Roxy

Happy 6 month birthday to miss Roxanne Sassafrass.
I love ya, bub.

My grandmother passed away today, October 19th at 10:40am, with me holding one hand and my mother holding the other hand. Surrounded by her girls. We love you so, so much Nanny. You may be gone, but I know your spirit is still here. It's all around us. I love you.


xoxoxo

Nanny.

To one of the most beautiful, intelligent, kind, and spiritual women I have ever met.

Nanny, I wanted to take the time to say thanks. Thanks for loving me every second of my life, since the day I was born. Never once have you NOT been there when I have needed you. Thanks for teaching me to be strong when times are tough. Thanks for showing me that gratitude is one of the most powerful gifts we have. I now know that life is short, and it is important to live as much as you can, take in every single moment, while you are still here.

I always loved the way you would take a deep breath when you'd go outside and feel the cool fresh air for the first time in a day. Like you were taking it all in. I know that you have always admired the true beauty of the world, you've always known that god is good and mysterious in his own way, and things always happen for a reason. That's how I know that even though we may not be related through blood, you are my family through and through. 100%. I love you.
You have taught me so many lessons. You explained to me at a young age how very important it is to be faithful and spiritual. These lessons I will keep with me forever, and I will carry on to my own children some day.

You may be leaving this world, but I know you are here with me. You are all around me, you're such an angel and I love you so, so much.

Michelle.

climbing mountains

hurt but still alive

I often find myself wondering if people take their lives for granted - or if they're just plain scared?
I have seen people who have had scary, unexplainable symptoms - like an uncle who would randomly lose consciousness for an hour at a time, maybe once every few weeks... we would just lose him. He refused to go to the doctor. I would BEG him but he just wouldn't go. He had a wife and a beautiful daughter.

I am thankful to say that this man is still alive and doing much better today - it was simply from major stress while going through a nasty divorce... but what if he wasn't so lucky?

People are often dead set against going to the doctor when something is worrying them. Sometimes they're just scared, maybe embarrassed. Maybe they just think that nothing could possibly hurt them. Well, after experiencing this feeling myself, I have come to the conclusion that these things don't matter. If something could be potentially risking my life, or even my QUALITY of life, I would now ask a doctor no matter what. The ability to breathe, to grow old and marry and have children, to laugh, and to be with my family and friends for a whole lifetime is worth five short minutes of embarrassment.

I hope those of you out there who are avoiding the doc when you have questions about something - ANYTHING - will read this and make the right choice. Life is such a beautiful, amazing, fragile experience. As I lay here on my couch on a Saturday night with nothing but the fireplace going and my cat on my lap, I know that this life is worth every second. In my past I have made a lot of the wrong choices. I smoked (often) for about 5 years.. I loved it. I never believed I'd be able to stop. I'd try to quit but it was just so hard. People don't realize how tough it is to quit smoking when you are addicted, especially after it being a part of my life for 5 years. I needed one with my coffee. Needed them when I would go out. Couldn't go camping without a full pack in case we'd need to drive to town to get more. It was like I relied and depended on something that was only killing me. Someone I cared about had found out she had lung cancer. The day I heard the news, I decided - that's it. No more of this. No more feeling sick all the time, no more waking up with ash tray breath. No more watching my face change. My skin wrinkle at such a young age. My teeth turn yellow. my gums deteriorate. My body become weak. I was done. That new years eve, I quit for good. I am happy to say that I am still and forever will be smoke free. Before I quit I had 2 asthma puffers, violent allergies so bad my throat would close over and I would gasp to breathe. I could barely run up my driveway. Now, none of that is a part of this life. My puffers are gone, my allergies are much better. I can walk and run and I feel amazing. I haven't had a cigarette in 289 days. I've saved $1,664.64 and 26 days, 13 hours of my life. According to statistics, I will live an ENTIRE month longer. People may not realize the potential they have for themselves. It's hard to see it until something happens to you. People always say, "I'm going to quit on Thursday" or whenever. They say, "I'm starting my diet tomorrow so Im going to pig out tonight"

I think we all need to just sit down and look at the big picture. What we do TODAY shapes our tomorrow. Don't start next Friday, next month, whenever. Do what it takes to change your life NOW. Today. Why wait? Even if it's something as simple as asking your doctor for help when you were always worried. It could save your life. And I don't know about you, but my life is pretty damn valuable. I want to breathe and laugh and live every second this world will give me.
And I can feel nothing but gratitude for every second I have. I hope this has inspired someone to do WHATEVER it takes to do what you NEED to do. You know what you need to do.


-M

please watch this. It will change your life. I know it changed mine :)

this is only the first 20 minutes. I hope it entices you to rent this movie. Watch it, study it, BELIEVE it. It worked for me and many others.

roxanne sassafrass.

gawd.

ever feel like there aren't enough hours in a day?

like your to-do list is double the size of your wanna-do list?

yeah, me too.