It comes in "three's" right?

Well starting the 19th, its just been one thing after another with my friends and my heart just cries for them. I can totally understand and feel with my friend who just lost her mom, I have NO IDEA how to comfort my best friend who just lost her husband and is gonna one day wake up when her kids go back to school and realize he's gone. And than, Christmas day, one of my closest online friends had her colon burst and thankfully someone went to visit the next day, found her and she is recouping in ICU.

Hmm, except for Christmas and the family party that was Saturday, can we just forget last week? I say that but I don't mean it, all these things shall be for thine own good - hmm - I just need understanding and the patience to receive it. =]

Speaking of family party we were missing quite a few and had TONS of food because of it! We always miss Jamie & Dave but I must say their Christmas Card was beautiful with their little family. We missed Jason, Jeremy and families - Dallas & Mike and Jeff - Emily and family - Alisha and Emma - though we are glad you didn't try to brave the storm. Josh & Amber, Heather & Jason and yep I think the rest of us were there - not the 90+ like at Thanksgiving but we atleast got to see you and catch up with you than. =]

Yesterday closed out another part of life. A final inheritance check from Mom & Dad. More than I expected but was blessed with and it will truely help us get back from Christmas and birthdays - and Disney! After 2 yrs, can you believe it? I finally took Mom's ring off - I still wear it, but not everyday. I can now go through days and not wish at every little thing that I could call Mom or that she would love to see this. Don't get me wrong, I still DO THAT - just not 30 times a day anymore. =] Every little step counts.

I've posted select Disney pic's throughout this as I feel guilty not having posted them before. Lol. If you have facebook, you've seen them there so I'm not TOTALLY behind. =]

Merry Christmas - a day late

Christmas was a crash day- very much needed but here I am again- lol 1:00 in the morning, playing on facebook, writing blogs - soon to be on the ocean - rofl. I guess that's what happens when you forget to take your pills, have only had 20 hrs sleep in the past 72.

It's been a nice Christmas though- small but great. Our major Christmas was Disneyland last week for 5 days. We took my niece with us and all had a pretty good time. We got rained on and it was freakishly cold that day- it was a 2 hrs only can we stand it - back to the hotel for the day. But that left us with 4 great days to play and relax and just enjoy not having a schedule or anywhere to be or anything necessary to do. What a GREAT Christmas present! The kids got up around 8:15 but since Dean and I didn't go to bed until (2) we made them stay in their rooms until 9. Lol - great having older kids. Santa brought Anthony cash, Ben a Lego Batman PC game and a Didj to help with his school work (he wasn't excited til he turned it on =0 mom DOES know something =P), and Olivia recieved a HS2 dance pad (she's wanted for a YEAR!) and a new disney princess CD player that will also play her MP3. They all received movies from Dean and I - Get Smart!, Wall-E, and Ariels Beginning - so at 11 am - I went back to BED and they contentedly went to watch movies! YES! how nice was that?!?

We missed going to dinner with Darran & Sharon due to weather & illness at their home. But are hoping that Mya and David can still come for the weekend - Olivia is OH so antsy to be with Mya again, I'm glad they get along so well. Terry family Christmas party is AFTER Christmas this year on Saturday - it will be great to see everyone again - I know its only been a month but some of you live - SO FAR AWAY - its nice to see you twice a year!

I hope all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you the best for the coming New Year. May our hearts find healing, our souls gratitude, and our love shared with all.

A Sober Christmas

I promised everyone Christmas stories each day this month and lagged off once we got back from Disneyland. Yes, it has taken me awhile to recoup - however, that isn't the reason. I honestly haven't felt like blogging - 0.0 everyone fall over.

Seriously, we got home and I pretty much stayed in bed on Friday- in order to sleep at Disneyland I took my nighttime sleep aid but didn't get 8 hrs that it required each night - =0 imagine! lol, so it demanded it on Friday =S. Sorry Boo. Once I did get up and moving I wished I'd stayed in bed. Around 1:00 in the afternoon my girlfriend that lives 2 houses up called, her mom passed away on Wednesday. Everyone here knows her mom and dad - they are a major presence in her life and at all the neighborhood events. She had breast cancer and they told her Friday that there was nothing more they could do but pain med - sounds WAY too familiar to me. She was sent home to die and that she did. Her funeral was yesterday, Dean and I attended the viewing with the family on Sunday night. So, saddened by this and wondering what to do for her... 3 hrs later we get a cell phone call from a Nephi #. Yeah, kind of worried me but it wasn't John's. It was my best friends mom saying that Stephanie's husband Wade had been killed in a head on crash that morning. I don't even have words to express, I can't even imagine the anguish or the loneliness. She and Wade have been married 15 yrs- her kids are a year younger than mine so she is now single mom to a 13, 11, 9, and 5 yr old. Again, I just can't imagine- since the day I got married, that has been one of my worst nightmares. It felt like forever to find him - granted I was 20 yet that didn't change the feeling.

I don't mean to put a damper on everyone's Christmas but maybe just a reminder of the real reason for the season. Love, the gift of and the joy of receiving. Yes gifts are nice, but isn't the reason you like giving them to see the joy on that person's face when you got it right? and the fun of receiving - isn't it really to see if the giver thought enough of you to get it right? The joy of Santa is really in the spirit of giving and love.

May all of you be blessed with that love this year. Merry Christmas.