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!
Support the Make-A-Wish Foundation
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.
.jpg)
