Magical Moment 59, "Joy and the Easter Bunny"

This Easter morning, I woke up to perfect weather, an amazing sunrise, and a row of blooming cherry blossom trees outside the hotel blowing the scent of fresh flowers through the open window. Eddie and I would pack up, share a quick meal, then head back to New Jersey and North Carolina after our impromptu weekend in Winchester, VA. I took my dog, Joy out for her morning walk and admired the scenery in full. The sun was just rising behind the row of cherry blossoms, sending bright rays of light through the black, silhouetted branches. The sky was mostly purple, blanketed in white and gray wispy clouds.

I circled the building and came back around towards the front where I saw a man and wife empty their mini van of 2 small children and loads of baggage. One of the little girls was crying inconsolably. Being it was 7 a.m., I assumed they drove all night and the little girl was just waking from a restless, uncomfortable sleep in her car seat. Her mother tried to cheer up by explaining that today was Easter and maybe the Easter bunny came. This thought was devastating to the little girl, however and she erupted with even more heart-wrenching cries about how the Easter bunny came to their house, not the hotel. Although her parents tried to reason with her, their comfort would have no effect on the little girl’s sorrow.

Just as Joy and I began to make our way back to the front door, Joy froze. She did this when she saw a squirrel or a bird to chase. I looked around to find what she saw and discovered it was a bunny. What luck! She slowly made her move towards the unsuspecting bunny, then suddenly took off, full speed ahead. I let go of her leash so she could have total freedom to chase the bunny. She chased the cotton-tailed critter back down the side of the building, barking and causing a spectacle enough for the new family to take notice of the commotion. Soon Joy grew tired, as she always does, and gave up. She trotted back to me with her pink leash dragging behind her.

Joy’s defeat turned into a victory for the struggling parents trying to ease their little girl’s grief. “Look!” They shouted, “There’s the Easter Bunny!” He just left the hotel!” This seemed to please the little girl and suddenly, she smiled through her tears. She even giggled and pointed as the bunny hopped into the distance. The parents exchanged subtle glances of relief as they continued to gather their belongings and make their way to their room. I patted Joy on the head and praised her as we walked back inside. She had saved the day.

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. -Matthew 28:6

Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

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