Getting "Back to Blogging" with SITS. A Woman Who Inspires

I had been cruising along on the getting back to blogging journey -
I was enjoying my stroll down memory lane and dreaming of
Thelma and Louise in my laundry room...
and then there was this prompt for Day 4,
"Write a new post about a woman who inspires you"...
SCREECH...crap...what am I going to write about!
There are so many inspirational people in this world,
but who inspires me and why? That was a hard question to answer.
Honestly I do not stop to think about it all that much. 

At first I thought I can pick any number of celebrities
who give their time and money to charitable causes,
but I was not feeling it...I am not all that impressed by them
{I could go on and on but then this post will turn into something else}.
I am more inspired and impressed by ordinary people
who have regular lives and jobs, and families,
and obligations but still find time to contribute to the world,
their community, their friends on a daily basis.

So, after a couple of days of thinking Thelma and Louise
and I were heading for the cliff, it hit me!

Tiffany

At twenty three I became a Big Sister. It was something I had wanted to do for a very long time. I have mentioned in a post or two that I never imagined myself married and definitely not with children. I thought this was one of the best ways I could give back to the community, after all I wasn't going to have my own children to guide, and there were plenty of kids out there who could use someone in their lives.

In typical Holly fashion I could not just be a Big Sister...I had to get more involved, so I volunteered to work on the Bowl-a-Thon - the big annual fundraiser which we worked on with one of the Big Brother Organizations. When I decided to do this, I really could not have imagined a finer group of men and woman working together to help these kids and raise money for such a worthy organization.

The leader of the pack, Tiffany, worked for the Big Brothers organization. Tiffany is Michelle Pfeiffer-esque looking lady {she is actually more gorgeous than Michelle!} - simply stunning! She is one of those people who I like to categorize as "If I did not know you, I would have to hate you" - because really, she is one of those people who are too good to be true. She was and is a kind, gentle, loving, talented, all-around amazing woman who gives and gives of herself to help others.

Tiffany worked tirelessly with Big Brothers on all of their events and she took real pride in the Bowl-a-Thon because this was one of the fundraisers the kids could be a part of too and bowling is fun and silly, and quite honestly we were a pretty fun group of people to work with! We all worked together on this event for about four years...then, for reasons I cannot remember, Bowl-a-Thon was cancelled.

Around this same time, Tiffany got married. She planned a beautiful celebration to a man as equally wonderful as her. When it came time for me to get married, she was a huge help. I was lost as the day approached. I thought I had it handled but I did not {I was not a wedding planner yet...and well, all of those details are a post all it's own}. Tiffany and my other Big Sister friend Cindy volunteered to get me out of my pickle. They arrived on the wedding day, whipped those vendors into shape, arranged all of my DIY wedding decor, and Tiffany's husband even laid the most perfectly straight 200 foot aisle runner {up 4 sets of stairs and all}. Tiffany and crew gave selflessly to help a friend.

Soon after all the celebrations in our lives took place, Tiffany's very good friend, who had tried and tried to get pregnant did. The baby boy was born with a serious disease and passed away soon after birth. Tiffany and her friend channeled their heartache and their energy into creating a Boundless Playground in the area in honor of her son. At this type of playground, kids {and adults} of all abilities can play side by side {if the friend's baby would have survived, he would have been in wheelchair for life}.

So why does Tiffany inspire me? Simply, because she is am amazing person who values her friends and her family. She believes in the good in people, and she works to make this world a better more accepting place through the work she does with her charity and how she leads her life. These are the kind of people I admire. These are the kind of people I want to teach my children to admire and to be inspired by -  real people with passion and the motivation to go out and make a difference in the world.

NOTE: I have not talked to Tiffany in years - just circumstances of life and moving - but she and all of those special people hold a dear place in my heart. I do keep in touch with one of the ladies via Facebook and her little {that is what we called the Little Sisters} has gone on to medical school! I chat with another every now and then, and ironically am friends with her husbands ex-wife. One of the ladies, moved back to her home state to be with her family and sadly passed away about a year ago...I miss her. I am friends with my Little too...she is married with four beautiful kiddos!

P.S. I am sure some of my facts may not be quite right...my memory is fuzzy, but the important stuff is right! It actually feels a little weird to be writing about her.

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Before I move on...I just want to say a big thank you to SITS, and event sponsors,

Standards of Excellence, Westar, and Florida Builder Appliances 

for this challenge. I like it so much that so Thelma and Louise

are not even my main motivation...

although they are oh-so-pretty and full of turquoise sky fabulousness!

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ANNOUNCEMENT!

Tickled Pink is postponed this week..Friday's Back to Blogging topic is too hot! It is a post that has been sitting in my draft folder for awhile...just waiting for the right time to post it!

SO COME BACK ON FRIDAY FOR THE FINAL BACK TO BLOGGING TOPIC

What blogging means to you. Why do you blog? What purpose does it serve you and how have you benefited from sharing a piece of yourself online this way? I want to hear about why you blog on FRIDAY!

 

I am celebrating my blogday by giving away
one of these FABULOUS stamps!
Want to win one?

 Go visit this {POST} to enter!