5 Precious and Unforgettable Reasons to Shed Happy Tears

There have been moments in my life I have shed tears, some through heartache or tragedy, but mostly because of Happiness. I've realized through my journey that, "Tears are the words the heart can't express."

Tears, over time, have been given a bad reputation. It's been a sign of weakness or a show of uncontrollable emotions. My tears have given me relief....a way to release and allow my emotions to pour out of me. So, whether you feel like crying because of hurt or happiness, let it all pour out! There's no reason to hold it all in. It's toxic anyways to allow your emotions to build up inside you, even if they are the happy ones.

Today, I had happy tears!

Reason 1. Our 2 year old daughter, Mia, tolerated her speaking valve (Passy Muir) for nearly 45 minutes! She did so well that it didn't bother her one bit as she played blocks and cars with her brother, Noa. She did her funny laugh and made sound. She enjoyed hearing herself and continued to make more sound. This brought me to tears! Not the sobbing kind, but the kind when your eyes fill up and you can't hold them back.

We've waited 2 years to experience this moment. Having a child with a trach who can not vocalize is surely a unique experience. When most parents would have experienced hearing their child at this age squeal in delight, say "Ma Ma" or "Da Da" and even cry, these are "normal" things Hugo and I have yet to experience with Mia. This is why this moment made me so happy and tearful! It's a blessing and it will forever change my life. This journey has been life-changing.

In the next few posts, we'll be sharing our precious and unforgettable moments which brought us to happy tears. Today, let it all pour out! Give your heart a chance to express itself without words. If it's the hurt kind, just release and let it all go. You'll feel 100% better. Holding it in was probably making you feel worse. And if it's the happy kind, go look at your silly face in the mirror and enjoy every bit of it!

When was the last time you had a good cry and what did you learn from it? Look forward to hearing from you.

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

Click Here to Read Part 2.



Further Reading:
Our Miracle of Life Story - Believe Achieve Hugo and Roxanne
American Idol - Mia's Story

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 - 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