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Positive Post of the day

The Boy Adopted by the Police Officer Who Responded to His ‘Horrific’ Child Abuse Is Now a Straight-A Student

Jody Thompson knew he had to foster the boy from one of the worst calls he ever responded to, and when the parents had a baby in jail, he and his wife adopted her too. He shares the family’s updates in his own words

By Diane Herbst 

Charley, 10 (left), Ryan, 16, Zaven, 6 months, Jeannie (center), Paizley, 7 months, John, 10, and Jody Thompson (right). PHOTO: POTEAU POLICE DEPARTMENT

Poteau, Oklahoma police officer Jody Thompson lives in the house he was raised in with his wife of 22 years, high school sweetheart Jeannie. On April 28, 2015, he was off duty, but heard a child abuse call come over the police radio that he thought he may be able to assist thanks to his background in investigating child abuse cases for the district attorney’s office, prior to joining the police department. Unable to walk away from the terrible abuse he saw, he ended up adopting the boy, John, and his infant sister, Paizley, in 2017. This is his story, told in his own words to PEOPLE.

Jody and John Thompson. POTEAU POLICE DEPARTMENT

Once I went into the house, I see this little boy, he was facing me, sitting on a couch, I’ll never forget. He was shivering, the kid he was shaking so bad, I guess probably shock and cold because he was soaking wet. He had a knot on his head the size of a tennis ball that that I’ll never forget.

He was obviously malnourished, you could see every rib in his body, and he was in bad shape. His hands were bound by belts, it was a pretty horrific scene. An ER doctor later testified that he couldn’t find a two-inch square on John’s body that didn’t have a cut, a bruise, an abrasion in some stage of healing.

I was with him for mere seconds when I scooped him up, got him in my car and put him in protective custody. I took him to the emergency room, and he weighed just 61 pounds. They went ahead and decided to put him in intensive care.

I stayed with him, never left his side. I had separated from the law enforcement side of it. I’d realized that I’d already gotten too involved in this to be objective. I’ve done some crazy cases in my career, but this was one of the craziest. It was bad.

Jody Thompson.

I learned that at his mom and dad’s they started water abuse with a shower head, spraying him in the face. When he got bigger, they’d put him in a small gray storage bin with anything out of the freezer, juice or cold peas or frozen vegetables, to make the punishment more severe.

And then we find out mom comes up with the idea to put a good sized trashcan inside the house and they’d raise the water up to about his nose level and put cold articles in it from the freezer.

But that day was different. They tied his hands together. He was held by his feet and put in headfirst until he quit fighting. They put the lid on the trashcan that day and put stuff on top of the lid. They told John they was going to the store to get ice.

As soon as he heard the truck leave, he just stood up, got out of the trashcan. He was locked in from the outside so he climbed out of a window and went to the neighbor’s house [who called the police].

The parents would each be charged with two crimes, child abuse by injury and neglect, and each were sentenced to 35 years.

Thompson family. JODY THOMPSON

After about two days John was released from the hospital and he went to a traditional foster home here in Poteau. And I couldn’t get him out of my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, if he was being treated right, if he was getting taken care of. There was no way that I’d ever be able to relax until I knew he was safe. And the only way I could guarantee him being safe was with me.

At the time, me and my wife, we had two sons of our own: Ryan was 16 and Charley was 8. I made some phone calls and filled out an application to become a foster parent and three days later they let me pick him up.

John and Paizley. JODY THOMPSON

Jeannie: And then two days later, we found out that we were pregnant with our third son.

When we brought John home, we’re trying to get as normal as we can get. John and my son Charley, they’re only six weeks apart in age. So they’re the same age, same grade, two second graders. They were best friends and all that. But it didn’t take long for the sibling rivalry to kick in!

Jody: On November 3, 2015, I was with John’s caseworker on a separate child welfare case, when she gets a phone call. She said, ‘I just got word that John’s mother had a baby in jail. What are we going to do?’ I said, ‘What do you mean what are we doing to do? I’m going to pick her up.’ The very next day, on the 4th, we picked her up from the hospital.

Jody Thompson.

Jeannie: And I was about six weeks out from having Zaven, he was born December 14th, 2015.

Jody: Early on, it was panic mode. I was one of six, and I always thought my parents were crazy having that many kids. So when John came along, I was comfortable that we were led by God in the right direction to do this, I wasn’t fearful then. But when Paizley came along, that was the first sign of panic. I thought, ‘We might have overdone this.’ But we just figured out a way.

My police department, this entire town of Poteau, Jeannie’s co-workers at the crisis center where she had been a domestic violence counselor, my family, my siblings, just everyone rallied around us and we’ve never had an issue.

Paizley and Zaven act like twins. They play like twins. They’re inseparable. They love each other. They worry about each other. I think that’s probably what they needed at the time. God knew that, they’re doing really well.

John and Paizley Thompson. JODY THOMPSON

We formally adopted John on August the 18th of 2016, and Paizley on February 16th of 2017. Paizley just turned six and she doesn’t have a clue what happened. That’s what we’re working on with counselors and with professionals.

Jeannie: When is the right time? Because we just want her to be mature enough to understand it.

Jody: We’re really working hard on John to let him know that this, it was a bad thing that happened, but it doesn’t define who he is.

Jeannie: John did go through some trauma therapy and did really well with that. We obviously had to deal with hoarding of food, with him being malnourished and not knowing when his next meal was going to come. He’s doing much better now with the food issue.

Jody: Jeannie and I both promised him, ‘You’ll never have to worry about food in this house. It will always be there.’ He’s a straight A student now and pretty active. He does marching band and drama and the thespian group and all of that. He is doing really well.

John: This happening has given me a lot of opportunities to do the things that probably I wouldn’t have gotten to do, find the things that I like and have the ability to pursue what I like. And my parents, they care.

Thank you for stopping in for my positive post for the day. There is Beauty in Every Day.

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Good Morning-See 23-Year-Old Help Scared Elderly Man Down Escalator

A photo of a young man helping an 83-year-old down an escalator is warming hearts across the country. The elderly man was frozen with fear as he stood atop an escalator at the Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, Mass. That’s when 23-year-old Alonzo Johnson stepped in, locking arms with the senior citizen and helping him down the escalator. The older man was terrified to get on because of a previous frightening experience he once had on an escalator, according to Johnson. #InsideEdition

Have a beautiful day and may your day be full of smiles.

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Your Good Morning post for today.

Old Man Sees Fresh Flowers on His Wife’s Grave Every Day and Meets a Young Woman There One Day — Story of the Day

By Sonali Bharadwaj

A grieving widower begins to notice fresh flowers on his wife’s grave on a daily basis and discovers they were left by a young woman he’d never met or seen before. Who was she? And how did she know his wife?

When Edgar Brooks’ wife Caroline died of cancer, he was left all alone, depressed. He and Caroline had been married for 45 years, and despite the fact that they had no children, their lives were filled with love and peace.

Caroline was a homemaker, and Edgar had retired as a teacher. When Caroline was bedridden after her diagnosis, Edgar spent days and nights by her bedside, looking after her and assuring her that everything would be fine.

“You’ll be fine soon, honey. And you’ll see, everything will be great,” he’d assure her.

But deep down, Edgar was aware that it wasn’t really an assurance for Caroline, but for him. Because he could handle losing anything in life but his beloved wife. However, as luck would have it, Caroline died of cancer, leaving him all alone.

After losing his beloved better half, Edgar didn’t feel like doing anything and followed the same monotonous schedule. He’d eat breakfast at a local diner, then buy a bouquet of Caroline’s favorite flower, and head to the cemetery where he sat beside her grave and spent hours talking to her.

“How are you, Caroline? Do you like the shirt I’m wearing today? If only I had a little more time with you, I would take you on a world tour. You promised you wouldn’t leave me, Caroline. Remember?” he’d say to her, occasionally crying out like a child when he realizes she’d never return.

Seeing the 81-year-old Edgar sobbing his heart out at his wife’s grave, nobody would believe he was the same cheerful man he’d been when Caroline was around him. But outliving his wife had aged the man in an instant and left him heartbroken and devastated.

One morning, Edgar arrived at the cemetery and was perplexed when he noticed fresh flowers on Caroline’s grave. At first, he thought it was left there by mistake or by a close friend of Caroline’s who might have paid her a visit.

But when he returned the next day, there was a new batch of fresh flowers there, as well as the next day and the day after that. At this point, Edgar was curious as to who brought them there. He asked the cemetery caretaker if he knew anything about it, but he answered he had no clue.

Edgar stood by his wife’s grave, baffled, staring at the flowers and looking around, but nobody appeared in close sight. Who is this person who’s been leaving flowers every day?

As he placed the bouquet he brought, he whispered, “Looks like someone loves you just as I do, honey. But I really don’t know who this person is. Whoever it is, I would love to meet and thank for honoring you with flowers every day.”

And so, Edgar decided to skip breakfast the next day and head to the cemetery early to see if he could catch a glimpse of this mysterious person.

When he arrived, he found a young woman placing flowers on Caroline’s grave. She wore a simple black dress with matching stilettos. She clasped her hands, muttered a brief prayer, and prepared to leave after placing the flowers. But Edgar stopped her.

“Excuse me! Please wait!” he called out to her and the young woman stopped in her tracks upon hearing his voice.

Edgar walked as fast as he could with his cane and was panting heavily as he approached her. “Mr. Brooks, are you okay? You look tired,” the woman said, concerned.

Edgar stared up at her, his eyes wide open with surprise. He’d never seen or met her, so how did she know who he was? “Young lady, you – you…how do you know who I am? And how do you know my wife?” he asked in a trembling voice.

The young woman smiled at him. “Would you mind if we take a seat, Mr. Brooks? There’s a lot I’d like to share with you,” she suggested.

The older man didn’t quite understand what was happening, but he followed her regardless.

They sat down on a bench nearby and the young lady introduced herself. “I’m guessing your wife never told you about me… My name is Amanda Jenkins, and I’m your wife’s daughter.”

Edgar’s cheeks flushed, surprised by the revelation, but he refused to believe Amanda’s words. “DAUGHTER? Look, miss! This is a terrible joke! Do you think you can just tell me a random story, and I’d believe that? It’s a terrible, terrible thing…I have no idea why you’re doing this, but please, don’t insult the memory of my wife by saying such things! Caroline couldn’t have children! So it’s not possible!”

“I’m sorry you’re learning about this now that she’s gone, Mr. Brooks, but I’m not lying.”

Amanda showed him a photo of a crumpled note with something scribbled on it from her phone’s gallery. Edgar took the phone in his hands, and upon closer inspection, he recognized Caroline’s handwriting.

“This… this can’t be true,” the man said in a shaky voice as he read the message.

“Dear Josh,

If you find this note, please do not come looking for me. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good mother or partner. Please shower our child with love and raise her with affection.

With love,

Caroline.”

“I, too, had no idea,” Amanda went on. “Dad only recently told me the truth after I found this crumpled note in one of his old diaries. He and Caroline dated a long while back, and then she found out she was pregnant with me.

“Dad wasn’t wealthy and Caroline’s parents were opposed to their relationship, so she had little choice but to abandon me after birth and hand me over to my father. He married my mother, and they raised me with affection. But when I found out about Caroline, I wanted to meet her, so I started looking for her on Facebook and that’s where I found her profile. However, I was too late.”

“But this…I really can’t believe Caroline kept this from me. The doctors said she couldn’t bear children because of complications. I – I don’t know what to say at this point…”

“I think it was fate that planned it this way for us, Mr. Brooks. I found my biological mother after she was no longer alive, and you’re learning about her past just now. Maybe she was afraid of losing you, which is why she never told you. My dad always says that we can do anything to protect our loved ones, and I think she did that too.”

Edgar’s eyes welled up as he sat quietly ingesting everything he had just heard. He reasoned Caroline kept the truth from him because she was worried he would leave her since she couldn’t have any children after Amanda. For a while, neither he nor Amanda spoke. Then Edgar excused himself and slowly strolled back home.

That day after meeting Amanda, Edgar’s life took a new turn and changed for the better. He began to meet Amanda regularly and they would visit Caroline’s grave together. Over time, they became good friends.

Even though Caroline’s absence still left a void in him, Edgar felt a sense of her younger self alive in the form of Amanda.

What can we learn from this story?

  • Never keep anything from your partner. Caroline may have kept the truth from Edgar when she was alive, but in the end, the truth found its way to Edgar.
  • The gloomy, dreary clouds of sadness don’t last long. Edgar was depressed after losing Caroline, but he regained happiness after meeting Amanda.

Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Good morning, your dose of awwww for the day.

You’ve got to admit kittens are pretty cute, and oh so soft and cuddly. This is one great Mama; she just goes above and beyond.

Cat Takes in Hours-old Kitten As Her Own 10 Days After She Has Her Litter of Three

Fern the cat and her kittens@fosterkittens_tn

Earlier this year, Nashville Cat Rescue was informed about a pregnant cat needing rescue at a rural shelter in Tennessee. The shelter lacked the resources to keep her, so they sent out a plea, in hopes of getting her help.

“We don’t know if she was a stray or surrendered but the staff recognized how friendly she was, and knew she needed to go into a rescue,” Becca and Nathan, who foster for Nashville Cat Rescue, shared with Love Meow.

With the help of volunteers, the expectant mother was safely transported to her foster home with Becca and Nathan. The gorgeous cat, named Fern, quickly settled into the cushy home life.

@fosterkittens_tn

Two weeks into foster care, Fern gave birth to three healthy babies and dove right into mommy duties. The doting cat gave her precious trio her undivided attention, with short breaks for replenishment and the litter box.

Ten days later, the couple received an urgent call about a newborn orange tabby desperately seeking a mother’s love. “She was just two hours old after her biological mom rejected her, and she was cold and screaming when she came to us,” the couple told Love Meow.

Fern accepted an orange tabby who had been rejected by her mom, and raised her alongside her own@fosterkittens_tn

“Hoping that Fern’s motherly instincts might extend beyond her own babies, we cautiously placed the tiny newborn with the rest of her litter.”

Fern sniffed around the little newcomer inquisitively. Despite being a bit unsure at first, she let the pint-sized baby stay without a fuss. After the tabby warmed up and snuggly wedged between other kittens, Fern turned to her and started bathing her from head to tail.

Peep the orange tabby@fosterkittens_tn

It didn’t take long until the orange kitten, named Peep, joined her big brothers and nursed away on Mama Fern in perfect harmony. Overnight, she put on 19 grams and gained lots of strength for a tiny body.

Peep was raised alongside her brothers who were a few days ahead of her in development. By the time they were allotted expanded territory to roughhouse in, the kittens began climbing cat trees, playing with toys and creating mischief.

Peep adores her brothers and follows them everywhere they go@fosterkittens_tn

The little sister followed in her brothers’ paw-steps and tried to match their pace like a champ.

Watch Fern and her kittens in this cute video:

Fern the cat and her kittenswww.youtube.com

“Peep adores her big brothers and has developed quickly trying to keep up with them. She was quick to have her eyes open, learn to walk, start eating solid foods, and learn to wrestle and run around. She doesn’t know she’s different at all.”

She tries to keep up with her big brothers and doesn’t think she is any different@fosterkittens_tn

When the boys returned from a vet appointment, Peep ran up to them with the warmest greeting. “She was quick to welcome them back into the cat tree house. My heart is so full fostering this sweet family.”

As the quartet are blossoming into rambunctious young cats, Fern is spending her time with her people, preferably on a warm lap.

@fosterkittens_tn

“She has been such a loving and devoted mom and saved Peep’s life taking her in at just a few hours old. She is over mom duties, and desperate to get out of the foster room,” the couple shared.

@fosterkittens_tn

“We are thankful she will get to stretch her legs and snuggle on laps whenever she wants.”

@fosterkittens_tn

Share this story with your friends. Follow updates on the cat family and Becca and Nathan’s fosters on Instagram @ fosterkittens_tn. Follow Nashville Cat Rescue on Facebook and Instagram @nashvillecatrescue.

Have a wonderful day and I hope you have enjoyed today’s awww post.

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Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is run by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each Tuesday we are given a theme that we can make our own to fit our needs.  It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s theme is February 21: Favorite Heroines (or heroes, if you prefer!) I’m going to change the theme and list books that sound like they involve female drama.

A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love.

Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process.

Welcome to Eldey, an island with deadly secrets.

Mona: a carefree artist, staying at the Cloister to work on her illustrations.

Beth: the harried mother of a toddler, on the remote Welsh island for a weekend with her family.

Charlotte: a reluctant stepmother who wanted a romantic getaway with her husband.

One of them is a serial killer who poisoned four of her friends at her eleventh birthday party.  They all fit the profile. Who will risk everything to kill again?

An absolutely gripping Welsh crime novel, perfect for fans of Sarah Pearce and Lucy Foley.

Two sisters have one summer to crush their comfort zones and save their grandmother’s legacy in this sweet, sexy, and heartfelt novel by Ali Brady, author of The Beach Trap. Things get even more complicated when secrets come to light, making the sisters question the one relationship they’ve always counted on: each other. With their company’s future on the line, they can’t afford to fail. But in trying to make a comeback to honor their grandmother, are they pushing themselves down the wrong path?

In the spirit of Colleen Hoover and Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You, an unforgettable and heartbreaking love story with an earth-shattering secret at its core that asks the question: is love worth risking everything for?

An earth-shattering secret. A life-changing love story.

When Wren realizes her fiancé is in love with someone else, she thinks her heart will never recover.

On the other side of the world, Anders lost his wife four years ago and is still struggling to move on.

Wren hopes that spending the summer with her dad and step-family on their farm in Indiana will help her to heal. There, amid the cornfields and fireflies, she and Anders cross paths and their worlds are turned upside-down again.

But Wren doesn’t know that Anders is harboring a secret, and if he acts on any feelings he has for Wren it will have serious fall-out for everyone. Walking away would hurt Wren more than she can imagine. But, knowing the truth, how can she possibly stay?

From the multi-award-winning and internationally bestselling author Donal Ryan, a searing, jubilant story about four generations of women and fierce love

The Aylward women of Nenagh, Tipperary, are mad about each other, but you wouldn’t always think it. You’d have to know them to know that—in spite of what the neighbors might say about raised voices and dramatic scenes—their house is a place of peace, filled with love, a refuge from the sadness and cruelty of the world.

Their story begins at an end and ends at a beginning. It involves wives and widows, gunrunners and gougers, sinners and saints. It’s a story of terrible betrayals and fierce loyalties, of isolation and togetherness, of transgression, forgiveness, desire, and love. Of all the things family can be and all the things it sometimes isn’t. The Queen of Dirt Island is an uplifting celebration of fierce, loyal love and the powerful stories that bind generations together.

Mexican Gothic meets Outlander in this spellbindingly atmospheric timeslip debut, as a woman struggling with struggling with her mental health spends the winter with her cruel in-laws in their eerie, haunting manor that sweeps her back through time and into the arms of her fiancé’s mysterious, alluring 19th century ancestor.

Traveling to be with her fiancé’s terminally ill mother in her last days, Saoirse Read expected her introduction to the family’s ancestral home would be bittersweet. But the stark thrust of Langdon Hall against the cliff and the hundred darkened windows in its battered walls are almost as forbidding as the woman who lies wasting inside. Her fiancé’s parents make no secret of their distaste for Saoirse, and their feelings have long since spread to their son. Or perhaps it is only the shadows of her mind suggesting she’s unwelcome, seizing on her fears while her beloved grieves?

Readers of Eve Chase, Kate Morton, and Anita Frank will devour this bewitchingly atmospheric, melancholy modern ghost story set in the lush hills of England’s Lake District. There, a solitary women’s quiet life spent in her crumbling ancestral manor house with the company of a child’s ghost is dramatically interrupted when her estranged sister returns to share a horrific story of cruelty and desperation from decades earlier…

Francine Thwaite has lived all her fifty-five years in her family’s ancestral home, a rambling Elizabethan manor in England’s Lake District. No other living soul resides there, but Francine isn’t alone. There are ghosts in Thwaite Manor, harmless and familiar. Most beloved is Bree, the mischievous ghost girl who has been Francine’s companion since childhood.

When Francine’s estranged sister, Madeleine, returns to the manor after years away, she brings with her a story that threatens everything Francine has always believed. It is a tale of cruelty and desperation, of terror and unbearable heartache. And as Francine learns more about the darkness in her family’s past—and the role she may have played in it—she realizes that confronting the truth may mean losing what she holds most dear.

As moving and poignant as it is chilling, Her Little Flowers is a story of grief and enduring love—and of the haunting regrets only forgiveness can dispel.

Love isn’t blind, it’s just little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love—not with one man but two. The timing couldn’t be worse.

Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird brings her signature charm to this multicultural story about two disputing families sharing a beach house and the messiness that comes from falling in love with someone who your family is determined to despise.

In 1944, Germany, two sisters seek to overcome impossible odds in this unforgettable WWII novel about sisterhood, courage and survival.

All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.

After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together.

But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory while four‑year‑old Mindel is sent into the so‑called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. Rachel knows her sister will have no chance of survival all on her own.

Working in the windowless, airless factory—filling munitions casings with chemicals that burn her fingers and make her eyes sting—the only thing that keeps Rachel going is the thought of her little sister. Because if there’s even a chance Mindel is alive, Rachel knows she must try to save her.

But, separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who do not even see them as human beings, can either of the orphaned sisters dare to hope that they’ll ever find their way back to each other? And to freedom?

What do you think of my selections? Will you be reading any of these?

Have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping in.

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Good morning, A make you smile moment for today.

Young Man Jumps In to Help Elderly Woman Struggling On Ice

On December 8, Isaiah McIntyre helped the elderly woman so that she could get into Katahdin General Store in Millinocket. It all started after he saw the woman slipping and struggling on a patch of ice with her cane in one hand and her purse in another.

He got out of his car and asked her if she needed any help and helped her to the dry sidewalk, the lady thanked him, and he carried on not thinking it was a big deal. But there was a woman bystander who caught the moments on camera which ended up on Facebook.

Users identified the good Samaritan and the woman in the photo as 93-year-old Marjorie Moore who said her children questioned why she went out on a cold day, but she assured them that it wasn’t so cold and there was only a little ice on the sidewalk.

“He was just a young fellow…I thanked him and told him he was a very nice gentleman,” recalls Moore who will turn 94 in January and still lives alone in an apartment at an assisted living community. The picture has been shared more than 2,600 times in Maine and as far as Italy with messages and comments from common people.

“It’s not every day that you see people react positively towards other people,” says Mcintrye who has been surprised by all the compliments. “There is a lot of people who is very nice. Even over at the shopping center, they will see me and say you need help getting into the car or with your groceries. There is a lot of people out there that is very kind,” says Moore.

Small act of kindness caught on camera in Millinocket spreading joy and hope – YouTube

Keep compassion in your heart and have a beautiful day.

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Good Afternoon and your happy post for today

It’s been a day alright. Went to the gym early to get more done today. We went to the gym, Walmart and the feed store to get timothy hay and treats for the guinea pigs. The heat wasn’t working in the car, and we knew something was wrong. Then the car started overheating and we let it cool for an hour and after that we drove it for 5 minutes and it overheated again. With a broken-down car we had to call our son to bring another car to pick us up and get the groceries home. Upon returning home it was house cleaning time and dinner making time. I can finally get online now for some posts. I do hope your day has been better than mine and you’re continuing to smile.

Bear, the pit bull hit by a car and left for dead

https://www.facebook.com/bear.the.blind.pit

When Bear was still just a puppy, he was hit by a car at a gas station and left for dead. The accident led him to lose both of his eyes, and when his owner saw him at the pet hospital, she just left them there. Luckily, a member of the hospital staff told her daughter about Bear, and she welcomed the pit bull into her home and her heart. Now, he’s the happiest pup ever. To learn more about Bear, find out Why the Story of This Blind Pit Bull Is Melting Hearts Everywhere.

I am so glad this dog got the care and a loving home that he needed.

Thank you for stopping in. Your visit today blesses me.

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{Book Blogger Hop} — Where Do You Get Your ARCs?

Visit Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer here

Q. Do you use other sources for ARCs besides NetGalley?

A. I do use NetGalley for most of my ARC’s. I belong to several blog tour groups, I do launch teams for authors, belong to street teams, get contacted by publishers and authors who would like me to read and review their books. Some I agree to some not. I have tried BookSirens but haven’t been impressed with their selection.

What about you?

Let me know in the comments what sources you use for your arc reads.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

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Good Morning, your dose of awwww for today!

Cat Sneaks Into A Zoo And Becomes Friends With A Lynx

It doesn’t matter what kind of animal you are, friendships develop just the same. This couple of friends are the living proof: in St. Petersburg’s Zoo, a European lynx has become friends with a regular Russian cat.According to Love Meow, the feline was homeless and happen to find some food where the lynx lived. Not only was the lynx fine with sharing, they also became great friends.

“It seems as if the cat needs the lynx as much as she needs her”, says Love Meow. People explain that the cat considers the lynx to be her mother, as she was just a kitten when she made this unusual friend. The Zoo, seeing this friendship, adopted the cat so they could live together, as they still do.

Have a beautiful day and give your kitties a hug for me.

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Good Morning, POSITIVE UPLIFTING NEWS STORIES

Meet the Man Who Created a Theme Park for People with Special Needs

Gordon Hartman is the founder of Morgan’s Wonderland (shown above on right, photo credit: Morganswonderland/Facebook.com). It’s a 25-acre theme park in San Antonio, TX, with a twist. It operates as a non-profit because the 25 rides you’ll find here are accessible to those with disabilities.  Or, as Hartman calls it, ultra-accessible™.

A view of Morgans Wonderland. Photo Credit: Facebook.com

Hartman has always followed an entrepreneurial spirit. He started a landscaping business when he was 15, bringing in enough money to start a home-building company before age 20.

At 23, Hartman owned a land development company. That business became the largest enterprise of its type in the city, leading him to be inducted into the local halls of fame for sports and business. It makes for a good story, but it gets even better.

He and his wife sold the company in 2005 to establish a foundation that lets children and adults pursue their dreams, even when cognitive or special needs are present. Morgan’s Wonderland was designed in 2010 and opened its doors in 2017. 

It Started with a Family Vacation

Hartman and his family were on vacation in 2006. He observed his daughter wanting to play with two other vacationing children at a hotel swimming pool. Still, they didn’t want to interact with her while tossing a ball around because of her physical and cognitive special needs.

“I’ve made hundreds of speeches about why philanthropy is important,” said Hartman. “It’s not just about giving money. Those who are less fortunate also need time donations. I’ve found that donating my expertise to non-profit organizations allows them to grow and thrive, and that is gratifying.”

Hartman signed The Giving Pledge as part of this transformation, promising publicly that he’d give away his wealth.

“The cost of caring for a child or adult with special needs is staggering,” Hartman said. “This segment of society is largely overlooked, marginalized, and has no voice. Our mission is to make their world a little easier to navigate and enjoy – and to be their advocate.”

Morgan’s Wonderland Supports Numerous Diagnoses

You can’t miss the Whirling Wonder when arriving at Morgan’s Wonderland. This colorful Ferris wheel takes visitors high enough into the air to deliver a panoramic view of the park without being scary for most riders. It stands 5.5 stories tall, which makes it visible from the interstate. A dozen gondolas accommodate children and adults with wheelchairs. [[3]]

There’s an eight-acre lake at the theme park that visitors can tour by riding the Wonderland Express™. It carries multiple railcars equipped with wheelchair-accessible ramps.

The train is designed to accommodate even powered wheelchairs, taking visitors around the park for a fun ride.

Then there is the unique Sensory Village™ at Morgan’s Wonderland. This stop creates a community built on creative play and imagination. It’s an indoor area where five themed regions are available to explore, encouraging hands-on learning with a mindful design that encourages everyone to be curious and interact as they are comfortable.

The current Sensory Village includes a grocery store, an exploration station, and an interactive shadow room. Visitors can enjoy exploring a television newsroom or the Microsoft Experience, which features adaptable Xbox consoles and accessible technology.

“We need to close the gap between the rich and the poor, the sick and the healthy, and those with and without special needs,” said Hartman. “The private sector can step up more aggressively and address these inequities through better education, health care, and living conditions.”

Camping and Sports Are Part of the Morgan’s Wonderland Experience

Since the theme park’s opening, the Hartmans have added two different properties to this experience. The first is a fully inclusive sports complex that focuses on fun, fitness, and competition for athletes of any ability, while the second is a 102-acre campground on the northern outskirts of San Antonio.

A 16,000-square-foot assistance facility near Morgan’s Wonderland opened in 2022, creating space for several services and organizations. [[4]]

“People come up to me all the time and say that they love my park,” said Hartman. “I tell them no – this isn’t my park. It’s everyone’s park.”

Hartman’s team consults with doctors and therapists to ensure each activity at one of their properties is inclusive. That proactive approach ensures that visitors can play and enjoy themselves in whatever way they prefer without being unsafe. Hartman says their zip line is an excellent example of this design, which takes visitors up 11 stories – even if they’re in a wheelchair or have a breathing apparatus.

“People have come from all 50 states and 121 different countries,” said Hartman. “I never anticipated the numbers we would have. That’s the culture here. It gives people an opportunity to do the things they never thought they could do.”

All ages and all abilities are welcome in the environment of inclusion. More information about Morgan’s Wonderland is available at https://morganswonderland.com.

References:

[[1]] https://original.newsbreak.com/@ash-jurberg-560946/2856828116526-the-san-antonio-man-giving-away-millions [[2]] https://givingpledge.org/pledger?pledgerId=407 [[3]] https://www.sanantoniomag.com/gordon-hartman/ [[4]] https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2022/10/03/hartman-multi-assistance-center-morgans-wonderland.html [[5]] https://videos.aarp.org/detail/video/6310125079112/father-opens-a-theme-park-for-daughter-with-disabilities

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