Meet Paige Patten Kessler

In the last year and a half, it has been my joy to highlight the personal stories of my readers...many of whom I've never even met, but whose amazing tales and experiences have touched me in such a way that I wanted to share those stories with all of you. This month, everything is about to change!!!!!!!

I DO know this "Meet the Beatles Fans" celebrity. In fact, I'm her mother (in-law).

This month, I celebrate my sweet and talented daughter-in-law, Paige Patten Kessler. Paige, a graduate of Los Angeles' FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) has recently achieved her life-long dream: she has created her own precious line of children's clothing, ROCKERROOS... and has launched her website!!! In fact, the launch is this week!

I am so proud of her, and I wanted to share our family's joy with you.

As the daughter of a true Beatlemaniac and Beatle author, Paige has devoted one of the t-shirts in her premiere line to The Fab Four, and it is as cute as a proverbial...uh, bug. Check it out at http://www.rockerroos.com.

And in her next line, she's going to offer a quirky, out-of-the-box, artistic, "I AM the WALRUS" t-shirt for children using a piece of original artwork that was featured in Dothan, AL (the home of two Sixties's Greats: Bobby Goldsboro and songwriter Buddie Buie).

Paige's mission statement is to offer one-of-a-kind designer clothes to families at VERY affordable prices. Inspired by Brian Epstein's belief that everyone should be able to afford to attend a Beatle concert, Paige believes that every child should be able to wear a collectible piece of artwork. And she's busy making that dream come true for children all over the United States.

Paige has been a part of our family for 12 years...and she married our only son, Cliff, in 2001. They have one smart, energetic, cool son, Maverick Dean Kessler, and they live in Beverly Hills where Cliff is an actor.

Please join me in celebrating my daughter's dream come true! Moms get to brag, don't they?

	"I am excited to meet your parents!" I said. "What kinds of things are they into? What could I talk to them about"? "Well my Mom is writing a book about John Lennon," Cliff said. "Who is John Lennon"? I asked. "He's in the band called The Beatles!" Cliff looked at me strangely. "Oh...THAT John Lennon," I said as I sunk into my seat. "I only know him as John." "Well, don't ever mention this incident to my Mom," he grimaced. "She's a Beatles Freak!" The truth is, I'm not sure if I knew who John was or not. I am sure at some point I had heard of him. But growing up, my parents' emphasis was not on rock'n'roll. Sure, my parents listened to The Beatles, and I am sure they knew each of them by name. But I did gymnastics and played piano. I busied myself with Bach rather than Beatles.
Little did I know, I actually knew The Beatles much better than I had originally thought. Upon meeting Cliff's mom, Jude, she didn't seem like a Beatles Freak at all - more like a Beatles lover...to the core. As time went on and I continued to date her son, I learned more and more about the Beatles and less about Bach. And everything I learned about the Fab Four intrigued me. John Lennon became a drug. I had to have it. I had to hear the words of every song. He became a way of life. Jude and I knew John was right there with us one day when we were grabbing a quick bite to eat at the local McDonald's. We were sitting in the car with the radio turned off just talking. All of a sudden out of nowhere, the radio turned itself on and the song, "She Loves You" blared out at us! Was John Lennon somehow sitting in our two-seater car? Where would he fit? With jaws dropped, we were "freaked" to say the least. As the years went on, I was fortunate to marry into the "Beatles Freak Family."
	My good friend, Jude, became my mother-in-law. And as she continued to write her book, I was given a front row seat to Beatles History 101. I made her "tell me the story" over and over again. It was always a different chapter in the story. But I just loved hearing her tell it. I was intrigued with the meaning behind each song. I not only saw a Beatles Fan pour her heart and soul into what really became part of her legacy, but I, too, became a fan.
The more I learned about John over the next few years, the more I realized that John was courageous. He had to be. He woke up every day knowing his destiny was waiting. He knew he had to keep pushing forward. I can identify with John in many ways because I, too, had to be courageous. And I continue to be courageous with my passion...Fashion. You see, I love designing Children's Clothing.

After moving to California in 2000, I decided to "put the foundations under my dream" and to attend the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Working full time (from 5 a.m. until noon) and going to school all afternoon and doing homework and design projects at night wasn't easy, believe me. But if The Beatles could play the Kaiserkeller all night to make their dream come true, I could exist on only a couple of hours of sleep as well. I had to.
	In 2004, I graduated FDIM with honors and started working as a designer for Disney. But corporate fashion just wasn't where my heart was. I wanted very much to start my own line of children's clothing. Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that achieving notoriety and success in the fashion world is next to impossible. It's a competitive industry. But, like John Lennon, I too know my destiny. And I'm going for it!! So just a few days ago, I finally (after tons and tons and tons of hard work...Carry That Weight!!!) kicked off my own Children's Clothing Line, ROCKERROOS!!! My goal is to "to assist parents in living 'The Easy Life' by providing unique Children's Clothing at the best prices."

I want to offer children cute and comfortable clothes at comfortable prices!! *www.Rockerroos.com*

It was very important to me that in my first season of ROCKERROOS, that I pay tribute to The Beatles...that rowdy, brilliant, and courageous group of young men who have been a part of my life since 1999. I wanted to capture their rock'n'roll spirit and their determination to succeed in one of my designs. This manifested itself in the form of a Beatles shirt.		Check it out! Rockerroos - John Shirt
	Why? Because, behind all the hard work, there is still a dream. John lived his. And I am living mine.
I am not only living my dream by launching ROCKERROOS, but by being the new mom of a precious little boy! Last year, upon the birth of our son, I returned home with a brand new life. It came in the form of a wrinkly, soft, high-maintenance, and perfect human being. Holding him in my arms, the song, "Beautiful Boy" suddenly popped into my head out of nowhere. I could hear John singing it to his child. And from that moment on, I have sung that song to my son every single night.
	Cliff and I bought him the Beatles Lullaby CD to play as he slept. And as it played every night, I began really listening to the words of the lullaby. At the same time, I began reading "Shoulda Been There." Together, these ingredients gave me such a full and complete understanding of the deeper meaning in John's songs.

I learned that The Beatles weren't just another boy band. They were a feeling. A connection. A hurting child. A romance. A Movement. The lads from Liverpool wanted peace in the world, in themselves. And all of us - whether we were born in their era or not - can find a portion of ourselves in their music. You see, music moves the soul. It grants us a passage into a part of ourselves that otherwise would be kept away. The Beatles found a way to open our hearts, minds, and ears. So yes, I now know who John Lennon is. And now my Mom knows that I didn't know who he was originally. But that is okay. She converted me to Beatleism! And for that, I will forever be grateful because their songs are now the soundtrack of our lives. Thank You, Jude!