BELIEVE ACHIEVE - Honor 2008 With A Farewell Toast

In a matter of hours, in different parts of the world, the year is drawing to a close. It's been a glorious and prosperous journey. A journey blessed with more love than we could have imagined, blooming new friendships and many more cherished memories. We've been showered with invaluable knowledge and rich wisdom, have discovered our passion and our purpose and are living an authentic life filled with pure happiness. It's truly been an incredible year, and we are ever so grateful for those who have guided and followed us through our journey.

At 11:59pm on December 31st, let's raise our glasses in honor of 2008 with a farewell toast. Let the wonderful memories of this journey fill our hearts with love and joy. Give thanks, gratitude and appreciation for the many blessings and the many more to come. Chronologically, we are at the end of the year, but our journey will continue on with new beginnings.

May 2009 be filled with more joy, more love and many new experiences. Happy New Year, our dear friends. We raise of glasses with you.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

BELIEVE ACHIEVE - Anyway by Martina McBride

Martina McBride has always been one of our favorite singers. She has the most Amazing voice and her songs, her lyrics strike up many emotions and thoughts. Her song, titled "Anyways", seems to be written just for us. And for you. Believing and taking action always leads to Achieving more than you thought possible. Never give up. Success, your dreams and aspirations are waiting for you just around the corner.

Here are her Inspiring lyrics. Sing along with us.

You can spend your whole life buildin'
Somethin' from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

God is great, but sometimes life ain't good
When I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This worlds gone crazy and it's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
An in a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway

You can pour your soul out singing a song u believe in
but tomorrow they will forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway!

I sing, I dream, I love anyway!

By Martina McBride
To hear the song and view her beautiful music video CLICK HERE

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

Positive Quote for the Day

"If you think you're too small to make a difference,
then obviously you've never been
in bed with a mosquito."

-Michelle Walke

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference - Children Helping Children

There definitely isn't anything more beautiful than children helping children. During a time of year when most children are only thinking about "ME, ME, ME!!" and about the presents which magically appear under the Christmas tree, there are still many who find this holiday season the perfect time to make a difference.

What started out as just a class project for English teacher, Victoria Czaia, has manifested into something much greater. A few weeks ago, Victoria Czaia, discovered a wonderful organization called Make A Child Smile.Org through our website and thought it would be a wonderful idea for her High Flyer class at the EF English First School in Xian, China to make cards for children with chronic illnesses. The children were more than thrilled to make and send the cards to brighten another child's day and to bring smiles to their faces.

The amazing news didn't stop there. The school, it's directors, the staff and the students' parents were so supportive of this incredible project, the ENTIRE school is now involved! Many more cards are now being sent to children around the nation from miles away and across the oceans.

This project has proved to be more than a mere art project. The children are learning about life and to love all mankind. It's a lesson in caring for others, compassion, generosity, gratitude and hope. Each child is learning that caring is the road to a happiness that will thrive within them. Victoria Czaia and the EF English First School are making a difference in the lives of the children they teach, along with the children they are sending the cards to. This holiday season, the children have given a larger, more valuable gift....the gift of love, a smile, hope and a caring heart.

Many Blessings....

Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference - Giving Back This Holiday Season and Into 2009

The Holidays are a special time of the year. It's a time of endless festivities: family gatherings to share love and laughter and enjoy generous meals, corporate parties and events, attending unforgettable holiday productions performed by our children, and for more many of us, it also includes exchanging special gifts with our friends and loved ones. But for some, the holidays can be a challenging time. In our communities and around the world, there are children and families who could use a little holiday cheer. This holiday season, make it unforgettable, by giving a needy family and child the priceless gift of hope, love, warmth and a smile. Make a difference this holiday season. Here are a few great ways to start.

Make A Child Smile Organization

For the price of a stamp, YOU can make a child smile. The Make A Child Smile Organization (MACS) founded in 1998 by Alexandra Bakker has brought hope, smiles and words of encouragement to a number of children with life threatening illnesses all across the United States. You can bring a smile to a child's face by sending a card or a small gift to the Featured Kids of the Month on their website. The MACS website includes their courageous stories and pictures, along with an address to send your card. Each child's courageous story will touch your heart and speak to your soul. You'll want to reach out and hug each and every one of them. You're surely going to fall in love with their smiles. And it's their wonderful smiles we want to keep up and going.

We just received the most precious gift ever! We heard the news that our post on this organization has INSPIRED an entire school in China to make and send cards to the children featured on the MACS website. This is a prime inspirational example of how No One is too small to make a difference! Children helping children is a beautiful thing.

Volunteer at your Local Church or Community Center

Because "it takes a village to raise a child" (African proverb), you can make a profound difference in your own community by volunteering at a local church, club or center. Most places have an after school or weekly event just for kids. Events like these keep our children in a healthy environment while their parents are still at work and keep them out of trouble.

We recently had the pleasure of spending an evening with people with hearts of gold. A local church holds a weekly Friday Night Kid's Club event. And Every Friday night, the kids in the community are invited to have dinner and dessert, provided by volunteers, and participate in arts and crafts projects. Along with our cousins, we made enchilada casseroles, rice and 5 dozen frosted cupcakes. We had a wonderful time and dinner was delicious! Then again, anything made with LOVE is always good. It filled our hearts to see the children enjoy dinner and devour the cupcakes.

We can donate our time, our talents and hobbies by teaching the children something new, maybe even do story time or play a game. We can also donate to such events by providing materials for art projects, DVDs for movie nights or fresh baked cookies for dessert. Whatever we do will surely bring a smile to a child's face.

Kidz Quiltz

This wonderful organization has pledged to provide quilts for children all over the world who are in need due to poverty and natural disasters. Each quilt is made with love and provides warmth to thousands of children world wide. There goal is to help children stay warm and to show we care by wrapping them in quilts. Since July of 2008, Kidz Quiltz, has provided over 2,000 warm quilts for children to wrap themselves in. We can help by providing batting fabric-cotton or cotton blends, flannel, thread, yarn and donations. If you're in Colorado (United States), you can also volunteer your quilt-making expertise at there center or send a special quilt you have made to the address provided on their website. Give a gift of warmth this holiday season and embrace a child with a beautiful quilt.

Children International

Since 1936, Children International has helped over a million children and families all around the world who are struggling in terrible poverty. We can partake in an incredible movement to end child poverty. Through their sponsorship program, which is currently serving over 300,000 children in 11 countries, for less than most of us spend on our magazine subscriptions and gym memberships, we can help children receive life-changing assistance. For as little as $22/month, your sponsorship will provide clothing, medical care, educational support, youth program, dental care, nutritional aid and family assistance. Thousands of very poor children are waiting for someone to give them a sign of hope. We can accomplish this one child at a time.

Great American Bake Sale

It's time to roll up our sleeves and put an end to childhood hunger Today! We can make a difference in a child's life right from our own kitchens. As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, there is no reason for any child to grow up hungry. Yet, there is 1 in 6 children who are at risk of hunger. That's 12 million children in America. We can do our part in reducing and eliminating this number by coordinating bake sales throughout our communities. Get local restaurants, your place of worship, schools, clubs and groups involved for a fun filled day of sweets and generosity. Proceeds from the sale of our goodies will help open more meal sites for low-income children across the nation, provide equipment and utensils to serve their food, and pay for outreach to inform parents about the availability of free meals.

Many of these wonderfully generous activities can involve our children. We'll not only be teaching them an incredible life-lesson, but also inspiring gratitude. They'll learn the true meaning and joys of giving back and how No One is too small to make a difference. Whether you'll be sending a card with a smile, sharing story time with the kids in your neighborhood, putting love into making a quilt, sponsoring a child in a poverty stricken country or baking sweets and sensations for your bake sale, every bit of your time and generosity will positively affect a life of a child. You'll be bringing them hope, love, warmth, care and a smile. Such priceless gifts which will be cherished forever.

Let's do our part together in making a difference this holiday season and into 2009. Doing so will surely bring more into our lives, too. Cheers to a brighter future.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

Seven Things We'd LOVE to Share With YOU

In the latest meme - the blogosphere’s version of the game of Tag - Giovanna Garcia at Imperfect Action, a wonderful blogger and friend, has TAGGED us!!

To continue the Fun and the Tradition, we are to share 7 random facts about ourselves. Then, we'll Tag 7 other incredible bloggers to share their random facts. They'll link back to us, and the Fun and Tradition continues!! Such a fantastic way to make new connections and to learn more about one another.

Here we go!!

Our 7 things we'd LOVE to share with you.


1. Being parents is our greatest Joy. We have two Amazing, Beautiful, Bright, and Lovable little munchins. Noa is 3yrs. old and Mia is 1. They bring us so much Happiness and are always teaching Mommy and Daddy something new each day. Being parents is an Ultimate gift.

2. Our "Miracle Mia" was born prematurely at 28wks. gestation, 3 months early. Her strength and determination to beat all odds has truly inspired us. She's tougher than anyone we know and anyone we'll ever meet!! She's overcome numerous challenges and is always ready for anything that comes her way. She's one tough cookie!!

3. We LOVE to sing and dance like nobody is looking!! Our kiddos love Disney's High School Musical movies and so do we. We sing and dance to all the songs and have a great time with the kids!! We even include toy musical instruments into our sing-a-long. It's playtime for the kiddos and exercise for us!! LOL

4. We are Gratitudians!! People who embrace Gratitude and Appreciation in all areas of our life. We've reprogrammed our minds to see the sunny side of every situation and know that the power of gratitude will surely bring more into our lives.

5. Our Life's Motto:

We Promise Ourselves....
To be so strong that nothing can disturb our peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person we meet. To make all our friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.To look at the sunny side of everything and make our optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as we are about our own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature we meet. To give so much time to improving ourselves that we have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. To think well of ourselves and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds. To live in the faith that the whole world is on our side, so long as we are true to the best that is in us.

Our modified version by Christian D. Larson

6. We are blessed to be able to work from home and are able to spend nearly every moment of the day as a family. Priceless!! We own a Real Estate Financing Firm and are proud to say we're helping people save their homes from foreclosure through a loan modification process. We're also partners in an SEO company and and an Internet Marketing firm which focuses on teaching marketing strategies and solutions.

7. Our Passion is our Purpose!! We're so passionate about Personal Development and Self-Improvement, we grow each and every day. We feed our minds and our life with positive thoughts, positive affirmations and positive people. We Believe anyone can Achieve a life of pure happiness, so each day we spread our message of Believe and Achieve. We couldn't imagine doing anything more fulfilling than helping to inspire change and perspective towards positive living. Our Purpose is to be here with you every step of the way.

We hope you have enjoyed our 7 random facts. As tradition goes, here are the 7 people we tagged. We look forward to learning more about all of you! (Remember, the Rules....link back to the one who tagged you, tag 7 new people and let them know they were tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.) Many MORE connections await!! :-)

Angie at Pursuit of Fulfillment
Marci Shimoff at Happy for No Reason
Michelle at OneDotComMom
Michelle at Living Your Life by the Law of Attraction
Stella at European Travelling Advisor
Dan & Deanna at Marketing Unscrambled
Xgenesis007 at Dangerzone


Readers, we'd LOVE to learn more about you, too!! Tell us 7 things we may not know about you!

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

Positive Thought for the Day

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PASSION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference - The Dedication of Teachers Part Five

"There are many things in life that will catch your eye. But only a few will catch your heart....Pursue those."

For dedicated teacher, Victoria Czaia, it's children which have caught her heart.

Teaching is her passion, and her love of children has created a larger purpose in her life. What will be the most fulfilling stage in her life, will be the day she builds her school in a remote village in Sri Lanka or Nepal. "I know that there are villages with no schools and I want to build a school and teach there. My passion is to help those who need it most....," says Victoria. And she's willing to sacrifice many things to make her dreams come true. "If I have to live without internet, phone, or running water I will to help a child. Those that know me well will understand for I have lived without these luxuries when I was in the USA. I learned how to cope and ways to help myself. What can I say? I love all children of the world and my only hope is that if whomever reads this will think about all of those children without food, shelter and an education."

It's dedicated teachers who possess an element of Passion like Victoria Czaia which make the greatest impact on the lives of students and our children. Each and every day she is making a difference in a child's life.

Victoria's Passion and Purpose has truly inspired us. Her enormous heart is unmatched. Victoria's love and devotion to children and her dedication and committment to teaching children all over the world is a prime inspirational example of how teachers make a difference.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~



Further Readings:
The Dedication of Teachers Part Two
The Dedication of Teachers Part Three
The Dedication of Teachers Part Four

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference --------------- The Dedication of Teachers Part Four

Victoria's dedication to teaching children goes far beyond the walls of her classroom. It's not just a job or career to her, or even a profession. And it's certainly not just part of her life; it IS her life. She has a very special touch and a ready smile and takes the time to listen. She will always be by your side with her enormous, caring heart.

Outside the classrooms, Victoria is a Xian (China) Red Cross Volunteer. After only 3 months of teaching in Xian, an earthquake hit the city of Sichuan on May 12th. This is her beautiful story.....

"I had only been in Xian teaching for three months when the May 12th earthquake happened in Sichuan and since, I haven’t been able to forget the children affected there. I am an American Red Cross Volunteer so it made sense to join Xian's Red Cross too. I wanted to go to Sichuan, but was told I would be of more use here. My student’s father is a doctor; I contacted him to ask if there is anything I can do. Dr Du said patients in the hospital would appreciate a visitor- I was more than willing, since joining Xian Red Cross this would be my first opportunity to do something truly helpful. The next day I visited children with orthopedic injuries (such as spinal/hip injuries), who had been transferred from the epicenter to Xi Jing Hospital in Xian.

The first young lady I met was a beautiful girl who I have named Angel. My Chinese lessons have just started so I can't properly say her true name. She has a hole in her hip and lost both parents during the quake. Despite the heartache she wore a beaming smile. With Dr. Du being a translator I was able to speak to Angel who is fourteen. Angel was asked to sing as I was told she has an amazing voice. She sang as if she didn't have a care in the world. Her voice was breathtaking. It was at that moment I realized how very special this young lady is. Her love shone through to everyone despite her heartache. I was humbled to be in her presence. Angel had to keep constantly moving as it was painful to stay in one stationary position for long. I spoke to Angel about her ordeal in Sichuan. She was leaving her reading class when the earthquake struck. She had tucked herself in a corner of her class and watched in horror as the school crumbled around her. I told her she wasn't lucky; she had angels watching over her. I then pulled out a set of blue rosaries and gave them to her as a gift. She thanked me in English. I thought I would offer to teach her English for as long as she was in Xi'an. She was thrilled as that meant she would see me every week. As much as I hated to I bid her goodbye and went on to meet Julie.

Julie is seventeen. She lies flat on her bed as her spine is damaged effecting her legs. She has a fracture in her hip as well. I was told that Julie suffers mostly with depression. Laying there day after day would depress anyone. Julie was able to produce a smile for me. She was a bit shy but happy to see me nonetheless. I pulled out a set of red rosaries for her and she thanked me as well. She didn't talk too much about what happened in Sichuan to her but I wanted to see her again. I asked her if she would like to learn English as well. She said she would and I told her I would come next week. I thought it would help her with her depression. Her Doctor agreed. I said goodbye to Julie and went off to meet Lily.

Lily is eighteen. Lily's pelvis was broken in half. Her physical therapist showed me her vice-scrip that is now holding her pelvis in the correct position until it heals. Lily's grandmother helps to take care of her. The doctors don't know if she will ever bare children. It seems a tragedy for such a lovely young lady. She doesn't speak of the earthquake either. I asked if she needed anything such as clothes, books, and so forth but she said she needed nothing. She looked at me and stated she just wanted to go home. That I couldn't give her. There was a far away look on her face that showed me she could cry at any given moment. Changing the subject quickly, I asked Lily if she would like to join my growing English class and she said yes with a smile. I pulled out a set of yellow rosaries for her. I bid her goodbye to go to meet Violet. Before I could leave, her grandmother hugged me so tightly that I knew I had helped in some way. I just couldn't figure out how.

Violet is sixteen year old. Violet's spine was injured, specifically her C 5, 6 , and 7 disks. Had her injury been any higher she would have been paralyzed. Although she is not fully recovered Violet will have to wear that hard neck brace for six full months and will not be joining my English class. I wished her well and told her that it was unfortunate we could not get to know one another better. I pulled out the last set of rosaries I had on me that were a teal and blue color and gave them to her. I gave her a hug and said my goodbyes to her and her father.
My time at the hospital taught me something. To continue to serve mankind. Meeting those young ladies has shown me their strength and love of life. They have had the worst kind of tragedy yet they hold on to the one thing that we all look for, hope of a better tomorrow. By reading this, I hope I have given you a chance meet the children of Sichuan...."

Be even more touched and inspired in our final post.
Follow us and your heart to Part Five.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~



Further Readings:
The Dedication of Teachers Part Two
The Dedication of Teachers Part Three
The Dedication of Teachers Part Four

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference --------------- The Dedication of Teachers Part Three

Victoria's class is currently working on an incredible project focusing on humanity, love, giving and gratitude. She's having her students write letters and make cards for a wonderful organization called Make A Child Smile. Victoria says, "I will be asking them to take time out and think of someone other than themselves this year. This is an important lesson for all of them."

The Make A Child Smile Organization provides names and courageous stories of children battling and overcoming chronic illnesses. Victoria's class project will not only touch the lives of the children on the site, but also the lives of her students. The many lessons learned from this project include how giving is the ultimate gift, the importance of gratitude for everything we have, to have faith in humanity and most importantly, that love is always the answer. Her classroom now knows the power within a smile and how bringing a little more sunshine to someone elses day, will surely bring more to theirs. Such a priceless lesson!

During another lesson where Victoria was nourishing the minds of her students, one of the shyest boys in the class taught her a positive affirmation about life. This is indeed the greatest of all rewards for a teacher. To know that their dedicated work is never without fruit. During a lesson on advertisement, she showed her students a picture of a poverty stricken child, which stunned them. "They all now know how very lucky they are indeed. I'm not just here to be their English teacher; I have to show them things they know nothing about. Mankind." says Victoria.

She asked her class to come up with ideas for a slogan and advertisement that would encourage her to help a poor child in another country. She had many ideas herself, but it was from one of her students who gave the best slogan-

"No help, No Humans, No world".

This was a moment she will never forget. She knew she'd never forget this child who showed her how much compassion was flowing through her students. "How wonderful for me to know he will help and possibly never forget my class. I'm so grateful to have made a difference here....(he) gave me the greatest motto to live by."

This day, Victoria's students, taught her a very special lesson. She says, "The greatest lesson I have learned from these children is to be a sponge. Because what I learn in life is very important to pass to them."

To hear more about Victoria's dedication as a teacher, please continue on to Part Four.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~


Further Readings:

The Dedication of Teachers Part Two
The Dedication of Teachers Part Four
The Dedication of Teachers Part Five

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference ---------------- The Dedication of Teachers Part Two

"Teachers nurture the seeds of today so they may bloom into the flowers of tomorrow."
-Author unknown

A teacher is many things.

"A teacher is a sculptor, for they shape the lives of our future. A teacher is a artist, for they paint the dreams of our children. A teacher is a historian, for they have recorded something for the lives of great men and women to come. A teacher is a poet, for they write impressive passages of mankind. A teacher is a guardian of a million dreams and is the spark that ignites the flame for the burning desire to learn."

For teachers, teaching is their calling, their love, their passion. And in sharing their passion, they inspire those around them whether they are their students, the parents, their peers and those who listen to their heartfelt, spirited, inspirational stories. We have been inspired by one of those stories. And her story indeed exemplifies the true dedication of being a teacher.

Our dedicated teacher is Victoria Czaia.

For as long as she can remember, she was always a teacher. As a young girl she would play school with her friends and pretend she was teaching the class. Victoria knew she wanted to be a teacher some day. She felt it was her calling, for she loved children. And her passion to teach led her to discover her true purpose in life. To have each child who comes into her life believe, "...they can be whatever they want to be and that each role in life is important!" Victoria wants each and every child to believe wherever their dreams and aspirations lay, it will eventually serve mankind in some way. Through her own personal experience, she wants to inspire children to live life with passion, with purpose, in gratitude and in happiness. Nothings more important to Victoria than to see a child with a smile. A smile, to her, is a reminder of the true fulfillment of living.

In the past 15 years, Victoria has touched the lives of many children around the world. She has worked with special needs children and troubled teens in the United States, has taught in India and is currently teaching in China. Although, she is in China to teach English to students, she has taught her students an even greater lesson on life. Something which can not be found in textbooks. This is a lesson in which only a person of heart of gold can teach. She is teaching her students of all ages to love Mankind. "I think this is the greatest impact any teacher can give to their students.", says Victoria.

Continue on to Part Three



Further Readings:
The Dedication of Teachers Part Three
The Dedication of Teachers Part Four
The Dedication of Teachers Part Five

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference ---------------- The Dedication of Teachers Part One

Teachers possess incredible gifts. They have the ability to inspire the lives of their students, lead them to the threshold of their minds, open a door of possibilities, and instill in our children a desire to learn. They devote and dedicate their days, and most often their nights, in preparing lesson plans to make learning an adventure. Teaching is their lives, their calling, their passion. And in turn, they have all become magnificent contributors to our community in making a difference in the lives of our children.

It truly only takes one teacher who connects with a child to make a difference in that child's life. And so, we dedicate this post to all teachers who have profoundly changed the lives of our children around the world. It is because of your dedication and your passion to teach which makes all the difference in world of a child. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~


Further Readings:
The Dedication of Teachers Part Two
The Dedication of Teachers Part Three
The Dedication of Teachers Part Four
The Dedication of Teachers Part Five

Positive Thought and Affirmation

~~~~~~~~ I Love and Accept myself just the way I am ~~~~~~~~

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference Series -------- It Takes A Village To Raise A Child

~~~~ "It takes a village to raise a child." - African proverb ~~~~

There are two very important elements in life which matters the most to us: Children and Family. And for many of you, it's the same. Nothing else matters most than raising a child to discover their full potential and most importantly, in a loving family environment. As children get older and begin school, attend to after school activities, make friends, get involved in sports or simply play outside or hang out, they become exposed to an environment outside the "comfort and safety" of their home. They become part of something much larger. It's called a community. And this community can play a major role in raising our children. It can either help or hurt our very best efforts.

At this very moment, throughout our biggest cities or our smallest towns, there are children being kissed goodnight and tucked warmly in their beds, while other children have no family or a place to call home. There are parents ending a long day at work, while other moms and dads are heading to their second and sometimes third job. There are children fortunate enough to be involved in after school organizations, when at the same time, there are parents worried about drug pushers and gangs in their neighborhood.

Also, at this very moment, there are dedicated people and volunteers coaching our children, tutoring and helping with homework and there are those who organize events to help kids stay out of trouble. Today, we had the pleasure of spending an evening with people with hearts of gold.

Lucy, coordinator of the Friday Night Kid's Club, at a neighborhood Church, spends every Friday night with 25-35+ children from the neighborhood. They range from kindergarten to sixth grade, along with a few teenagers who give her a helping hand. She organizes dinner and dessert for the children, along with arts and craft projects. This evening, they were making their own Christmas trees. Even with her own work, going to school and having a family of her own, she's always there for the kids on Friday night.


A few weeks ago, our cousins "Nacho" and Anna Pina, heard it was getting tougher to find volunteers to provide and make dinner for the children to keep the weekly event going. Bless their hearts! They offered to make enchilada casserole and rice for the kids. They don't even attend this particular church. Then, we overheard a conversation they were having about the event with other family members. We knew, this was yet another beautiful way for us to make a difference, so we offered a helping hand. Hugo and I made cupcakes for dessert and assisted with the chopping and prepping for the main course.

Needless to say, we had a wonderful time. Dinner was delicious! Then again, anything made with LOVE is always good. Seeing the children enjoy our dinner, rushing Anna for more cupcakes (a little startling for her because she is 8 months pregnant, LOL) and devouring every little bite, filled our hearts. Everyone was so thankful and appreciative for what we had done, but we were most grateful to be part of a blessing in helping to raise a child other than our own in a positive environment. Events like this keep kids from trouble when it's not so hard to find on a Friday nights. It provides children a safe place to be in the company of those who care, and most importantly, it strengthens the community in which they live.

Thank you, Lucy, for all that you do for the community and its children. And Thank you, Nacho and Anna, for letting us help out with dinner and dessert. You are all prime inspirational examples of how No One is too small to make a difference. It certainly does take a village to raise a child. And we're so blessed to have been part of that today.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference Series ------- Make A Child Smile Organization

Do you know the power of a Smile?

Smile, right now for us. It sounds silly, but didn't this simple act uplift your spirits? Whether it's you or someone else turning that frown upside down, it always feels wonderful. What feels even more wonderful is making a child smile. Today, YOU can make a difference in a child's day by bringing a smile to their face.

Alexandra Bakker, the founder and president of the Make A Child Smile Organization, knows the power of a smile. Back in 1998, she received a link to a website which belonged to a little 9 year old girl battling cancer. The little girl loved getting mail, so her parents were requesting people to send her cards in the mail to brighten her day. This inspired Alexandra and touched her heart. As adults, we love to receive mail. A child loves it even more! In May of 1998, Alexandra launched her website, which would impact the lives of many families around the world.

This beautiful place can be found at: www.makeachildsmile.org

Here, you'll read about the journey and experiences of the many children and families who can use a little extra sunshine to their day. Each child's courageous story will touch your heart and speak to your soul. You'll want to reach out and hug each and every one of them. You're surely going to fall in love with their smiles. And it's their wonderful smiles we want to keep up and going. Therefore, addresses are provided for the children so you can send a card or little gifts through the mail to brighten their day.

Alexandra's website has made a difference in lives of children and families battling life-threatening illnesses. She's brought more hope and smiles to these children than she ever thought imaginable. She has also touched the lives of those who participate in sending their hugs and words of encouragement through the mail. She has definitely touched ours.

This holiday season, give a child battling a chronic illness a priceless gift....a Smile. No gift is greater than one sent from the heart. And You and I are making a difference, one child at a time. Bringing a little sunshine to their day, will surely bring more to ours.

Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference Series - Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU) Part Two

Magic did happen!

In 1976, she brought the first four mothers together. They were able to share with one another things and experiences that they had not been able to share with anyone else, even friends and family.

Marion says, "When there's a problem with the baby, they don't know what to say, so they stay away...it can be an isolating experience."

Bringing the mothers together proved to be a wonderful way to provide support.

Hugo and I know first hand the importance of having support and staying connected with other parents of children with special needs. Our miracle daughter, Mia, was born at 28 weeks gestation, 3 months early. As grateful as we are for family and friends who expressed concerns and listened to our worries, only a few understood what it was like to be in our shoes. It was very isolating. I, personally, felt like I had no one to turn to except for the parents Hugo and I talked to while Mia was still in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).

Marion's support group grew to become something more incredible than she herself ever imagined. She admits, "I didn't even know what I was doing."

She gathered information from all over the country, spent time at the University of Washington and was learning so much each day from the children.

".....the babies taught us so much." she says.

She chose the name Exceptional Parents Unlimited because her inspiration came from the mothers she met in the support group.

Marion says, "It all starts with the parents and them wanting the very best for their children."

EPU has become a non-profit organization, which over the years has helped more than 3,000 families a year. They provide services for the parents of children with all kinds of special needs through their many special programs including Infant Family Program, Assessment Center for Children, Family Resource Center, Learning About Parenting (LAP) and the Play and Grow Program.

Marion and EPU's Mission states:

"The mission of Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU) is to strengthen and empower children and families facing extraordinary medical, developmental, and parenting challenges."

Marion's vision of empowering children and their families with the confidence in themselves is being seen everyday at any one of the 3 locations in the Central Valley (California).

Marion Karian and Exceptional Parents Unlimited is a prime inspirational example of how No one is too small to make a difference and how BELIEVING you can make a difference can lead to extraordinary results.

Many Blessings....

Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~


We'd sincerely like to thank Marion Karian for spending time with us to share her incredible story of how her wonderful organization came to life. We're ever so grateful for her, EPU, and it's staff for making a profound difference in lives of many families, including ours. We dedicate this entry to Marion, along with Mia's early intervention teachers, Stacey and Monica, and her occupational therapist, Libby. Thank you all for being in our lives.

BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference Series - Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU) Part One

Being a parent truly is the ultimate gift of all.

Children are the beautiful, life changing gift we create and dedicate the rest of our lives to providing the very best for them. Children bring about more love than ever thought imaginable. They bring us belly-aching laughter and evoke joyful tears. And they will teach us more than any textbook available.

Although parenting comes with several wonderful and joyous experiences, it's still a difficult job. And it's much more challenging when you have a child with special needs. As parents, it's natural to worry and to ask Life certain questions about whether our child is developing properly cognitively, emotionally and in their motor skills. But, being a parent of a special needs child can lead to more worries at an exponential rate.

Marion Karian, the founder of Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU), recognized a need for support and assistance for families with children of special needs and BELIEVED she can make a difference.

Marion's idea first started in a conversation she had with her roommate at University of California, Los Angeles. She was working towards her Masters Degree in Maternal & Child Nursing and also had started a family of her own. Through some volunteer work she would do during the week, she began to recognize a need not being met.

"Wouldn't it be nice to have a place for families who had children with special needs from birth where we could provide assistance to them, so to ensure their lives stayed on track and dealt with the emotional impact of having a child with special needs?" Marion asked her roomate.

Her passion and enormous heart then led her to genetic counseling. Although not trained as a genetic counselor, Marion began talking to mothers if there was a problem at birth. She met many mothers with babies born with Down's Syndrome.

These mothers were taking their babies home and not knowing what to do. She was able to provide them information but....

"I was not walking their journey, had not. I was a mother and realized that was a difficult job. Just thought if I had a child with special needs, how much infinitely more difficult it would be."

During her talks with the mothers, they began to ask questions like, "What do other mothers do?" At that moment, this very question, brought Marion's idea to life.

"That might be a good thing to do. Bring them all together, because they could help each other in more ways she couldn't. That was like Magic." Marion said.

Continue on with this Inspiring story in Part Two.

Further Reading:
BELIEVE YOU Can Make A Difference Series:

The Dedication of Teachers
Power of the Internet
Special Olympics