Parents love when their kids have friends over, but aren’t always as fond of the messes left behind. Hearing the laughter from the living room or the banter from the basement warms a mom’s heart.
However, sometimes it can be overwhelming when your house is the one where everyone loves to crash. Sweeping up the crumbs, washing a pile of towels, baking an endless stream of pizza, tripping over extra shoes, not to mention the empty fridge and cupboards once a hungry group of kids have their way.
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Heather Duckworth of Love, Faith & Chaos is a mom who understands those feelings all too well. She shared on Facebook that many parents have only 18 summers with their kids and as the end of her 18th summer with her teens draws to a close, she began feeling differently about those piles of shoes she found strewn about her front porch.
“These shoes are a sure sign that it is summer and school is out. These shoes mean there is probably no food left in my house. These shoes mean noise and chaos and laughter and music. It means there are probably kids lounging on my sofa, floating in my pool, playing air hockey or watching a movie somewhere. These shoes mean that we are the designated hang-out house today.”
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But one day, she paused before perusing past the pile of shoes and felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The kids to whom those shoes belong had been hanging out at her house for four years now.
They are kids who have played sports with hers, who have been in the same classes dating all the way back to elementary school, kids she has watched grow up with her own. But those shoes will be going different directions come fall, a melancholy thought she didn’t welcome.
“Big changes are happening around here – for me and all these kids in my house. My heart knows it and feels it and that’s why the sight of these shoes has me feeling a little sentimental. I know that after this summer, things will never be the same again. This is a bittersweet part of parenthood . . . this transition from having them home to watching them leave. My head knows this is a good thing, but my heart . . . it just hurts.”
Seeing those shoes means her kids are home. It means Heather knows where they are at, who they are with and that everyone is safe under her roof.
Yet those shoes won’t be there much longer. Soon, those shoes will be kicked off in dorm rooms across the country as the kids to whom they belong take their first big steps into adulthood.
“And I know that all of these shoes might not find their way back home next summer as life takes them on new adventures. These thoughts hang over my head like a dark cloud . . . trying to steal the joy from the present moments. I shake my head, trying to force those wistful feelings away. I don’t want the sadness of what is to come to take away the happiness of today. But I am finding that I have to remind myself of that often during this 18th summer because every moment seems bittersweet.”
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For now, Heather said she will “embrace these shoes and I will be so thankful for them.” She will immerse herself in every last minute before her beloveds spread their wings and leave the nest.
“I will buy all the snacks. I will welcome these kids into my home and let them crash on my couches. I will soak up the sounds of their laughter and I will make them clean up all of their messes. I will pray that everyone drives home safely and I will love having a full house. But most of all, I will do my best to choose happiness and joy for this moment right now and not let that dark cloud of sadness swallow me up. Because this moment right now . . . it is really good.”
Before Heather helps her college-bound kids pack and embark upon an exciting adventure, she will “treasure this summer of the shoes.” Because all too soon, the shoes will be gone and her porch, sadly, will be empty.
Since writing her touching post – it’s gone viral and been shared more than 100,000 times.
Sometimes, we get to experience something so special and unforeseen that we wonder whether it is a pure magic, a miracle, or maybe a plain coincidence. These events are those moments in life that leave us astounded, and take our breath away.
This is the story of Peter Bilello that testifies about those one-of-a-kind miracles. He was born in Sicily, but came to the U.S when he was young, in the early 1960s. In one occasion, when he went back home to visit his parents, his mother introduced him to a beautiful young woman who became his soul mate and a life companion shortly after.
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The newlyweds decided to move back to America together, and settled down in Harford, Connecticut. Their life was a happy one. They got two lovely children and four grandchildren.
Peter loved his wife endlessly and came up with a nice idea that would stand as a symbol for the affection they felt for each other. He took two dollar bills out of his pocket, signed the one, and then gave the other to Grace to sign it. He promised to keep the bills in his wallet forever.
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Peter explained in an interview with WTNH News, “Then I put them in my wallet. And I said, ‘These dollars are going to be in my wallet forever.'”
However, five years later, he somehow spent the two bucks by mistake. He says: “I feel so mad, I feel sorry. I said, ‘I was never going to see those two dollars back again.'”
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Peter and Grace got to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary surrounded by their family and friends. But sadly, a few months after that, Grace passed away and left her husband heartbroken.
Then, seven months after he lost her, Peter witnessed something truly amazing, a sign from God that the spirit of his beloved wife was still there, looking after him and the family.
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He entered a restaurant with one of his grandchildren and what he received by the waitress was a fortunate stroke of serendipity.
He felt the urge to visit the cemetery and Grace’s grave and tell her what happened.
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Watch the video below to see Peter’s real-life miracle:
Stacey Philpot is a blogger and a mother who decided she had it enough of the social media she honestly believed was quite toxic. She wanted to stay away from all those social networking sites and the virtual world, and actually try to experience the real one.
But it turned our her idea to ditch the Internet wasn’t going as planned because just as she reached that decision, she got a message from a friend about something posted on Facebook that she had to see. Breaking up with the digital world wasn’t going to happen that day, because she was way too curious and had to log into her account.
Once she saw the news she simply couldn’t believe her eyes. A random person had caught one boy doing something all of the other students refused to do. Stacey felt overwhelmed when she realized it was a photo of her son, and his picture along with his story were spreading on Facebook like a wildfire.
Stacey realized that everyone was talking about her son’s act, and she couldn’t be more proud. Complete strangers were praising her son’s behavior and she knew she did just the right thing when she taught him the true values of life. His action was considered courageous by most of the people who read the story behind the photo of Hayden.
Stacey said how her son
“… captured the attention of our community by standing alone, by doing everything we’d ever taught him, everything we’d ever hoped he would do. I was completely undone.”
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Hayden was spotted standing next to the Lake Minneola High School’s flagpole during the annual See You At The Pole day. That’s an event that encourages young students to gather around the flagpole and pray for the well-being of those they love, their church, and the whole community.
“My son says at first, he thought he would simply pray until someone else came along. Eventually, he realized no one else was coming. Then, the cry of his heart changed. He asked that God would do something with his standing alone.”
He didn’t care if he was standing alone, as long as he did what he truly believed in.
Facebook/Chronically Whole
Stacey was eager for Hayden to learn that he was a real sensation among the people from his community, as well as the whole country, so she sent him a message while he was still at school, saying:
“You should know that people in our community are going crazy about a young man who stood at a flag pole alone and prayed this morning. They are talking about what an amazing young man he must be and how proud his parent’s should be. And I want you to know that your parents are so proud of you. You are an amazing young man. I love you so much.”
This mother and son spent that night reading all those positive comments that meant the world to a young boy like Hayden. Stacey added:
“So to you, wherever it is in your life you stand alone, be it a flag pole or a marriage, a place of work or a seemingly impossible situation, I believe my son would like to remind you God can do big things with your standing alone. Perhaps, for now, you are praying until someone else shows up or takes notice. God sees, he knows, and he can do big things.”
It turns out Internet and the social media are not that toxic after all and could be used for good words to be spread.
Birthdays are big occasions for little kids. It’s not just the anticipation of tearing into presents, but also having fun with family and friends, enjoying delicious cake and celebrating the big milestone.
While Lexie’s family was busy bustling around preparing for her ninth birthday party, something tragic and terrible was unfolding. Only Lexie was aware of what was happening, but she couldn’t tell anyone.
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Lexie has celebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound. She cannot walk or talk.
On the day of her birthday party, danger was lurking nearby. Her rambunctious and adventurous little brother, 18-month-old Leeland, was in harm’s way and no knew except for Lexie.
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Their mom Kelly Jackson headed upstairs to change clothes for the party while their grandmother Nancy Comeau-Drisdelle brought Leeland downstairs after he awoke from his nap. Nancy continued working on party details in the kitchen while Leeland toddled about.
That’s when Lexie spied Leeland slipping out the unlocked patio door. He closed the door behind him and headed straight for the family’s swimming pool.
Lexie knew Leeland was in harm’s way. But she couldn’t rush after him or holler for help.
So the brave little girl mustered all of her strength and began shrieking. She managed to point at the door while screeching, alerting her family that something was wrong, Kelly told CTV Atlantic.
“All of the sudden, I’m upstairs and I hear her screaming… We’ve never heard her scream like that.”
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Nancy heard Lexie and spun around. Leeland was gone.
“She’s yelling and she’s pointing at the door, and I realize Leeland’s not with her. I took off outside and I’m not seeing him. I ran, and he’s right by the edge (of the pool) and I took him out.”
It was a miracle that Leeland did not drown. He ingested water, but after being checked out at the local hospital, his family was told he was fine.
Little Leeland owes everything to his big sister who, despite her physical challenges, truly saved his life. Lexie’s family said it was a birthday they will never forget.
Kelly shared with CTV Atlantic:
“I hugged her, I cried and I still thank her every day. Because honestly, in that matter, two seconds makes a huge difference.”
The following day, the family put a fence up around the pool. They also installed a locking gate between their home at their pool.
As for Lexie, this sweet little superhero has received awards from the Halifax Regional Police and her local MLA for her life-saving efforts.
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Watch the video below to see more on this incredible story!
Talocan is Phantasialand’s ride that has got every guest’s heart racing. It looks normal, then the fire comes in. This 32-passenger ride is one of the most talked-about at Phantasialand due to the many terrifying features it boasts of. Filmed from four different angles, this clip shows the entire ride of Talocan and all the crazy features – just watch the guests as they endure through it.
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Like most rides, it starts out in that slow elevation which allows you just enough time for your anticipation to sky-rocket. Chills run up and down your spine, and you start to wonder what you are about to go through, or if it is even worth it. Then, suddenly, you are dropped in a swinging motion, but the craziness has only started. These guests go through all of that, which is the typical for a theme park ride, but Talocan is so much more.
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There is a monster-sized statue which hails in the front-center of the ride, looking like he’s about to attack every time the people are lowered. There are also unexpected bursts of fiery flames, and walls of water that spray throughout the ride. Each second is a new surprise!
Terry is a lifeguard at Bondi Beach in Australia, and thanks to his heroic action, this little girl’s life was saved. When he first spotted this little girl from his tower, her arms were flailing above the water, but her head kept hiding from the currents. She was clearly in danger. But Terry’s incredible speed and safety mode kicked into full gear and he rushed towards the crashing waves with no time to lose.
He sprinted through the sand with his surf board, and dove into the water, all the while hoping he would get there in time When he grasped her tiny body out of the water, he lifted her onto his board while she took in the deepest breath of air. The two of them were still stunned by what just happened, but they made it to shore.
Shedding painful tears, Terry shares about how his own dear baby was lost after having been in the birth canal too long and died after lack of oxygen. The tragic experience has had a major impact on Terry’s life and gives him a passionate focus to save others lives so that other parents don’t have to experience the loss he went through.
This 83-year-old man proves that you’re only as old as you feel. At a festival in Holland, he shows everyone a thing or two about a great way to appreciate music.
An electronic dance music festival is not where most people would expect to find a man in his eighties. Yet at the Edit Dance Festival in Haarlem, he proves that dance is in the genes of the Dutch. This festival had international DJs performing, yet this man will probably be remembered best for his performance that day. He had the best dance moves in the whole crowd, and several people gathered in the background to watch him. When asked what he thought of the festival, he responded, “It’s still early. I am waiting for the DJs who play harder music”. What a great reply! He is now inspiring many people who have watched his video, whether they are older and thought their dancing days were behind them, or if they are younger and now have someone to look up to and emulate as the years go by. When he enjoys the music, he is ready to let loose and dance and won’t let anything stop him.
Lois Hicks, an 88-year-old woman passed away in her hometown of Odessa in April 2006. The family members gathered for a meeting near a nearby funeral home the following day. All was well, until Lois’ family left the room.
A woman with no family ties found her way in the funeral’s restroom at 5:30 p.m. The unidentified female thief leaned into the coffin and removed Lois’ diamond ring from her finger. The thief fled after her deed.
Fortunately, the security camera’s captured the incident. When Vel, Lois’ daughter, walked in 15 minutes later to retouch her late mom’s makeup, she discovered the ring was missing. Despite the camera capturing the incident, the police were unable to identify the female thief. Days later, the authorities were able to trace the 41-year old woman and preferred charges against her, stealing from a human corpse.
Unknown to the thief, she had a stolen a fake diamond ring worth $10. I am sure the thief has not recovered from the embarrassment she caused herself yet.
Lois must really have been a pretty fantastic and humorous woman to be able to play a prank on people — even after her own death.
Below you can see what the camera caught.
