Beautiful Day Contest

In conjunction with the Beautiful Day email that is going out right now, we would like to have a little Beautiful Day contest here in the forum. :)

The rules are simple: Our offers and coupons today focused on beauty on the outside. Our contest is going to focus on beauty on the inside. Post in this thread how someone in your life exhibits true beauty on the inside. One person who posts by 9am Eastern on Monday, August 20 will be randomly chosen to win a $50 Sephora.com gift certificate.

It's that easy! So spread the word and start your posts.

What a great idea Tricia! This is so easy for me. The person in my life who exhibits true beauty on the inside is my sister, also a SR member who referred me! She is the most giving person I know, giving of herself and her time. She is always there to listen to me and is my best friend!:love:

My mother is the person in my life that has true beauty on the inside. She is the most caring, loving, unselfish person I know.

She had a heart attack a few months ago and her biggest concern was how we all (6 children) were doing. She manages to volunteer at her church in between her doctor visits and cardiac rehab. She has not lost her faith and always looks for the positive in life.


I started a post on the DIS Boards.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread....9#post20343389

The person in my life who exhibits true inner beauty is my mother-in-law. She works a full-time job and cares for my mentally handicapped SIL. She has so much on her own plate, yet she always thinks of others first and puts their needs before her own. And she does it all with a positive attitude and a kind spirit, never complaining.

My friend Veronika is beautiful inside and out. She gives her time freely, helping her family and friends whenever they need it. When a friend is pregnant she scours sales for deals, and makes meals for their freezer. When her father fell ill, she made the time to make meals and take care of the house so her mother could be with her dad. At the same time she took her grandmother into her home to free her mother even more. Her grandmother doesn't speak English and is having memory problems and is often isolated. Veronika makes sure she feels included in any gathering and show extreme patience and understanding.
The first person you want to call with good or bad news is Veronika. She always knows just what to say and is ready to celebrate with you or help you find a solution. I don't know what I would do without her!

I am blessed to have many people in my life who are beautiful on the inside :)

One who comes to mind immediately is my son Max. He is 4 years old and can be a hand full! He has a temper and is stubborn like a mule. But....he is also a good person. He always lets me know that I am the best mommy in the world because I take good care of him, and because I work hard to make money to take him to Disney World. :love:

He starts every day and ends every night with requesting a kiss and hug from me, even when he is in trouble. :angel: Every night now he offers to pray for me and then recites his little Guardian Angel prayer, it melts my heart no matter how bad my day has been. And he offers to give me a foot massage :)

What a great little guy who is beautiful both inside and out!

My Mother has true beauty within. I strive every day to be as wonderful a Mother to my children, as she was (and continues to be) to us. I also admire her compassion for all of God's children, for whatever and whenever they are in need. :love:

Both my daughters are beautiful inside, but DD12 comes to mind first. She is a genuinely nice person and very caring. Many times she tells me she has lent this friend or that money so they could get a snack or drink. And, she will go without because she wouldn't have enough money for both of them to get something. On a school trip to the St. Louis Zoo, she lent a girl $20 so she (not even a close friend) could buy a Build a Bear for her little sister. Grace loves BAB and never misses an opportunity to buy one, but she didn't buy one that day because she had lent her money to the girl. There are days I worry about her because she is so tender hearted and giving and I am afraid someone will hurt her, but she makes me very proud.:love:

There are many people in my life that are beautiful inside and out but one that comes to mind is my good friend Kathy. We met her when we were looking for a new babysitter. My oldest daughter was 8 months old and Kathy looked after her as if she were one of her own. She continued to watch my kids as my family grew - 3 daughters - and my youngest just turned 8. She started out as a baby sitter but is now a part of our family.

I know a lot of people who are beautiful on the inside. The person who stands out though is my dad. We probably don't normally think of men as beautiful but if anyone is beautiful on the inside, it would be him. This month is his 25th anniversary of joining the fire dept. Not only has he been a volunteer firefighter for 25 years, he is constantly volunteering in other ways. He also works for the school district so he goes above and beyond with helping them out. He volunteers at many community events and also volunteers at our church. He was voted man of the year for our community a few years ago. He is such a great example to me of what it means to constantly give of yourself.

My son's special needs teacher :heart: . Every single morning she welcomes each child with a smile and hug. Her kindness, compassion and PATIENCE has helped develop my son, who was basically non-verbal one year ago, into a happy, hugging, chatty little boy.She has NEVER lowered the bar for these children with challenges, rather she helps lifts THEM up to achieve. And not only does she give of herself 100% every day during the school year, she gives up her summers to teach in the summer program for all our of special angels. She is a gift!!! :present: :present:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...ter2006017.jpg

My mother-in-law. Definitely. She had an extremely difficult childhood, enduring an abusive father, poverty, and constant ridicule from her family on her decision to become a Christian. She was eventually kicked out of the house as a teenager. Many years later, after marriage and 2 healthy baby boys, my MIL delivered a full-term stillborn baby. She has suffered through 2 heart attacks, one which nearly claimed her life. She has lived with diabetes for years. She has suffered numerous health problems and is currently confined to a wheelchair, living in constant pain nearly everyday.

Yet, despite all of the troubles she has faced throughout her life, my mother-in-law is the most selfless person I know. She never fails to put the needs of others before her own. Even when her family didn't have much, she recognized that there were others who had even less, and would go out and buy them groceries and other necessities. She is one person who many would say has a right to be angry with God for the things she has had to endure. Yet, she is one of the first to share the love of God with others. When I look at my mother-in-law, I look at true beauty.

The person that comes to mind for me is my husband. This is a man that never wants for himself. He works hard to provide for his family. He never goes out with the guys. He comes straight home to make sure I don’t need help with the kids. If I have had a rough day, he scoops up the children and takes them out for pizza or ice cream so I can have a little down time for myself. Though he never wants any for himself. He married me when I already had one child and loves him like his own. He is his father. He beams when people tell him how much they look or act alike. He is a wonderful and caring husband and father. When we were expecting our second child I was put on bed rest. So we would not get behind or go into debt he worked a second job, even though he really did not have to. My children could never ask for a more patient dad and one who is always on their side. Even though he gets up early for work he is always willing to listen to me talk, because as he said I can only talk to children and teenagers for so long without losing my mind. Plus he tolerates all my Disney madness! With a smile on his face. (Even when getting up a 2 am and driving 12 hours, just so I feel like I have and extra day at Disney!) He does for others on a regular basis. After hurricane Katrina, he went to all our neighbors to help get trees off their houses and cut up, and never took any money from them.(All our neighbors are elderly people) He cooked all the food in our freezer one day and fed all the people on our street. Even after me and the kids went to Texas he proceeded to check on all or our neighbors. Making sure they had water, our one neighbor had ice for her insulin. He would go every day and pick up enough ice and water for those that could not go themselves. When he was able to go back to work he would bring home bread and meat and always check to make sure the neighbors got what they needed. He is a beautiful man and one that I feel blessed on a daily basis to spend my life with. :heart:



Lydia

One person in my life that is a beautiful example of true beauty on the inside is my fiance, Dave.

When I first met Dave I was 7 months pregnant with a man's child who had left me at 8 weeks pregnant. Through it all I had decided to give my baby up for adoption since I wasn't in a place in life to be able to steadily take care of her yet. Dave stood by me throughout the entire thing, from helping me choose adoptive parents to being there when the people I chose backed out a week before giving birth. He was there when I had the baby by c-section, holding my hand the entire time. He sat by me and held my hand when I went to court to relinguish my rights to her. He paced in a waiting room a month later when an emergency surgery forced me to have my gall bladder removed.

He stood by me through so much and he had only known me for a few months. He proposed several months later and I said yes! He had shown me what true love and true beauty really are through his generosity and love just in his actions!

He is the most beautiful person I've ever met on both the inside and the outside, and he is my example of true beauty on the inside.

When when someone says who is a beautiful person inside and out, I have to think of my dearest soul sister and friend, Connie.

Connie has been my pillar in life, though I have only known her for 10 short years. She has been there for every event in my life. When my beloved grandmother passed away, she become my family's second wife and mother, taking over all of my responsibilites at home. She stayed in our home, cooked, cleaned, did the car pooling for the children's activities, seen that everything ran smoothly. She even called my boss and filled in for me at work, doing the job better than I could have. She held my hand while I grieved, called me to brighten my day and if I sounded sad, depressed, whatever, she drove to my home and got me away for the day...even when I didn't think I needed it. Which she was right, I did and felt better afterwards.

Four short months later, she again stepped into my shoes at home and stood beside me when my grandfather passed away. Her gentle kindness gave me the strength to again face the task of his funeral arrangements, the funeral, and dealing with cleaning out my grandparent's home.

Again she displayed those same talents within that same year with the death of my 2 brother-in-laws, a cousin-who was like a sister to me, and two miscarriages. Without her, I don't know how I would have ever kept my sanity that year.

Whenever I am blue...she just happens to call. Whenever I am excited about something in my life, she is the first person I call. She has spoiled me with the truest meaning of friendship.

When my husband had a heart attack, she was there and literally kept me out of jail and calmed me down. (LOOOOONG STORY). She has never condemned me for my decisions in life, encouraged me to follow my dreams, stood beside me in bad times and laughed with me in good times.

Tho, she moved away 4 years ago, we still talk weekly, meet monthly for a shopping trip, and think of each other every day. And as our paths have moved to different areas within our lives, I know all it would take is a phone call and she would be here before I could hang up the phone, holding my hand with any challenge I have to face.

And you know what makes her the most special??? She has lived a life filled with abuse, molestation, alcoholism and drug addiction(sober/clean for 12 years-YOU GO GIRL), living with crippling arthritis, two divorces and the death of a child yet she is the most perkiest, happiest, loving, upbeat person I know. Tho it would be easier to slide down the path of dispair, she lives each day to the fullest, thankful for each moment in life she has. That has taught me alot, watching her in her life.

Gotta go, I need to make a phone call to tell someone thanks for being my friend!

One person that comes to mind as being truly beautiful inside is my Mom. She retired 3 years ago and is even busier now than she was then! Her volunteer schedule is very busy! She reads books for the blind, distributes the weekly sermon to church members who are ill or unable to attend church, and works 2 days at the Salvation Army eye clinic. She manages to fit in a few things for herself and her family, but she is very busy with her volunteer efforts! I can only hope that the recipients of her services know how genuine her efforts are!

The other light of my life is my 3 year old son! His love and caring is so pure and sincere! Even on the worst day, all it takes is for him to say "I love you Mama" or "You are my sweetheart" and it melts me every time! :love:

My friend Shirley is who I would nominate.

When she was a child, she had problems with her liver. From the issues with that, her spleen stopped working, so it was taken out. She has grown up with very big scars from that, and she takes scads of pills to keep everything in check.

In the months leading up to my wedding, she got sicker and sicker. She ended up having a stent put into her bile duct, and in a one in a billion chance, the stent shifted, and punctured her intestine, causing a BAD situation. Her then-husband rushed her to the hospital, and she had immediate surgery, and was in big trouble. But once she woke up, and between her need for morphine, she stayed happy.

Even when they took the morphine drip-at-will away, she remained happy and upbeat. Another person, with the stent shifting like that, would have called their lawyer immediately. She just took it as a chance, an error that just happened to happen to her.

While recovering, after telling me that (of course) she could no longer stand in my wedding, she made necklaces and earrings for the other women in the bridal party. She refused to let me help! And she rode, reclined, in the car with her husband, 3 hours, to be there at my wedding.

That was 4 years ago (today), and she has since ended her marriage with that husband (though she tried harder than anyone else I know to rebuild the marriage) and has moved on to a new life. She has remained upbeat and happy, and giving of herself to others whenever they need it.

She has now found a super guy, but she doesn't let him get away with the things she let her ex husband get away with when they were dating. She remains happy, but takes care of herself more now, which has made her even more terrific!

When I have had troubles in my life, even those far less than the emotional and physical problems she had in the months before my wedding, she has NEVER told me to stop whining, she has been a constant to listen, to rage with me, to cry with me, and all of that got me through it. When my other friends got bored with me, told me to get over it, and the like, she kept me sane.

I will never be able to thank her for all of that, and she would be horribly embarrassed by this "essay", but I wanted to at least let some part of the universe know how special Shirley has been to me and my family.

I would have to nominate my mom. She is the person who has taught me about so much through her actions. She is the person who taught me to work hard, and to never expect a hand-out. She taught me to be honest and to deal with the consequences of your actions or lack there-of. She taught me to turn the other cheek when you are mistreated and to not waste time or effort in looking for vengence. She taught me to never use a person, to always treat others the way you want to be treated.

My mom has had such a hard year this year - she is going through a divorce and her husband is still living in HER house!!! I would be a raving lunatic being in the same circumstances, but she is graceful. Even though she owned her home outright before she re-married 15 years ago she put her husband's name on the deed in concern for him in regards to taxes in case she passed first. Unfortunately, her concern for him at that time is biting her in the butt now - he wants half the value of the house HE did NOT buy or put one dime towards. Amazingly, she handles herself with dignity.

My mom also watches my kids while I'm at work because she wants to make sure they are well taken care of - I can't think of a person I'd rather want to watch them. I originally had a sitter years ago who was undependable then quit on me - my mom took on the full-time job of watching my kids from that point on.

For Christmas this year she gave my family a trip coming up in October at WDW, paying it from a small amount of money she inherited from her mom upon her death. She said she hoped we wouldn't mind that she came with us - she wanted to be there to see the kids have the time of their lives.

I can't say enough about my mom, and I'm getting all choked up writing about her now. She's never had an easy life - her dad left her family when she was 3 or 4, my dad turned out to be a drunk and abusive, my step-father turned out to be mean and selfish, but she never becomes bitter. She is the one who always sees the beauty in life and in the small things. She is a person who appreciates ANY small gesture of kindness and I've seen her in tears when a stranger does a kind favor for her - she is so humble. She is the most beautiful person INSIDE that I know, hands down.

The first person that comes to mind for me is my sister in law.

She is a pastor's wife and fulfills that role perfectly. She is the most genuine person I know, and the most generous with her time and talents. She works as a nurse, plays piano at church, helps out anyone who needs her help, and does public speaking for church related events as well. In addition to all this, through the years she has taken into her home her husband's grandparents when they could no longer care for themselves on their own, a developmentally disabled man, a struggling youngster, and most recently, my m-i-l and f-i-l, as my f-i-l was dying from Parkinson's. She is truly an amazing and beautiful person who always has a good and kind word to say about everyone. I admire her greatly!

Such great stories! :sunshine2:

If I had to pick one person who is beautiful on the inside (and the outside!), I would pick my DH's Nanna. She has been like my very own grandmother to me for the past 18 years. I absolutely adore her and when we get to visit with her I try to spend as much time with her as possible. Her health has declined over the years and she can't do as much as she used to but she's still quite the spitfire! She is the warmest, most loving person I know. I am so glad that I've gotten to know her and that both of my boys know their "Nanna", too.

I am blessed as I would say most of teh people I hang around with are very beatiful people. But the most beautiful person in my life is my husband. He is so amazing with our kids. He loves to spend as much time as he can with them. He also brings home dinner when I don't want to cook, takes me out when I need to get out, is supportive of the things I belong to. he is a great man!

The person in my life who I believe is the most beautiful inside is my mom. She has spent the last year and a half of her life taking care of her parents. She took care of her mother who had a stroke and could not walk, feed herself, or anything. My mother would not allow her to go into a home. She literally gave up her life to take care of her and was holding her hand in MAy when she passed away. She immediately turned her attention to her father, who already had lung cancer. She does everything for him. She wants to make sure the last of his life (just like her mother's) is filled with love. She refuses to leave his side. She is the most beautiful person I know.:heart:

This is a hard one for me as I feel I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by beautiful people, but I think the one person who stands out the most for me is my grandmother. She has held our family together through rough times. She's always there for not just me, not just family, but everyone that she knows and loves.

My entire time growing up, I always knew I could go to my "Mamaw" whenever I needed anything from physical items to advice/understanding. When I graduated and realized that living in dorms was going to require me to take out college loans, she deeded me an acre of her land and bought me a house to live in (so I wouldn't have to take those loans). When my grandfather died, she had to be grieving, but it wasn't herself she worried about - it was us children and grandchildren. When I became unexpectedly pregnant, she immediately held my hand and help me tell the rest of my family. As I still wasn't out of college, she provided free babysitting services including providing the diapers, formula, etc that my daughter needed while she was at her house (starting when my daughter was 2 weeks old) so that I could finish college and get my degree. Then when I graduated, she continued this service so that I could work full time and make a life for us. When I suffered through a rough separation, my grandmother was there for every trip to the Sheriff's Department to help me push for justice.

She is the glue that holds our family together. The last few years have thrown some real curve balls at our family as several members turned against each other, many accusations have been thrown out, and while there has been a pretty big division, my grandmother has been there to hold all willing family members together...to give a neutral place to gather and bond.

But it's not just our family that she shows this love and caring side to. She was the activity director at a local nursing home all my life and one day corporate just walked in and told them they'd be closing in less than a month and all the residents and employees would have to find places to go. Not one to think of herself and her now jobless fate, she immediately went out and bought the biggest mobile home she could find, contacted government agencies and set up an adult foster care in her home. By the time the nursing home did close down she was set up and brought 6 of the residents home with her and still cares for the elderly (in addition to now veterans) in her own home so that they can live like family and not in the unpersonal ways of nursing homes. She's now over 70 and still caring for these people...this is a 24/7 job. She has to always be there and availble to them - She can't just leave and go on vacation at a whim...she is glued to her home and these people that she now considers her second family.

I could go on and on about the selflessness of my grandmother. She is such an amazing woman, I just hope that one day, I can even half way measure up to her "amazingness." :love:

The person in my life that shows true inner beauty is a dear friend and my cousin. Her name is Louise Adkerson. She is in her 70's and has been in poor health for several years yet she is always doing for others. Her faith in God shines through just being around her. (Like a SR glow!:sunshine: )

When my uncle became ill with a brain tumor, she was always there to lend a hand from taking him to appointments, helping us to make sure he was fed, taking him to the grocery store, and keeping him company. When he was getting worse, she offered to have him stay with her at her house (already overcrowded with her sister who she takes care of, her daughter and grandson).

She tended to my uncle selflessly until the evening he passed which was the day my DD was born. He knew he was at her house and it made him happy to be near her. It gave him peace.

She also tended to her nephew by having him move in with her when he was at the end stage of cancer. Some days she could barely breath and was even on oxygen herself, but she made sure he had all he needed until the day he passed. She is our angel on earth!

She called me to make sure I new my dad had fallen and broken a hip (my dad's wife hates me and didn't want me around) and was in the hospital. He had cancer and was not doing well. I was at work that evening working 3rd shift but knew I needed to go to the hospital the next morning although I really dreaded dealing with my step mom and step sisters.

When I got to the hospital, my kids and I prayed before getting out of the van that God would be with us in dealing with the mean people we were about to encounter. My DD looked as we were walking into the hospital and saw Louise's car. I couldn't believe she had came to the hospital knowning my dad hated anyone to do with my mom's family. When we got to the room, sure enough, there was Louise visiting. When we walked in everyone stopped talking and just stared at us. My DD4 ran to Louise and grabbed hold of her hand and my DS8 grabbed her sister Mary and held on to her because of the tension in the room.

I couldn't even have any privacy with my dad. He was on a vent and unable to talk. My DD4 looks up at me and asks why all of the people are staring at us like that. I told her that I guessed they had nothing better to do with their time. It was so uncomfortable trying to see my dad for the last time.

After about 15 minutes, we walked out into the hall where my dad's sister was then talking to Louise. She just looked at me. Louise said, "Aren't you even going to speak to Anna?" My aunt begrudginly said hi. We left and my dad passed a few hours later. My kids still talk about how glad they were to see Louise and Mary that day.

She is very active in my children's life as well. My kids think of her as their other Granny. She is always making things for them and spending time with them. As I said, she is in poor health, but continues to put others above herself. She will have many crowns in heaven!

Sorry...this was not very brief...but I have not even begun to touch all of the things she does for others. I have tears in my eyes as I type this thinking of how she is always there for us and how much we love her. :cry: :)

She was born into a family that was already falling apart, a father who drank too much and mother who knew she had to take her child and move on. Her father then wanted nothing to do with her. A new father eventually came in to the picture, an abusive, self centered, egotistical father, that cared about nothing but himself and how the world perceived him. He too was eventually gone, and she was left to be raised along with a sister and a mother that seemed to be working constantly to make ends meet. She didn't drive a bmw like the other kids in school, her parents weren't the elite of the town like the others kids in school, in fact, it was difficult for her mom to even make it to school functions with working so much. Through scoliosis surgery and a back brace that kids laughed at, she still maintained her smile. She worked hard in school,had the lead in plays, and made friends with all her school mates, even the ones that no one else would. She went away to college, but still always had time to come home and always concerned about the family, even made time to come home and wash her mothers hair when she became ill. She took her little sister under her wing and tried to help her make it through college. Always a smile, always nice things to say to and about people, never wanting to ever hurt anyones feelings, no matter how mean they were to her. Shes grown into a hard working, caring mother now. She participates in church, bakes cupcakes for school, has the patience of Jobe with her kids. She works pro bono to protect the rights of children in the middle of divorces. Her financial means have made it possible for her to help others, and she has willingly. She would help anyone who would ask, and puts others before her at any cost. Shes made friends with a group of internet people, and works hard for them so they can have a little extra too. You all have seen her inner beauty and have the fortunate pleasure of knowing this person.....her name is Tricia.

Cindy, that is truly a beautiful statement about your daughter and I doubt she would be the person she is without you. Makes me want to cry and hug both of you.

Aww.. Cindy and Tricia...

Okay... mine would be my Grandpa. He is such a kind and giving person and always helps out anyone. He volunteers at the hospital and has logged over 10,000 hours there. He also drives his aunt to and from the doctor weekly, will offer to babysit for the neighbors (mind you, this is an 80 year old man!), took the newspaper from the curb to the front porch for the lady dow nthe stree who broke her hip for months, etc. The best thing about my grandpa is that he is always there for me. Whether I just need to talk or something more, he has been one of the most influential people in my 22 years.

(Hoping I'm randomly picked :) Sephora is my weakness! lol)

Who in my life shows their beauty on the inside...this is not a hard question, because the answer is simple. three letter name, MOM!. My mother works hard all day at a job where everyone thinks her job is to do there work, she gladly helps out, but is worked to the bone, while others do next to nothing. At home she works to be a refferee, a cook, a maid, a nurse, and more. She pust everyone and everything above herself. As others see her for what more she can give, i see her for what she has already given, and think she has true beauty inside.

I think the most beautiful person I know is my friend Brandie. She is selfless, positive, funny, giving and a wonderful friend. I love her upbeat attitude and her willingness to always pitch in a hand.

I would have to say the my mother has a beautiful spirit. Even if she is having a bad day she always calls and checks up on you. She always has put others before herself.

The person I immediate thought of is my Mom's best friend Mary. Mary always is doing things for others. People assume she is wealthy because she loves to give gifts. She has chosen to always be intentionally generous because you can't take it with you. She and her husband have blessed us so many times I can't even count. She is truly beautiful inside and out!!

My 15 year old daughter shows beauty on the inside and the outside. She loves horses and is hoping to become an equine veterinarian. I known alot of girls "love" horses but this goes beyond the love of riding, thinking horses are beautiful, and wanting to own one. She has volunteered more than 300 hours to a local horse rescue. These are horses with stories that will break your heart. Horses who were kept in chicken pens, had battery acid thrown on them, starved, neglected, and abused. She has been an integral part of helping to teach these noble animals to trust humans again. She has been bit, kicked, and stepped on more times than I want to recall but she continues to go back and support them with her time and her money. Because of the history these horses are not always ridable, so there is no opportunity for her to ride. That is what I call loving horses- mucking stalls, feeding, picking hooves, worming, sitting beside them when they are sick, scared or foaling. She even helped geld her favorite stallion with tears running down her cheeks.

In addition to her volunteer work she also participates in school plays and manages a straight "A" average in excelerated and AP classes.

I am in awe of her inner beauty.

My daughter is beautiful inside and out. She is so very kind and sweet. She always thinks of others and is a very big help. She is my common sense, sharp wit, always smiling sweetheart.

My best friend has so much inner beauty. Despite the fact that life is throwing her many curveballs right now, she is holding it together and doing everything she can to better herself, even in the face of incredible adversity. I admire her strength and dignity so much. It's inspirational.

My 5 year old son Jesse is truly beautiful inside. He was battled severe eczema, allergies and asthma since 4 months old. Through all of the hospital stays, horrendous pain and being house bound most of the time he still has kept his wonderful smile and sense of humor. That little boy has been through so much in his life that he is truly my inspiration. :love:

The person I think is beautiful on the inside (and outside) is my friend Deb. 12 years ago I went through a very trying time in my life. She was so kind to me and would call and check on me. She would bring me food and have me over to her house. I started relying on her for support, and she was ALWAYS there. She got me involved in things that kept my mind off of life so I wouldn't go crazy. If it wasn't for her, I honestly wouldn't be the person I am today nor could I have gotten through that horrible time of my life....

Angela

I just finished reading through all of the entries. Such beautiful stories!! It's hard not to cry when you read about so many people who have touched others. It definitely restores your faith that there are good people everywhere. :)

Interesting thing happened when I went to the random number generator. I've never had this happen before! I had it generate two numbers just in case the first number pulled happened to be an off-topic post or someone who was not qualified to participate (mom--LOL!). The random number generator pulled the SAME number both times!! Clearly the winner must be very deserving of this prize!

And the randomly drawn winner is....

firstfamilytrip


Please IM SunshineCindy with your SR userid or email address so that she can look you up and send you your $50 Sephora Gift Certificate prize.

Thanks to everyone who entered. YOU are all beautiful on the inside for recognizing the beauty of others.

Congrats firstfamilytrip, nice story. Your mom sounds great. I wouldn't hold my tongue.....but then again, thats probably why I was nominated for my "inner beauty" :rotfl: :rotfl:

For those who may have missed her post, here it is:

The most beautiful person in my life is my mom. My dad's family has been hard on her since the start. My dad stands up for her, but 30 years of back stabbing and snide comments would be hard to take. Yet I have never heard my mom say one bad thing about them. They have done so much to her I couldn't even begin to tell you. Imagine my shock when at 10 years old my cousin told me how much her parents hated my mom. My mom had never said one word bad about them so I found it unreal. I thought they were best friends. After that I started listening better and picking up on the hateful stuff from my dad's family. It's now 20 years later and she lives by,"if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." She has the best heart and I wish I could be as forgiving as she is.

She is now taking care of my uncle who is bed ridden from diabetes complications and my grandpa who smoked for too long in his life. My sister has had three complicated pregnancies and two premature babies and my mom is the first one there to help them out. She is always putting others first.

Sometimes it makes me mad to see that people take advantage of my mom, but she doesn't see it that way. She lives this life to get into the next and I think that is a beautiful thing to do. She is truly beautiful.

Congratulations firstfamilytrip!!!!!! Have fun shopping at Sephora!! :sunshine2:

Thank you Sunshine Rewards. I never win anything. I told my husband and he thinks I have taken up our good luck and now we don't have a chance of winning the big Powerball jackpot:rotfl:

On a side note, I am new to this site. I joined about a week ago with a referral from the DIS. What a way to make me a true believer:) I've also earned enough to make a dent in a Christmas giftcard. Every little bit helps and it makes me feel good to be able to contribute to somethings we need since I am a stay at home mom.

Thanks again for the contest and the giftcard and the site in general. :sunshine2: