My Girl is My Hero #LiveYourDream #Travel

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Ever since my daughter was a young child- maybe five- she started talking about studying marine animals to save their environment. We smiled, bought her books on sea creatures, and thought it was sweet how much she cared about the ocean.

Brandy and her older cousin, Janna

The years passed. Filled with dreams, she took swimming lessons right up to lifeguard status, got exemplary school grades, and prepared for her future. Then fate stepped in and gave her a beautiful baby boy.

He became her focus, and again she worked hard, doing everything she could to give him a happy, healthy life. But the dream wouldn’t die. She applied to several universities while working two jobs and was admitted to the University of Victoria where she took on two majors: science and biology with an end goal on marine biology.

Once again fate stepped in and gave her another challenge to overcome- her beautiful, healthy, happy son developed Type 1 Diabetes.

She had the added stress of learning how to give needles ( the Omnipod and Libre came later), take blood readings, and count carbs- he was seven.

I still don’t know how she managed, but her schooling didn’t suffer. She earned a Bachelor of Science with distinction

And was accepted to the Memorial University of Newfoundland for her Major in Marine Biology.

Health issues continued to plague both of them, and it hurt to see how discouraged she became, but she never gave up.

And now:

She’s been accepted into a fully funded PHD program in… New Zealand!

Is it any wonder this girl is the joy of my life, my inspiration, and my hero?

She’s overcome tremendous odds to follow her dream, and though she’s nervous of moving to the other side of the world and all that might mean for their health, she’s also determined to succeed. It just goes to show, if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen.

Her dad and I are so incredibly proud of her and wish her the very best! Just think, we’ll soon have a professor in our midst 🙂

A Walk Down Memory Lane- #Anniversary #Romance @jacqbiggar #mgtab

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DH and I have been together for forty years- hard to believe!

We met July 9, 1982, on his eighteenth birthday. It was also our high school’s graduation party. There was a huge after-dance party out at a friend’s farm with at least half of the grads attending. So many people, loud music, alcohol (the parents at the farm took the keys of everyone attending for safekeeping), and a bonfire at least ten feet high- in a word, chaotic.

All of that, yet the moment we bumped into each other it was as though no one else was there. Corny, I know, but true.

We spent every available minute together for the next six months, then moved into a tiny little holiday trailer on his oldest sister’s land ( he’s the baby out of six kids) until we could afford something better.

Here’s a couple of photos from the early days:

Me at the Edmonton, Alberta Museum and DH with my little brother, Michael. (I’m the oldest of three).

Two years later, on June 16th, 1984 we were married under a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds.

And four years after that, we became parents of a beautiful baby girl.

If you think I look scared, you’re right! lol

We’ve had many ups and downs during our marriage, but one thing remains true- we loved each other then, and we love each other now.

Today, we plan to visit the beach and generally spend the day together. We may be older, but the romance is still there 🙂

New Releases

Years ago, when she was a college student, my daughter and a friend were having lunch at the fast-food place, Wendy, on a rainy spring day. When they left, heading to their car, they noticed the tiny orange kitten following them. They brought it back to the door of the restaurant and returned to the car. Despite the rain, the kitty rushed after them and meowed. Once more they took it back and asked the manager about its owner. They learned that the mamma cat had a litter a few days ago and abandoned it in the morning. The kittens had been adopted by patrons except for this last one.

My good-hearted daughter couldn’t leave the kitty that looked at her with beautiful golden eyes. She took her to her dorm room, only to realize that her new kitten was about to trigger an asthma attack for her. The next day, our daughter drove four hours from Cleveland to Cincinnati, and paid us an unexpected visit, claiming she had a lovely gift for us, a third kid. With her asthma condition, she couldn’t keep Wendy. We adopted the adorable kitten that grew up to be our spoiled baby.  

Wendy would go out in the morning when we left for work, and waited for us in front of the garage door in the evening. She cleaned the neighborhood of mice, chipmunks, and birds. She was so sweet and extremely well-behaved, and would never climb on chairs or tables. Every kid in the area knew Wendy and played with her.

Wendy’s story inspired the beginning of my newly released book, His Son, Her Daughter.    

JUST RELEASED, available in Kindle Unlimited

His Son, Her Daughter: High school sweethearts reunited after twenty years by their young children. Their conflicting baggage prevents them from fully trusting each other. Yet what wouldn’t Daniel do for his son and her daughter? http://bookShow.me/B08HKPNRWH

His Son, Her Daughter:

Remember The Parent Trap is a 1961 Walt Disney Technicolor romantic comedy film directed by David Swift. It stars Hayley Mills (in a dual role), Maureen O’Hara and Brian Keith is a story about teenage twins on a quest to reunite their divorced parents.

And The Parent Trap 1998. In this update of a 1961 film, twins Annie and Hallie (Lindsay Lohan) are strangers until happenstance unites them. The preteen girls’ divorced parents, Nick (Dennis Quaid) and Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson), are living on opposite sides of the Atlantic, each with one child. After meeting at camp, American Hallie and British-raised Annie engineer an identity swap, giving both the chance to spend time with the parent they’ve missed. If the scheme works, it might just make the family whole again.

On PreOrder, coming on October 10th.

Sunshine Over Snow: When his children manage to ruin his second wedding, Brad is caught between a furious fiancée and an offended ex-wife, both determined to keep him and make him pay for his mistakes. https://www.amazon.com/DP/B08HHNSSSK

Sunshine Over Snow:

Coming soon on October 6:

INVINCIBLE DIVERSITY: Eight unique and unusual love stories that tackle the tough issues we face everyday – racial acceptance, differing religious views, sexuality, family and social values, and so much more.But whatever struggle they face, whether it’s alone or with their friends and family, they stay strong and push through showing how invincible they are.