Dear Ones,
Want to begin this “My Little Miracles” post by saying thank you for being a blessing in my life. Even though I don’t know all of you personally, it is heartwarming to know that you are out there somewhere taking time to be here with me.
My second blogversary came and went on Friday before I even realized it. Hard to believe I have found something to write about here for twenty-four months. Well, maybe not THAT hard! I tend to be a little wordy and rambling. Or so I’ve been told. But I thank you for meeting up with me here now and then. Family hugs to all of you.
Joining up with Shaunacey at Simply Shaunacey for her “Monday Moments of Gratitude” post this week. I like to think of these special moments as little miracles. Decided to look up the definition of miracle just now and found this one to be most fitting: ” an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God”. [source] My little miracles aren’t earth-shattering or deeply profound. But they are surprising events that bring welcome consequences. Let’s get started!
Little miracles in my world. El Paso skies.
And El Paso vistas.
Living in El Paso has been a blessing to me since the first day I drove into town in November 1988.
Little miracles that warm my heart. My daughters and granddaughters. When Lucia was first born, Cady wasn’t too sure about having a new baby in our family. Cady had been THE baby for five years and now another little one was moving in on the hearts that had been all hers. But she has fallen in love with Lucia just like the rest of us. I loved the way she played so gently with the Cabbage Patch baby I had at my house.
While she was here visiting, we ran up to Albuquerque to visit Lauren, Francisco and Lucia overnight. Cady and Lucia were fast friends. I love how gently Cady touched Lucia.
Lucia was entranced by Cady. And Cady was thrilled.
My daughters are blessings to me every day. I couldn’t be prouder of the sisters they are and the mothers they’ve become.
Cady intentionally closes her eyes whenever the flash goes off on the camera. The waiter tried several times to get a photo of all of us with Cady’s eyes open. No can do.
Little miracles that touch my soul. On our drive back to El Paso from Albuquerque, we started seeing police cars every few miles on the overpasses and parked along the interstate with their lights on. It finally dawned on me what we were witnessing. Several days earlier, a Hatch, New Mexico police officer had been killed during a traffic stop by an individual wanted in Ohio. The injured Officer Chavez had been flown from Hatch to Albuquerque where he died. On Monday, a police procession was returning his body to Hatch. Law enforcement and civilians lined the overpasses and sides of the interstate to pay tribute to the policeman’s life.
Officer Chavez was only 33 years old and leaves behind two young daughters. So needless. So sad. A Go Fund Me account has been established to help provide for Officer Chavez’s daughters. If you would like to make a small donation, please click here. May God hold this police officer close.
Little miracles that make life easier. You may remember that I was a single mommy for some length of time, struggling to make ends meet while raising my two daughters. We never ever ever went without but my girls started working as soon as they were of age to do so. And I worked a number of part-time jobs in addition to my full-time job as a librarian to make life easier financially. But I was often a tired and grumpy mommy.
Along the way, for birthdays and Christmas, I bought my girls dolls and stuffed animals that promised to be collector’s items someday. I never held a lot of stock that they would be, but the toys were cute. And they served as decoration for their rooms. When Brennyn visited last week, we opened up one of the Rubbermaid tubs where I had stored some of her own baby clothes and Beanie Babies. I had always cautioned the girls to leave the tags on their “collectibles” because I read somewhere that they were more valuable with tags.
Brennyn started looking up some of her Beanie Babies online and we were shocked to discover we had a small fortune in that Rubbermaid tub.
See that pink platypus? Guess how much that little cutie is worth…with tags? Well, on eBay, it is going for between $1,900-$3,500! That will cover the deductible for Brennyn’s new roof after she has struggled for months with leaks and roof damage. The husky on Cady’s head was missing its tag, so we decided she could have that one to play with. Brennyn had several others worth close to $1000 and many more we didn’t even look up. God provides. Some times in unexpected ways.
Lauren has a Rubbermaid tub of Beanie Babies and dolls, too. I pray that there are some animals in there with tags to help pay for the medical bills she has been burdened with for some of her health issues. Can’t wait for her next visit to see.
Hope your life has been blessed with little miracles, too. Once you start looking for them, you will discover they are everywhere.
Thank you for being a blessing to me. Have a beautiful week.
Hugs and kisses,
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Get out of here!! Are those beanie babies really worth that much?!! Oh my goodness, I used to have a ton of them… I wish I had kept them and I am sure they are worth a lot more with the tags on. How amazing!!! Being a single mom IS so hard, I did it for awhile, too… Those sky photos are so pretty!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Crazy but true. We only checked on eBay but people were bidding on the platypus at $3,500! Nuts. I hope Brennyn does sell it and gets that money
for her roof. She’s a single mom these days, too. It is so hard. I had forgotten you were. A lot of us strong women learned how to be strong the hard way.
Deena
I have been loving your scenery and sunset pictures on Insta!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you. El Paso has its own unique beauty. I love my “hometown”.
Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side
So what?! People still collect Beanie Babies? Crazy and so awesome for her to have some extra income! I used to have that husky dog too! I have no idea where it is now…but it’s well loved that’s all I can say and definitely doesn’t have the tags on it 🙂 So sad about that police man, but such a great way to honor him, goosebumps just reading it.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Isn’t it crazy about the Beanie Babies? I just hope my babies can get some money from theirs. I asked them to say one or two for their daughters but
maybe if they can sell them now, they should and just put the money in the bank for their daughters.
The sweet police officer was laid to rest last night. Bless his heart.
Sharon
Love this post! What beautiful girls inside and out! You are and were the hardest working mom I’ve ever known. I’ve always admired you for that! You are my hero and always will be. Love you to the moon and back dearest friend of mine!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
You just warm my heart! Thank you so much, sweet BFF. I love you so!
Shaunacey
stunning pictures.
I remember beanie babies and I wish I had of hopped on that bandwagon! I likely wouldn’t have been able to refrain from ripping the tags off! hoping your thoughtful insight gives your girls some $ for some things they need, whatever that may be.
You have such a beautiful family and they are so lucky to have such a wonderful mom and grandmom in their corner.
Thanks, as always, for linking up, I’m so so so so happy to have you (even if it takes me like a month to comment back – sorry for that)
Whitney @ Whitney à la mode
So Beanie Babies actually ended up being worth something! Haha. I think we gave mine away a long long time ago. And your pictures always make me want to visit El Paso again.