Subconscious Thoughts From "The Heart" - By B. Ross

Oh bitter heart of mine, you lie to yourself pretending to still hold warmth but you are cold /
You desire the bliss of lovers yet chuckle at the not so happy endings / You long to be right more than you long for the light to enter the dark cavity of where purity once lived /
Fairytales of your virgin years now become the horror stories of your future, your heart no longer believes in "US" /
once sweet heart, you've dried and withered from the scorching romances of summer, fall winds sweep your cheek to erase the silent tears you've cried for me, & by snow fall you are as dark as 6 o' clock /
in the end dear heart of mine
you are left with only a portion of life which you've reserved /
you reject anything other than perfection and so, you are left, with only your God. Thank God He's enough.

A gift for Jill : Oct 2013 "Pink Promise" survivor recipient

This year Blushed by B.Ross launched a new stylish way to get women involved in supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With 5 shades of pink nail polish we were able to donate a portion of the proceeds to a local Breast Cancer Survivor. In the gift bag our recipient Jill received an array of goodies including a Visa Gift Card & a beautiful mug with scripture from local business 3 inspirations. Below is the story of Jill, written by her daughter Brien who nominated her. And so it begins at a normal doctors checkup where my mom, Jill Hughes, expresses concern about what feels like a bruise on her right breast. The moment that changes your coarse in life; yet you don't even know it until later, when you get that phone call. Two mammograms, two biopsies, and an mri later, Jill knows for sure that breast cancer is now her new path. Very quickly there were many doctors appointments. Decisions like lumpectomy verses mastectomy and which type of reconstruction will be best needed to be made. It became apparent that although the doctors were important, it was more important that Mom did her research and chose the treatments that would best benefit herself. My mom made the brave decision to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction via expanders and implants. Her thoughts were to get rid of the cancer and the possibility of getting breast cancer again. As her child, I worried because this was such a drastic surgery compared to the option of lumpectomy. But I knew, although our opinions mattered, as her family our job was to simply support the woman we love so dearly. This proved to be a longer road to travel than anticipated. The mastectomy and placing expanders in went smooth, but there was another battle to fight. During the healing process infection began to set in. Mom spent an extra seven days in the hospital and had a pic line inserted so that she could administer her own antibiotics at home. Ultimately, one of the expanders had to be removed and replaced. More surgery. Finally! Two years after this whole thing began, Jill got her final surgery. Permanent implants to complete the process. My mom was very lucky to have chosen a plastic surgeon that was willing to hold her hand from start to finish. Through the frustration of this infection in which he was unfamiliar, he did not give up or pass her through the system to someone else. Although the cancer is gone, Jill s life will never be the same. Nothing is to be taken for granted. Through education, strong support, and her choice to fight, my mom has been an inspiration for all of her family and friends. Her best advice yet: Life is only ten percent circumstance while the other ninety is how you chose to deal with it. Brien Culliton

Don't Cry.

Ever heard the phrase "Don't cry over spilled milk?" then actually spilled a glass of milk before? If you're guilty of a shakey hand, someone bumping into you, or just plain clumsiness I'm sure your initial reaction went a little something like "(fill in appropriate curse word)"; but once you got a paper towel to clean it up you probably discovered a few things...

MILK does more good than harm. I've spilled milk and realized it cleaned the floor better! In actuality milk repairs cracked china, cleans patent leather, softens dry skin and hands, helps sooth bug bites, removes ink stains from clothes, polishes silverware; must I go on? This isn't a post on the wonders of milk but it's one to remind you that in life there are some "spills" that don't require a tear to clean up. Some people may come into your life and it seems like they are there to pour into you until it "runneth over", like a glass that's too full. When what seems like a mess occurs, you still have the upper hand to react however you CHOOSE (Catch this: I didn't say you have the option to FEEL how you choose, but REACT). When the "milk" spills don't make a huge fuss over it, clean it up, polish yourself off, think of this post and laugh because you're probably going to be better off than you were before! There are many surprises in life disguised as a "spills". Happy tipping! LOL ;)