T is for Trees

This month I'm participating in the A to Z blogging challenge and

posting every day in April (except Sundays) with the corresponding letter of the day. The theme I chose for this year is 26 Days of Gratitude. I'll be posting about people, places, things, and events in my life I'm grateful for. Today is the letter...




Have you ever noticed how majestic trees are? I used to not, until I married my husband. To me, they were just trees, offering shade from the hot, summer sun, and pretty leaves to look at during the fall. But my husband, a lover of trees, brought to my attention that trees are beautiful. Some have peeling bark, some have thick trunks and large, sweeping branches, while others might have gnarled and twisted branches. Each tree is unique.

A few years ago, on a family camping trip to the mountains bordering Tennessee and North Carolina, we came across a magnificent tree. Large and majestic, this tree stood out in the forest as we hiked. Of course, my husband had to get a picture of it...

Now, this tree is nothing in comparison to the Redwood Forest, of which my poor husband has yet to experience. Can you imagine the look on his face when he sees one of these...

Source

Better get your camera ready, because when he sees a tree like this, you don't want to miss it!

So, in a way, I'm grateful for trees, for their timeless beauty, and for the child-like excitement they instill in my husband!

S is for Savior, Jesus Christ

This month I am participating in the A to Z blogging challenge and posting every day in April (except Sundays) with the corresponding letter of the day. The theme I chose for this year is 26 Days of Gratitude. I'll be posting about people, places, things, and events in my life I'm grateful for. Today is the letter...

I am a firm believer in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I don't know where I would be today without His love, example, and atoning sacrifice. I know He died for me and each one of us, and took upon Him every pain, every burden, every sin, every sickness, every temptation, every sadness, every moment of despair that we go through in this mortal life.

He wants us to believe in Him. He wants us to come unto Him. He paid the ultimate price by giving His life. All we need to do is have faith that what He did will lead us back to live with Him and our Father in Heaven. 

Source

I didn't fully understand what the atonement was until I had to exercise it as a lost, heart-broken and humbled teenager. By searching the scriptures, I gained an understanding unlike any other. I gained a firm testimony that Christ loves me. Not only does He love me, but He KNOWS me, probably better than I know myself. 

I will be eternally grateful to my Savior who broke the bands of death and gave me a way to return to live with my Heavenly Father again.

If you have a moment, this is a beautiful video of images and scenes depicting the life and ministry of Jesus Christ with one of my favorite songs as background music.

R is for "Rivah"

This month I'm participating in the A to Z blogging challenge and posting every day in April (except Sundays) with the corresponding letter of the day. The theme I chose for this year is 26 Days of Gratitude. I'll be posting about people, places, things, and events in my life I'm grateful for. Today is the letter...




There is a place near and dear to my heart. It's off the beaten path, a tiny town on the banks of the Rappahanock River overlooking the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. Locals call it "The Rivah." This place also happens to be the inspiration for my current work in progress, a contemporary romance novel set in Deltaville, Virginia.

I grew up visiting "The Rivah" every summer as my grandparents owned a cottage set back a hundred feet from the white, sandy beach and deep blue waters. It was my second home. It's where I learned to water ski, fish, catch frogs, find tadpoles, roast marshmallows, and count constellations.

It is the place that houses warm memories for myself as a child, and now for my children as they learn and explore at the cottage. Here are some of their favorite activities:

• Find soft shell crabs and put in the crab pots to catch the regular hard shell.
• Kayak out to the fishing nets to see the stingrays.
• Go tubing behind granddaddy's boat and try to stay on while he swerves the boat and makes them go over the wake.
• Swim out to the sandbar to play in the knee-deep water and try to avoid getting stung by jelly fish. 
• Ride the double-bike down Snake Road. 
• Go jumping down the sandy, clay cliffs, not caring how dirty they get.
• Roast marshmallows around the roaring bonfire. 
• Watch for porpoises from the sun porch.

There's truly no other place like it on earth....And it's mine, all mine, I tell you!! *insert evil laugh*

On a side note, this week is our Spring Break, and since I'll be spending the week with my family, I may not have the opportunity to visit blogs and make comments as much as I'd like. But, I will try to visit you soon!

Do you have a place near and dear to your heart?

O is for Opportunities

This month I'm participating in the A to Z blogging challenge and posting every day in April (except Sundays) with the corresponding letter of the day. The theme I chose for this year is 26 Days of Gratitude. I'll be posting about people, places, things, and events in my life I'm grateful for. Today is the letter...



I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given. When I look back on my life (however short it's been thus far), I feel blessed to have been surrounded by kind, loving people. Every opportunity I've had, whether it be performing in Disney World, or attending college out west, or even writing a novel, has been an amazing part of my life.

When opportunities knock, I want to seize them. But not just that. I want to create my own opportunities so I have no regrets at the end of this life.

Of course, there are some opportunities that I still dream of. Here are a few:

• The opportunity to become a published author.
• The opportunity to have a book signing for MY book.
• The opportunity to read positive reviews of my book.
• The opportunity to go on a girls' trip with dear friends (okay, that one is more of an indulgence, but what the heck).

Here's a great quote I found by Orison Swett Marden. Pretty much sums up my way of thinking...

What opportunities are you thankful for?

K is for Kind-hearted People

This month I'm participating in the A to Z blogging challenge and posting every day in April (except Sundays) with the corresponding letter of the day. The theme I chose for this year is 26 Days of Gratitude. I'll be posting about people, places, things, and events in my life I'm grateful for. Today is the letter...

There are so many different kinds of people in this world, but I am incredibly thankful for kind-hearted ones. People who go out of their way to help others in need.

I recently had an experience that went something like this...

I was at the grocery store trying to buy groceries for my large family. My two youngest children, ages two and four, were with me as I shopped. Thankfully, this particular store had a "special cart" as my kids call them, one that looks like a car with two seats and steering wheels where my boys can sit and pretend to "drive" the cart.

Well, out of the blue, one of them bit the other one. Then the one who'd gotten bit, smacked the younger one upside the head. In moments, they were both crying. I tried to soothe them, but they weren't having it. I needed to get a few more items, so I rushed through the store flinging things into my cart so I could get everything I needed before we were kicked out of the store for bad behavior.

To my surprise, a sweet older woman came up to the cart and handed me two wrapped character cookies she had purchased for my boys at the bakery. One was in the shape of Sponge Bob and the other was a Hello Kitty cookie. Needless to say, that shut them right up as they stuffed their mouths full of the sweet goodness.

I thanked her profusely and said a silent prayer for good people in the world. This experience reiterated to me that there ARE kind-hearted people all around us. And everyday, we get to choose whether or not we'll exhibit the same level of kindness that sweet woman showed me. How are you going to live your life today?


Also, very excited to REVEAL the cover for Another New Life by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle.

Title: Another New Life

Author: Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Publication Date: June 2, 2014

New Adult Contemporary Romance

**This book contains adult subject matter. Not intended for young readers.**

Cover Design by: © Arijana Karčić, Cover It! Designs

Miranda Preston is a walking contradiction. Beautiful on the outside, but, insecure, haunted and damaged on the inside. Despite these contradictions, she’s ready to start Another New Life. 

When her talent wins her a piano scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin, Miranda arrives on campus determined to experience everything college has to offer and to keep her secrets in the past where they belong. An easy task, until the first guy who catches her eye happens to be someone, she’s known all her life.

Eight years have passed since the last time Miranda and Troy saw each other. He reminds her of the best and worst times of her life, but she can’t think about one without dwelling on the other. As they grow closer, every day their attraction reminds them they are no longer kids.

The epic romantic love story that is Miranda and Troy seems to be destined for a happy ending, but Miranda knows it's only a matter of time before her secret is discovered. A secret that will not only destroy their relationship, it will destroy Troy, too.

Can Miranda focus on her future with Troy while preventing her past from tearing them apart all over again?

Giveaway

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About The Author

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   Sydney Aaliyah Michelle is a New Adult Contemporary Romance writer, a voracious reader and movie fanatic. Sydney has been blogging at sydneyaaliyah.com for three years, where she interviews people about their tattoos, discusses her favorite movie quotes, reviews books (New Adult & only the ones she loves) and journals about her writing and editing process. She hails from Texas. After surviving 5 1/2 years living in China, she had the courage to finally pursue her passion and become a writer. Sydney’s self-published debut New Adult novel, Another New Life, will be available June 2014. An active tweeter, she is also a JuNoWriMo (2x) and NaNoWriMo (2x) winners who notes the sci-fi action flick “The Matrix” as the best representation of her life in the past. She is blessed to be awake now and doing what she loves.



Are you going to show a little more kindness? Do you have Sydney's book on your To-Be-Read list?

J is for Jokes and Humor

This month I'm participating in the A to Z blogging challenge and posting every day in April (except Sundays) with the corresponding letter of the day. The theme I chose for this year is 26 Days of Gratitude. I'll be posting about people, places, things, and events in my life I'm grateful for. Today is the letter...

I am thankful for jokes, laughter, and a sense of humor. Where would we be without these important aspects of life that help us relax a little and appreciate the world around us?

 

I love to laugh. I mean, I truly love to laugh. I enjoy being around people who make me laugh, and I love how I feel when I'm giddy from joking with friends, or laughing at something my husband said. Laughter IS the best medicine. 

For me, Brian Regan is the King of Humor. I love that he is a clean comedian I would feel comfortable allowing my older boys to watch. He makes me laugh. Hard. I don't know if it's his goofy walk or funny expressions, but he is HI-larious! Take a peek and you'll see what I mean.

Do you love jokes, humor, and laughter? Who is your favorite comedian?