Love Is

Love is

by Wendy Mary Cruse

Love is making someone smile
when someone’s down in the dumps.

Love is sending a note to a friend

when he’s sick in bed with the mumps.

Love is feeding a homeless dog

or a cat that’s gone astray.

Love is something that melts away HATE

and unkind words people say.

Love is for giving and forgiving.

Love lives inside and out.

Love doesn’t care about the color of skin

or whether you’re skinny or stout.

Love is something you may or may not see

Love is something you feel.

Hugs and kisses aren’t always love

if the feelings inside aren’t real.

Love is something you can’t live without.

It makes the world go round.

Love can never be kept to yourself.

Let go—and spread it around!

This was written by my Mom. We lost her to cancer in 2004. Her love lives on through her words. 

Rich's 53rd Birthday Fundraiser for CAF!

Help Me Celebrate My 53rd Birthday by Raising $5,300 for the Challenged Athletes Foundation!

It started on my 50th birthday. I was kinda bummed about the whole situation. I wanted to make it special so I decided to raise money for CAF! I am proud to say I have raised over to $13,000 in the 3 years since I started this tradition. 

Why Challenged Athletes Foundation? They are an amazing organization that is more about helping people, than helping themselves. The majority of the donations go where you want them to go, to the people that need: prosthetics, competition wheel chairs and more.  I am constantly amazed by how they literally change people's lives. 

I can't do this without you! Please share this post and donate as much as you can. The more I raise for CAF, the happier my birthday is gonna be! 

As an added bonus, I will be having a drawing at the conclusion of my fundraising on July 31st!  For each $10 you donate, you will receive one entry to the drawing. 

Prizes! 

Sunglasses from XX2i Optics

XX2i has provided 3 prizes: 

 1) 2 sunglass kit $149.99 

2) One pair of France 1 $99.99  

3) One pair of USA 1 $54.99 sunglasses. 

Outside Magazine rated their sunglasses a "Best Value". Visit their web site at www.xx2i.com and follow them on twitter @xx2i ! 

Perfect Photo Suite 8.5 Premium Edition 
from On One Software

Create stunning photos with the best photo effects and enhancements available. 

Retail value $179! Software for PC or Mac.  Download your free 30 day trial here! 

Follow them on Twitter @Ononesoftware!

Lava Pants

Train smarter and swim faster with LAVA PANTS by XTERRA Wetsuits. Retire your pull buoy and focus more power on your swim stroke training.  Retail value $150!  Follow on twitter @XTERRAWetsuits.

Taylor Guitars Gift Pack
Taylor Guitars are played by some of the best musicians in the world! 
Taylor Swift and Jason Mraz are all Taylor! 

The prize pack includes: Taylor coffee mugs, hat, mouse mat, beach towel,
tote bag (not shown) and Bob Taylor's book "Guitar Lessons". Follow +Taylor Guitars on Google + and @TaylorGuitars on Twitter. 

Small print about the drawing. You will receive one entry for each $10 donated. Numbers will be selected using a random number generator. One prize per person. Winners outside the US will be responsible for shipping costs if applicable. 

Click Here to Donate

A Poem by my Mom

Love Is

by Wendy Mary Cruse

Love is making someone smile

when someone’s down in the dumps.

Love is sending a note to a friend

when he’s sick in bed with the mumps.

Love is feeding a homeless dog

or a cat that’s gone astray

Love is something that melts away HATE

and unkind words people say.

Love is for giving and forgiving.

Love lives inside and out.

Love doesn’t care about the color of skin

or whether you’re skinny or stout.

Love is something you may or may not see

Love is something you feel.

Hugs and kisses aren’t always love

if the feelings inside aren’t real.

Love is something you can’t live without.

It makes the world go round.

Love can never be kept to yourself.

Let go—and spread it around!

We lost my Mom to cancer 16 years ago, but her words and Love lives on.

A Poem by My Mom

My Mom was a writer. She wrote children's stories and poems as part of her recovery from a nearly fatal brain aneurism when I was 2 years old. Thankfully, she survived and Thrived! She was published over 100 times and brought much love and joy to the world. We lost her 10 years ago to lung cancer. I miss her dearly. It brings me comfort knowing she lives on through her stories and poems. Here is one that seems fitting for Mother's Day.

Why Don't You Sit Down Aggie? 

by Wendy Mary Cruse

Why don’t you sit down, Aggie?

Or you'll make me a nervous wreck.

The dishes can wait till I've gone, Aggie,

You don't need to break your neck, 

trying to make an impression,

I came to see you, not the house.

Come on, sit down and relax, Aggie -

You're making me feel like a louse.

Sit down and we can chat, Aggie

Pour me a cup of tea,

And when I’ve gone, you can clean the house,

THAT I DIDN’T COME TO SEE.

©2014 The Cruse Family