Happy Birthday, Erica Lynn!

Monday, January 29th is my baby's 25th birthday. To celebrate her birth, multiple blogs are posting songs just for Erica!

The songs are about being young and beautiful, because let's face it, she is! Songs also show children growing up, which she has. Reality, if Erica is my youngest child, and she is now 25, what does that make me?

Besides being beautiful, Erica is kind, smart, and important. After all, I told her so when she was little.

 Happy Birthday, Erica!

Here is Lukas Graham's song because she is no longer seven years old, 

she's made lots of friends, and the video has a six pack in it . . . 

which is something she's always liked. If you ask Erica when was 

the first time she realized she was straight, she'll tell you it was 

"when she saw her first six pack." 

Next up is Meghan Trainor, even though getting out of bed is not one 

of Erica's strong suits; however,  Meghan wears a giraffe outfit, 

which was Erica's sorority mascot. 

Plus, who wouldn't want to be this young, beautiful girl?

Erica is also funny. Her Facebook photo shows her celebrating 

her brother's and sister's engagements. Well, they are older!

I chose this last song because Erica loves animated movies and got her degree in Event Management from the Rosen School of Hospitality in Orlando . . . which meant she was a frequent Disney guest. She is also a wonderful artist who liked France, when she visited there. Erica is currently planning weddings in Atlanta, so enjoy, "Be Our Guest."

Art By Erica!

This is a blog hop, so check out the other Erica wishes and leave comments. 

I got to choose the theme this week because I am the Spotlight Dancer!

This dancing hot dog is not as cute as Erica was when she dressed up as a hot dog for the school play! Whatever happened to that picture?

#MMMM For the Dreamers

In 1904, the Czar of Russia had passed rulings where people outside of their church were not allowed to practice religion freely. Nicholas Romanov, who's been romanticized in books as a great one, was certainly not a friend of my people. The night before a planned departure, my grandfather argued with his brothers all night long. "Don't go to America," they said. "You do not speak the language, nor do you have any money." But my grandfather saw enough insight to know, he had to leave Russia and come to the land of opportunities.

A few weeks after settling in the U.S., he received a final letter from family saying, "We wish we had come with you." Many years later, we learned of Russian soldiers barring the doors of a synagogue and setting it ablaze; thus murdering my great grandparents and several aunts and uncles, who I will never know. Thank God my family was allowed to come here!

This week's post is a freebie, but the theme has easily come to me. I can't help thinking about the poor children / young adults who know nothing other than America as home, yet face possible deportation in March. Their parents came for opportunity or to escape bad situations outside of their control. These young people just want to live in our great country and be what they've always considered themselves to be–Americans!

The cruelty of politicians messing with their lives is inhumane. I don't understand why allowing them to stay and become fullfledged Americans, as my grandfather did, is such a struggle. As children, these people did nothing wrong, and for our government to send them back to countries where many do not even speak the language is cruel. Then again, if allowed to become citizens, these dreamers would probably not vote for those trying to kick them out, so I guess that's my answer to why the heartlessness.

For them, I've posted Aerosmith.

And the Beatles.

And "America" from West Side Story. It's interesting to note that this musical from 1961 relates prejudices that still exist, today. Did you know that Puerto Rico, a US owned territory is STILL without power? Disgraceful. Maybe there is something to their "white" comment.

I'm thankful my grandfather was allowed to immigrate into the U.S. He represented what America is all about -- a land of opportunity. Emma Lazarus said it best in her poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Wordless Wednesday Turns White

My husband's photo of our street.

My son's video of our granddogter