We will eat out tomorrow.I want for nothing as Larry takes care to make sure I have everything i want or need.......Lynne

Lynne

Glad to see everyone back from Christmas - and that it sounds like it was mostly a peaceful holiday for you. Debbie and I had a quiet Christmas as we had hoped - we spent Christmas Eve with my 19 year old niece and took her to Red Lobster this year instead of eating dinner at home like usual. It was a good change-up for us. Christmas Day we went to a community Christmas dinner with Debbie's family and exchanged gifts with them. Overall, it was good , but now we're both tired and happy it's over for the year. But first to work on those New Year's resolutions....

"Whatever tomorrow brings, I"ll be there-with open arms and open eyes"

Kathie I am glad you trip went well. I love your stocking notes-it reminds me of Sechangs letters. I am just sorry about the incident with your niece. When you think about it maybe it saved her from worse if she had gone to Dallas.
I am trying to add a little from my post about love here as my signature. Hope it works. Gypsy

-Where there is pain, I wish you peace and mercy.
-Where there is self-doubting, I wish you a renewed confidence in your ability to work through it.
-Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I wish you understanding, patience, and renewed strength.
-Where there is fear, I wish you love, and courage.

Happy Holidays. Hope everyone has survived. Mom has been ok most of the time. As most of us do, I've just gotten by day to day.

Angels do come---just leave a soft place in your heart for them to land.

I'm back.Haeli and I just got back last night , from a week at my brother's. My older brother Mike,SIL Pat, nephew Casey(29), niece Kelly(22), Heath, Jess, Haeli, and I had a wonderful Christmas, although bittersweet.
Pat put a stocking up for Mom and my brother Jim, that we placed little notes to them about how we loved and missed them, and what they taught us etc. It was so sweet.
All went well, till yesterday morning before we left when Mike and Kelly(his daughter who has been in 3 different rehabs) started having a screaming match because he thought she was acting like she was on drugs and he wouldn't let her go to see her friend in Dallas.
When I got home , it dawned on me to check my purse , as I had some Valium 10 mg, that I keep on hand. I knew when I was there, not to leave my purse unattended, as Kelly used to steal my Mom's drugs. The only time it was out of my sight was when I showered, and sure enough, there were10 vallium missing.
I called my brother to let him know, because Kelly had not been allowed to go anywhere by herself, so he couldn't figure out where she had gotten anything.I feel really violated , with her acting so lovey dovey to me and the thought of her stealing from me all the while.I also feel guilty for not keeping my purse with me even in the bathroom, and giving her access to it. Actually...I'm just pissed off!!
Anyway, the vacation was great over all, but I'm glad to home again.I'm a homebody at heart.
Hope everyone else had a good holiday. I've got a million emails to catch up on.
Also, today is my son Heath's 33rd Birthday!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATH !! I LOVE YOU !!

Love, Kathie, k.c.allyn@att.net The journey of a thousand miles...begins with a single step. Confucius

Belated holiday wishes and premature wishes for a happy new year.

I haven't been online much since I work retail and this is our busy season. And it's catching up to me. 9+ hour days then still being mom when I get home is wiping me out. I'm off the next two days and hope to get caught up on some much needed rest.

Christmas Eve I got to bed around 3 a.m. and the kids were up at 8:30. We had a beautiful day at my parent's house, there were 28 of us there and got word that next Christmas it will be 29. My brother and his wife are expecting their fifth child in June or July. It's getting harder with so many of us because the kids are all getting bigger and we're running out of room. There are six children alone between the ages of sixteen and fourteen. Add to that, two thirteen year olds, three ten year olds, three in their twenties, one spoiled three year old, one six month old....well, you get the idea!

Anyway, it was a wonderful day with plenty of memories of my grandparents, a few tears, a lot of laughs and a lot of love to go around.

I hope everyone here had the best day possible.

I am very conscious that I am not wise at all.

To see the holidays through a babies eyes

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blowing the rest away.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blowing the rest away.

Lynne, I had a nice xmas.I decorated my house and tree in the traditional colors.I had my family around me which is what xmas has always been about.I took purple poinsettas to my mothers grave and had a good long chat.Told her that she will be greatly missed and also blew off steam about some things. My son and son in law cooked the family dinner.Prime rib, medium.Melted in your mouth. Santa was good to me , as usual.My daughter gave me a special gift.In Feb of 02 we wrote poetry on this forum.I write one entitled ANGEL OF MINE.My daughter took that poem, some pictures of 2 of my angels , with the help of her computer put these things together, matted and framed it and gave it to me for xmas.It was such a wonderful gift it brought tears of joy and some sadness to my eyes.It was so beautifully done. I am so glad to hear your hubby is so good to you.That is the greatest gift one could receive. I wat my grand children to have positive memories of our times together.My grief for mother is done at a time that is mine. I am just so happy that I am able to do al the things that make me unique to my grand children and sometime my kids.They know what I am capable of doing and they do ot cut me much slack.Especially when they get he pleasure as well.They are pretty proud of the beauty their mother can create. My friend told me the other day that I was amazing.She was ill and I helped her decorate the inside of her self. I felt so good being able to do something for someone who has been there for me for so very long.We are as different as day and night and tat is what makes our friend ship so special.We lean on each other for the strenths we each possess.I have sorrow over the loss of my mother but I have so much to be grateful.I have the memories of my mother that seem to be an important part of my holiday.The bad and the good.The bad was not her so I put that in a seperate place.I mostly see her as the young an beatiful person he was.She was a real looker but a sweet looker.Natural facial beauty.Yes xmas was good because the positive was so much stronger that the negative.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blowing the rest away.

100 posts huh? my,how times flies..........lol

Lynne

Lynne I'm sorry if we aren't Christmassy enough for you. It has been quiet here today but I took it that most were visiting or cooking. We had a quiet day--slept in then Mike took 2 hours to eat brunch-I came here for awhile. After a sleep(not me)we went outside and fed the birds. There was a bald eagle in the top of the tree across the road-beautiful. I have a chicken in the oven and have to peel and cook veggies soon-it's only 5:00 here.We have been into the Baby Champagne so I better go do what I have to. Think tomorrow we'll go out for lunch if Mike feels like it. Congrats on your 100th post. Cheers Glad I don't have to drive after that. Merry Christmas again. Gypsy

Lynne I must agree it has been very quiet here recently. So I'll make a roll call and summon up the calvery.

ALL FORUM MEMBERS! Check in with the highlights of your holiday, even if it is heartburn.......... Maybe we can all have a drink together later?
PSST Lynne Congrads on you 100th post!!!!! Larry sounds like a great guy!
May the frog have mercy on my soul.
Power to the puppets and peace to all people.

I'm on several boards on AD.I have to say Y'all aren't acting very christmasy.Everyone else is.I realise you have heavy loads,but other people elsewere do to,but they are enjoying all they can,& write about it,good bad or indifferent.They still have good attitudes..................

Lynne

Merry Christmas to you and your husband, SnowyLynne...

May you enjoy the warmth and unexpected joys this holiday season brings for many years to come.

Warmest regards... ...Joan Marie

"Dream as though you will live forever. Love as though you will die tomorrow."

Snowylynne,
Such a good husband ... that explains the contented look on your face in your recent picture posting. May all your holiday wishes come true.

The squeaky wheel gets the oil!