Even In Death, Man's Gesture to His Wife Shows Us True Meaning of Valentine's Day

It becomes very difficult to feel negatively about Valentine’s Day after hearing this beautiful story. Even in death, a Wyoming man shows the world the true spirit and meaning of the holiday. 

Shelly Golay of Casper, Wyoming was shocked to received a large bouquet of flowers two days before Valentine’s Day this year. She assumed they were from her children, seeing as her husband, Jim Golay, passed away this past July. But then when she saw the note attached to the flowers she became very emotional and contacted the flower shop to tell them there had been a mistake. 

Shelly was stunned when the manager of the flower shop informed her that no mistake had been made, but before his death Jim had arranged for a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to Shelly every year for Valentine’s Day for the rest of her life.

Jim was diagnosed with a brain tumor last winter and tragically passed away in July. His heartwarming and moving gesture demonstrates love in its truest form and what Valentine’s Day is all about.

The note read: “Stay strong! Yours forever, Love Jim”

Click below to hear the full story and watch the emotional clip:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Watch this Amazing Video of a Baby Hearing his Mother's Voice for the First Time After Getting Hearing Aids

"The miracle of life meets the miracle of hearing"

-Melissa Locker

The emotional moment where a baby hears his mother and father's voices for the very first time was captured on camera and has now gone viral.

Watch as 7-week-old Lachlan experiences sound for the first time after being born severally deaf in both ears. Initially, he fusses and does not like the sensation of having a device shoved into his ear canal but his crying immediately stops when he hears the soothing sounds of his parents. Although he cannot describe the sensation with words, the huge smile that spreads across his face speaks for itself. 

Click below to watch the touching video:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Beautiful Robin Williams Tribute Will Move You to Tears in Just One Minute

The world has been saddened by the tragic death of Robin Williams earlier this week. Since then, countless posts and tributes have been created to honor and remember the talented actor and comedian. Out of those countless posts, I think this video is one of the best. In just a minute, this tribute touches the heart by remembering him through some of his greatest roles and Robin Williams himself comforts us through the wise words of his one of his beloved characters.

Click below to view the moving tribute to Robin Williams:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

A Bank Uses Its ATMs to Thank Regulars in a Touching and Personalized Way

Certain chains of stores attract more regulars than any others, the local coffee shop or grocery store for example. Another example is the bank. Every day the same customers come through the bank doors, interacting with tellers and using ATMs. After enough time has passed the employees and regular customers often develop a relationship, getting to know bits and pieces of each other’s personal lives. 

Well this bank decided that it was time to give back to their customers in a special and personal way. So they temporarily turned their ATM into an “Automated Thanking Machine” for regular customers to show them how special and appreciated they were. 

The joy and surprise on the customer’s faces is truly amazing and very moving. At some points you can even hear the “ATM” getting a little choked up. It was a little hard for me not to get choked up watching the genuine happiness and gratitude from the customers after receiving their surprises.

Click below to watch the touching video:

Dove's #RealDadMoments Shows the Touching and Special Side of Fatherhood

Just in time for Father’s Day, Dove made a very touching video celebrating and honoring how special and important Fathers are throughout our lives. Including everything from comforting a child after a nightmare to coming to rescue a teen with a broken down car, the moving commercial highlights all the aspects of fatherhood and all the times our Dads were there when we needed them- and it couldn’t be more beautiful. Get your tissues ready (and your phone because you’re probably going to want to call or text him right after watching this)! 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Lupita Nyong'o Blows Us Away with Her Powerful Words About Beauty and Being a Woman

Just days before Lupita Nyong'o amazing win at the Oscars for her performance in “12 Years a Slave”, she accepted another award for the “Best Breakthrough Performance” at the annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon.

Her double dose of wins would have been impressive no matter who it was but did we mention this was her first movie? So we can already admire her for her talent but after the speech she delivered at the Luncheon I admire a whole lot more about her than just her acting skills. The speech was moving, inspirational, and a little heartbreaking all at the same time- and something every little girl needs to hear. In the United States, March is Women’s Month and Lupita Nyong’o is an example of a woman who definitely deserves to be celebrated. She is an excellent role model for young girls everywhere and her touching words reveal the beauty, power, and strength that all women are capable of. 

Watch Lupita Nyong’o's Incredible Speech here:

This Story Demonstrates How Even the Smallest Act of Kindness Can Make the Biggest Difference

It is commonly believed by children that if they are not direct participants in the act of bullying, that they are not contributing to the problem. While not being the bullies themselves is a start, it is not helping to put a stop to a long-standing issue. It is so important that kids not only stay away from bullying, but if they see if happening they take a stand and put a stop to it. And one touching story demonstrates this importance, showing that a simple act of kindness can mean so much more to someone than you may think. 

The author of this story begins by talking about walking home from school one day during his freshman year of high school. Just like an other Friday, he was walking home with big plans for the weekend on his mind, when he saw another boy walking home carrying a large stack of books. He found himself thinking that he must be a nerd for carrying all those books home during a weekend, when he saw a group of larger boys running at him. He watched as the older boys ran into him and knocked all the books out of his hands. They then proceeded to trip him and break his glasses before taking off running and laughing. The author recalls how he saw the boy crawling around looking for his glasses with a terrible, heart breaking sadness in his eyes. So he jogged over, picked up his glasses, and helped him gather his books, comforting him by saying, “Those guys are jerks, they should really get lives.” 

With a grateful smile the boy looked at him, relieved, and said “Hey thanks!” After helping him up, he found out the boy’s name was Kyle and he lived near him. He walked Kyle all the way home, carrying his books, and chatting the whole way. At the end of the walk, he invited Kyle to play football with him and his friends that Saturday, and they ended up spending the whole weekend together. 

Over the course of the next four years of high school, he and Kyle became best friends. When it came time for college, Kyle attended Georgetown to study to become a doctor and the author went to Duke on a football scholarship. But the miles between them did not come between their strong friendship. Come graduation day, Kyle was to give the class speech. But the author recalls how, sitting in the audience, he had no idea just how much Kyle’s speech was going to affect him. 

He remembers how Kyle cleared his throat, nervous, and began by saying “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.”

Kyle then went on to explain that all those years ago, that day walking home from school freshman year of high school, he had planned on taking his life that weekend. He talked about how he had brought home all those books so his mom would not have to go through the pain of cleaning out his school locker. He goes on to say how it was a simple act of kindness that saved him that weekend. How one boy had helped him after being bullied and showed him kindness and friendship. 

It was not until that moment that the boy realized the deep importance of what had seemed to him like a small act. It is this story and many others that show us the power our actions can have on others, even things that seem small or natural to us. 

So even if your child is not being bullied or an instigator of the bullying, make sure to explain to them how crucial it is to stand up to bullies and show others kindness, because you never know how your actions can affect others- and in some extreme cases it might just be the thing that saves them. 

The Most Heartwarming True Love Stories You'll Ever Hear (Part Two)

Although Valentine’s Day is just one day of the year, we like to think love and marriage is something that should be celebrated every day. The number of inspiring and touching love stories that are out there are endless, and thanks to social media it has become easier for people’s stories to be told. So next time you’re feeling down about relationships, instead of turning on the latest romantic comedy, inspire yourself even more by surfing the internet for romance stories that actually happened. Because these stories are so much better than anything that could be made up. 

Take Lady Van Aefferden and Colonel JWC van Gorkum for example. During a time where a form of segregation referred to as “pillarisation” divided Catholics and Protestants and forced them to live in separate societies, the couple went against what was considered acceptable in society and didn’t let their religious beliefs come between their feelings for one another. Van Gorkum was Protestant and van Aeffereden was Catholic, so their marriage was very controversial. But this didn’t stop them from a wonderful and happy 42 years of marriage. Upon van Gorkum’s death he was to be buried in the cemetery for Protestants, somewhere van Aefferden would never be allowed to be reunited with him. But even in death, van Aeffereden made it clear that she would not be separated from her late husband. So instead of being buried in her family tomb, she opted to be buried in a different section of the cemetery, which allowed for the only separation between her and her husband’s grave to be a brick wall. She then added stone hands holding one another across the brick wall from one tomb to the other tomb, ensuring that they would “embrace for eternity”. Today the famous tombstones are referred to as het graf met de handjies, which translates to “grave with little hands”. 

Liu Guojiang showed his love for his wife by carving 6,000 steps by hand into the mountainside near their small hut, since he was worried that she would get injured on the steep trail. He dedicated 57 years to building and maintaining the steps down the side of the Chongqing mountain.

But that was far from the first time he had done something amazing for his wife, Xu Chaoqing. It started from the first time they met, when Guojiang rescued Chaoqing and her daughter from a rushing river they had tumbled into while washing clothes. The attraction was instant and it wasn’t long after he rescued her that they began dating. The village they lived in did not approve of their Today, they are both buried together in the same mountain side where Guojiang dedicated years of time and energy building those steps for his beloved wife.

ten year age difference, so they retreated to the hut in the mountain where they could live out their marriage in peace.

A Valentine's Day Collection of the Most Heart Warming True Love Stories You'll Ever Hear (Part One)

Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it seems appropriate to celebrate the powerful stories of love and successful marriages that flood our social networks. That is what Valentine’s Day is all about right? So for anyone who has ever said “that stuff only happens in movies”- well these amazing couples would have to disagree!

The first is of Martyn Compton and Michelle Clifford. In 2006 Lance-Corporal Martyn met Michelle, who was a teacher. Their attraction was instant and it did not take them long after meeting to begin dating. Unfortunately, that next summer Martyn was sent to Afghanistan with his military unit. As difficult as it was, Michelle stayed faithful to him while he was gone. 

Only two months after his deployment, Martyn was caught in a surprise attack during a trip through what was thought to be an abandoned village. After a grenade was thrown at their car, he jumped from the vehicle and managed to put out the flames by rolling in the sand. Despite this miraculous escape, Martyn was not left without life-threatening wounds. He had been shot and severely burned, losing his ears, nose and hair. Survival did not look good and he fell into a coma. He remained unconscious for 3 months, and during all this time Michelle did not leave his side.

Even when doctors told her it was not likely he would wake up, or if he did he would never walk again. But she did not lose hope, singing to him, playing his favorite songs, and telling him stories nearly ever single day. Not only did he wake up, but a year later, after Michelle had stood by him through his extremely challenging recovery, he was able to walk again. They were then married and she became pregnant with twins soon after. Overjoyed, it seemed their luck was taking a turn for the better. Tragedy struck again when the twins were born prematurely and neither survived. Through support and unconditional love, the couple was able to survive yet another tragedy and went on to give birth to another child, a healthy baby boy. 

The second inspiring love story also survived through wartime. Joey Guerrero and Delora Denise Leon were both stationed in Iraq when they fell for one another. At first, Delora was not interested, but Joey stayed persistent, claiming he knew someday she would change her mind. What began as a beautiful friendship turned into so much more over the course of the months they spent overseas. But  asked her to marry him. They are now happily married with two children. 

during a sandstorm when Joey was helping her with her bags, they caught indirect fire and Joey protected her. It was during this moment Delora said she knew that she couldn’t let him go. No long later, Joey dropped to his knees in the sand, held out a ring he had specially ordered, and

For more heart warming and inspiring true love stories, keep a look out for our next set of stories in our part two!