As you can tell by my daughter’s big smiles, graduation was a day of celebration. I was too happy for Marie to even cry many mama tears, which is kind of amazing for me. I had a teary moment of feeling Marie’s finance and my Mom looking down from heaven, proud of Marie.

My heart is too full of gratitude to even put into words. My gratitude bliss list is short but very meaningful.

She did it…GRADUATION… a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with honors. Thank you God. Thank you heavenly angels. Thank you everyone!

Florida Gulf Coast University’s mascot is an eagle. As the Nursing Program Director said at the end…

“Fly eagles, Fly!”

Maybe it is your turn to fly a little. In whatever delights you.

Blessings, Nancy

( Oh, two more days for early bird special on Liv Lane’s awesome course, How to Build a Blog You Truly Love. I loved this course! It has nuts and bolts information, interviews and a ton of personal support. I am still in touch with many of the people who participated.  It is online, which means you can take it at your own pace. Check it out. I am an affialiate because I strongly believe in this one. Click on the yellow box below for more info.)

  My heart is so full of gratitude. A year ago this time my daughter Marie was taking a break from nursing school to heal after the trauma of her finacee’s death. This Sunday she will graduate with her bachelor of science in nursing…WITH HONORS! Last night I was with my church life group, who became like extended family, supporting me while I lived away from home. I have so much to be thankful for.

My Friday gratitude/bliss list is best represented by this photo. While I wish my Mom could be here to see Marie graduate, I know she is watching from heaven. Perhaps my Mom is a nurse angel for Marie now.

Thank you to all of you, for taking time to listen to my stories, and for your support.

Love and blessings to you,

Life in six words? Which ones would you choose? It is thought provoking. I chose “Sailed stormy seas, Found calm shores.” Kim Klassen gave us this challenge in the Beyond Layers class:

“You in six words..

sure, your life story could fill a thousand pages – but sometimes a few words are ALL YOU NEED.”

This idea originated with Smith Magazine. Kim saw a article in Oprah’s magazine and six word memoirs has evolved into a HUGE movement. Some are funny, some are poignant. Here are a few examples:

Abandoned at 5, learning to thrive. 

Surfing life’s ripples, wishing for waves.

Fat. Thin. Fat. Thin. Fat. Thin.

Heart Broken, Heart Healed, Heart Filled.

I invite you to share. What are your six words? I look forward to hearing them. I am very grateful to have found calm shores again!

Blessings to you,

Nancy

To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.”~Helen Keller

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”~Carl Jung

The April Monthly Mosiac themes are love & strength with the color… crystal clear. My daughter Marie is such an example of love and strength through loss and growth. Her new future path is starting to become clearer, as her heart is drawn towards North Carolina. Interestingly, the woods and mountains there have crystal rocks (bottom left photo). The photos of Marie and I are taken in North Carolina at Duke gardens.

Thanks to Chelle of Magnestised by Life for creating the Monthly Mosaic.

May spring bring you love, strength and sparkly clear light!

Blessings, Nancy

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~Buddha.

There is something magical about the intricate beauty of flowers. In a photography class called Beyond Layers, with Kim Klassen, she encouraged us to look at “less is more.” So this week my Friday gratitude/bliss list will have less words, more flowers. Come take a journey with me to see the miracle of flowers. Take a deep breath, relax and let their beauty seep into your soul.

Have a beautiful week! Blessings, Nancy

(You can stop by Liv Lane’s bliss list link for more inspiration.)

An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.“~Martin Buber

There is something about animal’s eyes that fascinate me. They are unique and beautiful in different ways than our own. The eyes show so much expression. Most of all, it seems like looking into an animals eyes gives me a glimpse into their magnificent soul. I am sharing with you the photos of beautiful eyes of a baby lion, tiger and panther, a goat family, and farm birds who all live at the Kowiachobee Animal Preserve in Naples, Florida. Enjoy their beauty and wisdom.

“Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!” ~Theophile Gautier

1. Baby lion

2. Baby Tiger

3. Baby panther

3. The goat family. Poppa, Mama and two babies

4. The farm birds. A white goose, the rooster and a cockatoo that shook my hand.

I feel very grateful and blessed to look in the eyes of so many unique creatures at the Kowiachobee animal preserve. They certainly touched and uplifted my soul.

Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into their eyes too.

Blessings, Nancy

]]> http://rainbowlightangel.com/2012/04/animaleyes/feed/ 2 http://rainbowlightangel.com/2012/04/new-beginnings-bliss/ http://rainbowlightangel.com/2012/04/new-beginnings-bliss/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:46:39 +0000 Nancy http://rainbowlightangel.com/?p=970

Right before Easter was a tough time for me. It has been a year since my Mom died. Yet looking back to a year ago… life is much calmer, we are all feeling more healed from the process of grieving, and there are exciting new changes about to happen. Easter represents a time of miracles, faith and renewal. I am grateful for this time of new beginnings, and spring.

My Friday gratitude/bliss list:

1. In only 16 days my daughter Marie will graduate with her bachelor of science as a RN nurse. With honors! A year ago she had to take a break from school due to the trauma of her fiancee’s death. She has come so far and I am very proud of her! Marie is ready to start creating a new life for herself. I think God has big plans for her nursing career. That is Marie’s miracle dog Hank with her. Hank survived a week in the Florida wilderness after the car accident.( An eight pound dog that could have been eaten by all kinds of wild animals.) Hank is devoted to Marie and will go with her wherever she goes. We are all going on a road trip together to look at apartments for Marie. New beginnings.

2. Easter day was beautiful here in Florida. In the Sunday school service, one of my second grade boys looked up at me and made the “I heart you” sign with his hands. Sigh. That melted my heart. What a perfect Easter gift. After church I went to my husband’s family for Easter lunch. My niece’s two little ones were there looking adorable. It was a good day. I think my Mom would be happy for all of us. I feel like she is helping us from heaven.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the signs of spring. I would love to know what you are grateful for. Please share in the comments below.

With love and blessings to you, Nancy

 I’ve been tagged by Chelle from Magnetised by life with eleven questions. Chelle is an amazing photographer who inspires me to create photo mosaics for her Monthly Mosaics theme.Thanks for the invite Chelle! It looks like a fun way to get to know each other, so I am going to play along. I hope you enjoy this and if you are tagged,  have fun playing too.

The Rules

….you must post the rules
….answer 11 questions the tagger posted for you
….create 11 questions to ask the people you tag
….tag 11 people
….let them know you’ve tagged them

MY QUESTIONS

1. If you have/had to get a one word tattoo. What would it be?

Hope. To remind me to always hang onto hope.

2. What are two things you love the sound of?

Ocean waves, or birds singing in the morning,

3. What is your favorite holiday celebration of the year?

Christmas…the giving, sparkly lights, angels, family gathering, the Christmas story and even Christmas music. And presents of course.

4. Share some advice on friendship, love or marriage.

Hold hands often. It makes everything better.

5. A quote you live by?

‘Laugh when you can, Apologize when you should, And let go of what you can’t change.”~unknown

Below…laughing at Lucy trying to eat the flower. I am still working on the letting go of worry, but getting better.

6. decisions..decisions..heart or head?

Heart!  That is how I got mini-donkeys…pure heart decision. They are very loving and joyful animals. But no practical purpose whatsoever. You can’t ride them. But they make me laugh, and they love every person who wants to pet them.

7. Where are you headed for your next holiday/vacation?

Hmm, maybe North Carolina if my daughter moves there. The hills and mountains are gorgeous.

8. What is something you do every morning when you get up?

I pet my puppy Lucy. I never thought I would say this, but she sleeps on the bed…lol.

9. When do you feel most free?

I love walking through a field of wild daisies. Or anytime out in nature.

10. What couldn’t you live without?

Water…literally to drink. But I also love any kind of water… lake, pond, ocean, stream. When we moved to our farm I had a water garden put in with a little waterfall. It is my oasis of peace. Um, and maybe chocolate would to tough to be without.

11. Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring..tell us your favorite & what you love most about it.

I love the colors of autumn, cool crisp nights, making homemade soups, and a fire in the fireplace.

Ok. Now it is time to tag eleven awesome people to play along. You are “IT”.

Angelic journeys

 Illuminating Souls

 Mimi and Tilly

 The receiving project

 Vivienne McMaster Photography

 olala the arty life

 Ripplespeak

 Sew vintage so fun

Patti sustaining hope

Mindful-shopper

Wildflower ranch

Your questions:

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?

2. When do you feel most free?

3. If you could be Queen for a day and change one thing about the world what would it be?

4. Tell us something unique and/or quirky about you?

5. What would your inner wild child love to do?

6. What is your favorite color?

7.  How many animals do you have?

8. What song makes you want to dance?

9. What time of day do you like best?

10. What is your favorite desert?

11. If you could be a superhero, who would you choose and why?

Ok. Tagging done! Stop by their websites sometime to see the responses and the interesting things they are blogging about!

Blessings, Nancy

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.”~Sarah Ban Breathnach

 I didn’t expect to see many traditional signs of spring in Florida since  it is summer year round here. I miss the change of seasons. So it felt like a gift when signs of spring started appearing. I am very grateful. My spring gratitude and bliss list for this week is:

1. Baby ducks! I live with my daughter in a third floor apartment that overlooks a man made pond. Lately we have seen lots of turtles in the pond, including some really big ones. But I was delighted to look out one morning and see baby ducks along the shore. We went down by the shore, camera in hand, and watched them for quite awhile. The mama duck let us get fairly close. The babies are so cute. Spring does appear, even in Florida. Thank you God, for this gift.

In the photo below, notice how one of the babies  is teasing the mama duck by pecking at her. Kids…

2. A new kind of frog also appeared. This guy was visiting one night right outside our apartment. Hello frogs.

3. We are blessed with many flowers here in Florida, but I had to buy some tulips to watch them unflold.

4. I love my 2/3rd grade Sunday school kids. Last week we did a tour of the church with them waving palm leaves and singing. That filled my heart. And Easter is almost here! Another sign of spring.

 Sometimes it helps to find faith in the small things. Let signs of spring fill your heart with hope.

 Happy Easter!

With love and blessings, Nancy

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”~Mother Teresa

The Monthly Mosaic for March, featured by Magnetised by Life

Themes: courage & spiritual awareness,  Colour: pale blue

From my heart to yours