Luck and Blessings For Us

I am really doing a 360 from last week to this week, but I have been holding on to this one since late January! Today is March 17th, when many people celebrate St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of a British young man that was kidnapped, taken as a slave and brought to Ireland. He escaped his predicament to become a priest, returned to Ireland and converted thousands of pagan Irish to Christianity. The shamrock was used as an explanation of the Trinity and became the symbol of St. Patrick’s Day. The three-leafed clover is also a symbol of luck.

Is there a better opportunity to share my luck of so many blessings than on St. Patrick’s Day? Some of you may be confused because I have not been going to Catholic Church and this is somewhat of a Catholic tradition, but I do believe in Saints – or at least that is what I choose! Many branches of Christianity do not, they believe we are all saints walking the earth, which I like too – another part of my confusion.

So anyway, here is my story of a little bit of luck and blessings from God.

A Little Something About Us

My husband and I do ok. We pay our bills, go out to dinner or do something once a week and usually take a vacation every year. A few months after I had my Joey, I stopped working my career. It became too complicated with his multiple therapies every week, Bella was only a toddler, and we had three very busy teenagers, so I needed to be home.

I babysat so I would have money in my pocket and help with extras for the kids. Luckily, I have always worked for teachers so the summers would be off and I could be around for after-school activities. The only time I didn’t work in some capacity was when Joe had cancer.

Over the years, we have taken a few nice vacations and spent a lot of time during the summers at the condo we used to have in North Carolina … We live within our means and it’s all good. This is not a complaint blog!!

Why We Need Some Luck

This year, our daughter is going abroad to Cologne, Germany for a semester of college. Neither Freddy or I have needed a passport or traveled across an ocean. I was excited for her to go because that meant that we are going too. This was our big excuse and I was going with or without him. I believe my exact words were “start saving because I am going with or without you.” We didn’t take a vacation last year because we lost our condo and too many other expenses were going on.

Also, as an aside – when Joe had cancer and Make-A-Wish was asking him what he wanted to do, his first wish was “I want to go to Italy and eat pizza.” I don’t know where the heck that came from; the boy will eat pizza every day if you let him – but he actually said Italy! That wasn’t happening, but he also didn’t get his 2nd or 3rd wish either, and we settled for number 4. (That’s a whole other story)

Well….this year, Joe is turning 18! So I randomly decided that not only are we going to visit Bella in Germany, but we are going to take Joey to Italy for pizza on his 18th birthday and he is finally going to have his make-a-wish! There is a restaurant in Rome that is run by adults with DS, and that is where we are going to celebrate – Perfect! Needless to say, I have Joey on board with this trip. So we need a little bit of luck (money) to make this work.

Should We Stay or Should We Go

We are planning on going April during spring break and started looking for plane flights in October. I am watching and waiting, watching and waiting … prices are high and never seem to be going down. Christmas comes, and I am getting worried. I haven’t booked a thing, and everyone keeps asking me.

What I am not saying, is I am suddenly not sure if we can even afford it! I realize that with all the flying we have to do; flying to Germany, taking a plane back to Italy, getting Bella back to Germany and then us back home, etc, etc this trip is going to cost at least $10 – 15,000 for four people. Crap! What are we going to do? I keep watching and finally consult a travel person. The airfare alone is going to cost 6-7 thousand.

I start to panic because not only is it costing so much money, but there are layovers in other countries and we have Joe – I am looking at 15 hours of travel time. Oh boy. This isn’t going to sit well with him so Freddy and I will have to deal with the attitude and constant complaining.

The Beginning of Luck and Blessings

So here comes January 26. We have a fundraiser at school that involves a raffle in which we can win 10k. We didn’t win – but he won the 50/50! So thinking on the bright side, that will pay for one ticket to Germany. Our first bit of luck.

The next week is Super Bowl Sunday. We both bought boxes in various pools – I spent $90, and he paid $150, but we could win thousands! I know I am out right away – I had numbers that would statistically win, and I can tell right away, that my numbers are not going to win. That was not a surprise since I have no luck in gambling.

Somewhere around the end of the 3rd quarter, my husband says – I think I am going to win. He has the numbers 3 & 3. He won the 3rd quarter and woohoo, we could pay for another 1.5 one way tickets to Germany! 2.5 plane tickets down and 8.5 more to go…

As we neared the end of the game, I decided not to watch because the NE Patriots were starting their usual 4th quarter comeback and winning 10-3. I was cleaning the kitchen and Freddy tells me, the Patriots have the ball and if they kick the field goal, we have a chance to win the final.

We don’t like Tom Brady. We were rooting for those damn Patriots to lose!! There is about one minute left in the game and they could go for a field goal or try for the first down. We were begging Tom Brady not to be a knucklehead and go for one yard on the 4th down. I was screaming at the TV to kick the freaking field goal because we needed 3 pts!! There is no guarantee as they were only up by 7, the Rams could get the ball back and tie the game – DON’T BE AN ASS!!

I Never Thought I Would Say This But ...

Suddenly, we were praying for the Patriots to win! Go figure! Let’s face facts; the bottom line is we don’t care if those arrogant asswipes win the Superbowl as long as we win some money. Brady and Belichick were conferencing on the sidelines and I kept saying to Freddy – “no way, they aren’t that stupid.” and he said well they did it twice during the game and its a long field goal. Back and forth we went … I don’t bite my nails, but I was in my head.

I was too nervous to watch and then Freddy said, “they are going for it.” I said which thing – the field goal or the first down and he said the FG. Then I watched – he just had to make the 41yds … aaaaand he did! Those not so good numbers, 3 and 3, became the best numbers ever!

You know what else? Freddy’s birthday is March 3rd – 3/3. That must mean something. So much luck with the number three!

Have you ever seen two 50 somethings jump up and down in total excitement? Because that’s what you would have noticed if you were in my family room! Like two fools, loving those freaking Patriots for the first time ever!!! How lucky and blessed are we?!

A couple of hours later, my plane tickets were all bought!!!  That’s right damn it – we won enough money to pay for the plane tickets, the Airbnb and some hotel rooms! God is good!!!  

First the 50/50 and then the 3rd quarter and final of the Superbowl!  God said – you folks have earned your wings!!

The Best Blessing of All

Within that same week, we got some other news … we had to wait this long to share it because that’s what I was asked to do!  I don’t always do what I am told, but I want my kids to know they can trust me. So this is my surprise ending (See Below)

Sometime around October 12th – grandchild #3 will be gracing us with his or her presence. God is definitely good!

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my beautiful daughter who is blessing me with these amazing little humans a very happy birthday. How she came out so perfect is truly a gift. Christine is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. She is a beautiful, caring soul with one of the biggest hearts. I am so proud of the woman she is and the family she is creating. I love you!

Final Thoughts

I called this Luck and Blessings from God, but make no mistake about it; I know that “luck” in gambling was a gift from God. We won three times gambling with the numbers 3 and 3, Freddy’s birthday is 3/3, and in about six months, we are to be blessed with our 3rd grandchild. Three must be my lucky number!

All of these blessings from one God; the father, the son and the holy ghost. Yes, folks, the holy trinity of love comes in three … I believe this was a sign telling me that this was all a gift from God.

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go

An Irish Blessing

So Much Love, Blessings and a little bit of luck to all of you,

Sandy

#enlighten #empower #inspire #educate and please, always #BeKind