Michelle Nelson-Schmidt's Blog, page 59

Cordelia is coming!

Whatif a dream could change a life?

(This post was written and photos used with permission of those involved.)

 

Let me tell you a story….

Once upon a time there was a young woman. This woman, hardly done being a girl really, dreamed often about a life she longed to live, but through decisions made all on her own, found herself in no position to live the life she wanted. Not yet anyway.

She dreamed of writing and illustrating children’s book, traveling the world and sharing her heart and passion with others. But alas, she had two small children, was in a failing marriage and struggled daily to meet the most basic of needs for her young children, while working several different jobs to barely make ends meet.

When she needed time to herself, she would go to the children’s section of the bookstore and pull piles of books from the shelves. She read them all and made notes of ones she liked and willed to memory the ones she loved. She had no money to buy any of them, but she would read them and dream of the day she could have a book she had written on the shelf.

But it was the books that made her gasp after a page turn – that literally brought tears to her eyes – those books? She saved up her money and bought. And vowed that she herself, would write books like THAT one day. Books where someone else’s heart seemed to leap off the page through words and illustrations – staight into the heart and soul of the reader. A book that would touch a reader so deeply that you could feel, actually FEEL the love from the pages of the book.

Yes, she would write those kinds of books one day. She promised herself.

That women finally realized her dreams of writing and illustrating books and traveling the country sharing her passion with children. It took her 15 long, long years, but she did it. And she created the books her heart told her needed to be written.

And on certain days, when the love in the air is swirling, when the magic and mysteries of the universe are stronger than any other force in the universe, the love comes full circle.

Last November, I went to visit a school in the Midwest. In the audience, there was a boy named Nathan. He was a foster child in a home where he was loved and taken care of, but he feared he may never have the life he dreamed of. Due to circumstances, none of his own, he found himself often wondering if he would ever have the life he dreamed of. While he had an amazing foster family, he was scared of wanting them too much. Scared of wanting more. What if he could not have the life of his dreams?

Nathan heard my message. Nathan heard me tell he and his classmates to dream big, take chances and to work towards the life we want. Nathan listened to me when I reminded him that for every ‘bad what if’ in life, there is an ‘amazing, wonderful what if’ and we get to choose which one to keep in our brains.

I said goodbye to Nathan, never having met him personally, but he said goodbye to me and high-fived the Whatif Monster I held as he went out the door.

I never knew it, but my words had entered Nathan’s brain and then made a home in his heart.

He asked his aunt for my book, Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster and the plush toy for Christmas.

I was sent pictures of him receiving it on Christmas Day. That was the first I heard about how much my book had touched Nathan’s heart.

I have since been sent photos of Nathan making a Valentine’s box in the shape of the Whatif Monster.

I have gotten pictures of a wedding that the Whatif Monster was in – marrying a lovely monkey! The reception and cake were divine!

I have been told that Nathan and the Whatif Monster are inseparable.

And then, last night, I got a message which read:

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Your book has changed my son. It gave him hope and a better outlook – to “Dream big.”

Thank you for taking your art to the next level and writing your stories. It touches kids in a way that I am sure you didn’t plan!

From the bottom of my heart, Thank you!

Nathan said “Whatif I never met you and I wasn’t getting adopted.”

Today, I am getting a tattoo for Nathan.

Nathan wrote out ‘Dream Big’ and told me where to put it. This is my gift to him.

Nathan will be officially adopted by us in just a few more months.

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Oh, my heart. And the tears of joy and gratitude. Nathan, you and your family could not have given me a more precious gift than this. Thank you all so very, very much. I love you and your beautiful family to the moon and back!

Please, PLEASE, dear reader, let this story be a sign if you are looking for one. Follow your hearts, follow your dreams. Find the things in life that light you up inside like sunshine – but here is the most important part. SHARE THAT SUNSHINE with the rest of us. Share your joy, your passion, your love with the world. You WILL make this world more magical, you will change it…just by being YOU.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 30, 2016 Storytime Live at 7:30pm est!

Join me tonight for a half hour of magic, happiness, laughter and UNICORNS!

I missed you last week! And so did Bob! He hasn’t stopped telling me how he misses his Storytime family and can’t wait to see you all this week! Bob really is quite the chatterbox!

I’ll be giving away Magical Unicorn Charms on tonight’s Storytime (I don’t believe in luck, but I do believe in the magic of intention and unicorns!) so comment on this post by 7:30pm for a chance to win a little piece of sparkly magic!

Can’t wait to see you all!

Click here at 7:30pm (eastern) to watch live!

My week in Ohio!

Thank you Ohio for an absolutely beautiful, magical week!

 

Storytime Live tonight…

Y’all? Me, the Whatif Monster, Bob. and my little stow-away, Cordelia are in Ohio this week.

I was so busy yesterday and today, I forgot to announce. There will be no Storytime Live tonight because I have an evening event here in Ohio.

However, I will post a recorded video of myself here later today so you and

your awesome, awesome kiddos have something to watch at 7:30pm.

Sorry for missing you guys tonight! I love you!!!

March 16, 2016 Storytime Live at 7:30pm! (eastern)

A lovely girl in Connecticut named Melody sent a book to me a few weeks back. And I think it is a PERFECT book to feature on Storytime Live!

Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, written by Emily Pearson and illustrated by Fumi Kosaka is absolutely delightful with a message to make your heart smile. And we can all use a bit more ‘heart smiling’ these days, am I right?

Join me tonight at 7:30pm for smiles and happiness, love and laughs!

As always, comment on this post by 7:30pm eastern for a chance to win a gift from me to you!

Click here or on the image below at 7:30pm eastern to watch live! Can’t wait to see you!

March 9, 2016 Storytime Live: Tucson Edition at 7:30pm est

Join me for a super special Storytime Live! It’s the second anniversary of my first ever episode!!

I know! Can you believe that?? TWO YEARS!

So it only seems fitting that I read the first book I read two years ago, Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster!

AND as if that wasn’t enough?? I have some special guests! Some of my most loyal and favorite Storytime viewers!

Join me tonight to see who they are and to celebrate the second year of Storytime Live and so many amazing and wonderful Wednesdays with my most favorite people in the whole wide world!

As always, comment on this post by 7:30pm est for chance to win a gift from me to you!

Click here or on the photo below to watch live at 7:30pm eastern standard time.

School Visit Week Openings – Now Available!

I have added a link to my webpage (see above) that has all my school visit information. There is a link at the bottom for an application to be filled out. I will ONLY consider those who fill out the application and send it it. Please do not just email more or text me and ask – to keep track of all of you I have to do it it this way. I hope you understand.

I will do my absolute BEST to give as many a week as possible, but please know I have limited availability. Although, I am planning on making 16 weeks available to travel which is the most I have done in 4 years. :)

Click here or on the link above. I will leave this link up for about a week or so to give as many a chance to try to week as possible.

March 2, 2016 Storytime Live at 6:30pm est!

Join me tonight an HOUR EARLIER!

I am in Seattle, Washington and I have an evening event tonight so the only way to make this work is to have Storytime earlier at 6:30pm instead of 7:30pm which is really 3:30pm here. Confused yet? I know, it’s like I time travel to the past out here on the west coast! But we will make this work because I love you and miss you when I can’t see you all!

Join me and Dog and Mouse for a lovely time together!

As always, comment on this post by 6:30pm est for a chance to win a gift from me to you!

Click here or on the picture below at 6:30pm to watch Storytime Live!

February 24, 2016 Storytime Live at 7:30pm est

PHEW! It has BEEN A WEEK, y’all!

I got sick early last week and have spent just about the past 7 days in bed resting trying to recover. I am happy to report that I woke up today feeling soooo much better! I am still taking it easy, but I definitely feel well enough to see my beloved Storytime Live Family tonight!

Join me tonight for a reading of, well, I’m just gonna let you figure that out based on this week’s graphic. ;)

As always, comment on this post by 7:30pm est for a chance to win a gift from me to you!

Can’t wait to see all of you shiny, happy, lovely people!

Click here or on the photo below at 7:30pm est to watch and chat live!