“The moving images of this Easter Sunday moment at the Vatican have spread around the world over the last few days. Greeting followers in St. Peter’s Square from the “Popemobile,” Pope Francis called for 8-year-old Dominic Gondreau, who suffers from cerebral palsy, to be raised up to him. He proceeded to hug Dominic, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Paul Gondreau, a theology professor at Providence College, had traveled with his wife and children to Rome to teach for a semester. He was shocked to see his son in the arms of the newly elected pontiff, and he shared the amazing experience with Megyn Kelly on America Live.
Gondreau said he was seated with his four other children further away from the pope. Dominic and his mother, Christina, had been summoned earlier by the Swiss Guards to move into a closer seating area with other disabled children.
Gondreau said one of his other sons pointed out what was happening, telling him it was actually Dominic that was being held by Pope Francis.
“(My son) said the pope is holding Dominic! That’s when I looked up at the Jumbotron and beheld this grand moment and was immediately moved to tears with my son. I will cherish that memory forever,” he said.”
When I came across this, I thought it was AWESOME and just had to feature this positive story here on my blog.
Alexis Wineman is Miss Montana and she has Autism. She will be competing for the Miss America crown. The show will air live Saurday on ABC January 12, 2013 at 9pm ET in Las Vegas.
I normally do not watch the Miss America pageant, though this year I most likely will tune in because of Alexis. I am very interested to see her comedy talent routine.
When asked what she will do if she does not win the crown, Alexis will continue her public awareness speaking about Autism. What a special lady she is.
Good Luck to Alexis! I think she is a beautiful inspiration inside and out.
It is that time of year again, out with the old and in with the new?
I was curious to review what the percentages were for New Year’s Resolutions for 2012 as our country approaches the Fiscal Cliff and remains in a weak economy. Note that money matters ranked number 3 for personal resolutions – not surprising to me.
My thoughts on this? Spending less money, saving money behaviors also need to be our state and federal governments’ New Years Resolution. The overspending and over borrowing behaviors only cause higher taxes and lesser support programs as consequences for Americans.
Our governments can not financially sustain what they are putting out and borrowing. Have we not learned from Europe and especially Greece?
Therefore, as Americans try to change their spending behavior for the better, so should our government.
Am I concerned about our country? Yes I am. I have been since the expensive wars started under Bush and the worse over exorbitant spending under Obama. Would you run your own personal home budget like this? What would be the consequences of that behavior if you did?
Not very good ones….
As the resolution statistics say- perhaps if our president and elected officials made it a collective goal to straighten out our over spending and borrowing issues, maybe they would more likely be able to achieve it?
With watching all of this mayhem, I think unfortunately more crises will occur. If things continue to not improve, spending less, saving money will rise higher on the Resolution list.
It is that time of year again, out with the old and in with the new?
Unfortunately, the American debt is not going anywhere but increasing.
?????????????
I can still try to hope for the best though. It is the optimist in me = )
Officer Lawrence DePrimo of Long Island, N.Y. shared on “Good Morning America.” “To look down at this gentleman’s feet and see that he had no socks. And when he told me he never had a pair of shoes. …My heart went out to him.”
So the officer bought this man some thermal socks and new boots.
Tourist Jennifer Foster of Florence, Ariz., captured this generous, kind act moment on camera while visiting Times Square with her husband on the cold night of Nov. 14, 2012.
A picture speaks a thousand words… A video speaks volumes …
I live and work in NJ.
I know and have visited these areas… Environments and lives have been drastically changed.
The more inland NJ counties suffered wind damage , downed trees/ poles and power outages for up to 10 days. Though the NJ shore and bay towns suffered far worse damage.
Mother nature was in control here.
Please HELP the relief effort!
By Phone: Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY and specify NJ Storm Relief
By Text: Text STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation
By Check: Made payable to The Salvation Army, with NJ Storm Relief specified in the memo.
Mail to: The Salvation Army
PO Box 3170
Union, NJ 07083
Finally, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board ( BACB ) is developing a new credential, Registered Behavioral Technician ‘RBT’ .
There has been so much confusion over people calling themselves behavior therapists, behavior aides, behavior assistants, behavior techs etc that have hardly any formal and verifible Applied Behavior Analysis training and supervision by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst ( BCBA ). The Applied Behavior Analysis ( ABA ) consumer has no way to know who is professionally trained versus someone who went to a one weekend ABA training. The BACB has made a smart and very responsible move towards credentialing those that do assist the implementation of behavior plans.
The result of this? Better managed and trained staff that ABA consumers can trust and rely upon.
I am looking forward to the development of this newest RBT credential
