy's, the BELIEVE holiday campaign is now in your local Macy's store. The incredible and nostalgic campaign was inspired by the New York Sun's famous “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" editorial from 1897 and includes letter-writing "Believe Stations” in Macy's stores across the country. For each letter dropped in Macy's Santa Mail, Macy's makes a $1 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to one million dollars. Yup, $1,000,000! And I'm one of the elves that has the distinct privledge of supporting my local Macy's to pick up the letters and deliver them to Santa Claus!
Write a letter to Santa and help make wishes come true! Bring your stamped letter to your local Macy's and drop it into Santa's Mailbox. Please visit this special website for more information and to create your very own special letter. And, always remember that the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Please help to spread the word !
As always, please continue to refer children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 years of age who have been medically diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Their greatest wish is counting on you!
On October 5, The Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, teaming up with the NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders (otherwise known as Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader alumni) and UnitedHealthcare of PA, launched the organization's first-ever viral video, created to generate breast cancer awareness on a worldwide stage, as well as raise significant funds to empower the local and global breast cancer movements. The video showcases 136 former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders (many of my friends and squadmates) that practiced all summer long and came together on September 11th. Ranging in age from 25-64 years, and including eight breast cancer survivors, the performance was composed of five segments, each created by a former cheerleader choreographer and reflecting the dance style from each decade, starting with the 1960's. Set to "Do You Remember" by Pop and R&B sensation, Jay Sean, Philadelphia-based UnitedHealthcare of PA was the exclusive sponsor of the video. The goal was to drive at least 1 million views of the video before the end of this year with 10 cents for each view being donated to the Komen Philadelphia Affiliate. With great pride, I am thrilled to say that 1 million was in-fact REACHED LAST NIGHT and $100,000 (yes that's$100,000) will be donated to Komen Philadelphia by UnitedHealthcare of PA. And, the 1 million target was reached not only by the end of the year, but WITHIN 30 DAYS!
I WANT TO SEND OUT A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED THIS INCREDIBLE CAUSE. WITHOUT YOU THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART - THANK YOU!!!
Please continue to enjoy the video, as it was made with much love and a huge amount of heart! www.KomenPhiladelphia.org/video
What brings you comfort at home? What makes your heart pitter on a hard day? What do you look forward to at night? What is your most peaceful part of the day? What is your most comforting routine? Maybe it’s your favorite stack of books? A comforting smell, like a scented candle burning? Or perhaps it’s your loved one giving you the hug you desire and yearn for? Whatever it is, I hope that wherever you are, you are feeling the love that you deserve. May God continually bless you and keep you in His care.
Today is the start of a brand new month and to think that we only have 54 days left until Christmas. (egads!) Today was a day of joy and sadness, life and death, renewal and loss, hope and grief. One of my Make-A-Wish children departed in a stretch limousine bright and early this morning for her dream destination come true ~ to swim with the dolphins in Hawaii. Her happiness and joy were beyond compare and touched my heart in so many ways! (Thank you, MAWFNJ!) And yet one of my very best friends lost her sister to an untimely and heartwrenching death. In the blink of an eye my joy turned to sadness and I was left feeling depressed and unmotivated. But....in life and death I know that God has a plan for all of us. I am a FIRM believer that everything happens for a reason and that the one inevitable force that continues beating through our good times and bad will see us through it all.
To quote the words from an email I received recently from a friend...
May you always remember to live every day to the fullest;
Each minute is a blessing from God;
May you never forget the people who make a difference in your lives, as they are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.
This past week has brought a myriad of feelings and emotions from the very deep core of my soul. I granted two wishes with Make-A-Wish, Tom had a colonoscopy, my mother and stepmother have been quite ill, I found a lump along Lulu’s spine, I felt my lupus flaring, the Philadelphia Phillies broke my heart, my job has been stressful, my health insurance benefits are changing dramatically on January 1st, and I yearn for people and places that aren’t here. I know it sounds like I’m complaining, but I honestly don’t mean it that way. I’m just a human being going through the normal thoughts and feelings of a busy week as one tends to have.
Granting the two wishes with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of NJ this week were the absolute highlights! What sheer joy it was to meet with Rebecca and Taylor. Walt Disney World and Hawaii, respectively, will never be the same once they step foot there. I can wholeheartedly say that I have never EVER come in contact with another organization that brings such HAPPINESS into the hearts of everyone it touches. HONESTLY, it’s absolutely unbelievable! MAW does so much for SO many people, I simply can’t explain in words how incredibly amazing this foundation truly is. Thank you to ALL who support it!
This week, however, I was reminded about my own life-threatening illness. Lupus. I know I have it, I know it plagues my body, I know that it makes me feel like I constantly have the flu. But, I don’t like to give in to it. Yes, sometimes I simply can’t help but give in to it, but otherwise I keep it in the far reaches of my being. The world is not about me, it’s about other people. I know that and I never want that to change. The world of lupus does, however, exist out there and it wouldn’t be fair of me not to recognize it and speak of it occasionally. On Thursday, I received an update from the Lupus Research Institute advising me that our nation’s leading lupus research investigators may have an innovative new discovery. A simple blood test may be able to predict lupus flares in the future. This absolutely remarkable (REMARKABLE!) discovery is now licensed for development. A test like this is so very critical because there is currently no way to predict when a person with systemic lupus (like me) is moving from remission into a flare. More than 1.5 million Americans (and millions more worldwide) suffer from this chronic and unpredictable autoimmune illness in which the body’s immune system attacks otherwise healthy tissues and organs. With this new discovery at least I know our donation funding is helping to move this disease forward… one little baby step at a time!
And, as always, please "Share in the Power of a Wish" and refer a child to the Make-A-Wish Foundation today!
The National Make-A-Wish Conference was just held in Orlando and it was a great time! Those that attended said it could not have been more inspiring than to sit in the opening session at the "happiest place on earth" with 90 wish families who were in Disney World for their wishes, as well as by over 400 Make-A-Wish employees from all over the world?!?! The raw emotion on the faces of CEO's, Wish Coordinators, Development Directors, Volunteer Managers and so many others were reminded in that moment why we do what we do!! Many wonderful people from other state chapters were met. Many new things were learned about outreach. Volunteer management and training were taught and all that knowledge was brought back to my state chapter here in NJ (and your state chapters too) by our NJ Chapter Director of Outreach & Volunteer Services. Such key knowledge that will no doubt benefit current active volunteers, like myself, along with referral sources, and ultimately, our wish families! I am so proud and happy to be "doing what I'm doing" with the Make-A-Wish Foundation!! I urge you to volunteer or donate yourself, so that you can feel the chills run up and down your arms when a child with a life-threatening condition says "thank you" to you with a huge smile of their face!
Do you want my crown? If so, the time to act is NOW! Mrs. New Jersey International 2011 will be held at Rider University on March 12, 2011. I've had the time of my life as the reigning Mrs. NJ International 2010 and I SO encourage you to apply to become my successor. My wonderful director, Jodi Cessna, is currently taking applications and awarding local titles as we speak.
I've had too many incredible experiences to list, but if you scroll down through my blog you will see all the posts and pictures from my year. The national pageant this past July was absolutely one of the VERY BEST experiences of my life. The national director is amazing, but even more so were the other state and regional titleholders I competed with. I've made many lasting friendships because of it.
If you're looking for a well-run, platform oriented, glamorous, exciting and special time, please consider competing in Mrs. NJ International 2011. I can honestly tell you, you will be very happy you did!
Please visit the state website at www.NJPageants.com or the national website at www.MrsInternational.com. Or call me, email me, or visit me (or Jodi) on Facebook if we're friends.
Take a sneak peak inside my world for a moment. I love ribbons! I love bows! I love paint! I love glue! I love to create!! This time of year begins the start of my creativity flowing. I want to carve pumpkins. I want to decorate my house in autumn leaves from the yard. Scarecrows and ghosts abound. And soon I will begin my Christmas cards, my Christmas presents, and my Christmas decorating. But for now my house fits right into this Fall season time of year. My home is decorated in burnt reds & oranges, browns, hunter greens, and golds. I love this palette of colors and couldn’t think of living in any other colors otherwise. But a girl must also sparkle and that’s what I think of with Christmas around the corner. Sparkling gems of silver and gold. Twinkling lights. Rhinestones galore. My toasting Waterford wine glasses that catch the light of candles lite nearby that create reflections as sparkly as the Swarovski rhinestones I work with.
May you enjoy this month and the coming months ahead! We are in the start of a magical time of year complete with the beautiful changing of the seasons. At least we are here in New Jersey. And … you just never know what may be peeking around that lamp post ... is it a friendly ghost? Or a goblin? BOO!
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