A Soldier's Christmas

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.


I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.


I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.


NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.


WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.


FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.


THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.


THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DIS ORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.


WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I 'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?


I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.


SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.


THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.


I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.


THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.


THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE";


I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY HOME.


THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.


I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.


I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.


THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.


ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.


"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by an unnamed Soldier.


God Bless~
Debbie

Sunday nothings...

Just thought I would share a pic of me and mind you it's not a good pic, no makeup, etc, but David took it of me tonight in my new ride, Lucy. I am hoping once we get a different vehicle, to transport Lucy, I will have a little more freedom.

I hope everyone's Sunday was warm and easy.

God Bless~
Debbie

Saturday Snow

****If everyone would send me their snail mail address I would appreciate it. You can send it to lilscdeb@aol.com.****


We woke up this morning to snow, and it has snowed pretty much all day. It's pretty but it's COLD and I hate COLD!!! Can't wait till summer again already. It's sad, as I am just wishing my life away. It would be OK, if David didn't have to go out to work in it, in our little, almost no transmission , Geo Metro. He has a terrible time during the winter with his breathing. The cold just takes his breath away. It makes my neuropathy ache even more. We should move to warmer climates but that's hard to do, when you own a house, etc. I do love the summer's in Ohio, as they are not as hot or humid as the south. We can't have everything!! LOL.

My Blood sugar numbers have been in the 400's all day and I feel yucky. If it's not down by Monday, I am going to call Dr. Kim, as we made some changes in my insulin's.

I took these pics of the outside before the snow fell. It's hard to see in pics just how pretty the lights are.






I hope everyone had a nice and warm Saturday and wish you a happy and fun Sunday!!!

God Bless~
Debbie

Doctor's appointment, Christmas Tree and Locks of Love.

Well, I finally saw the endocrinologist today. He is a great doc and asks a lot of questions, and does a good exam. He of course is not happy with my diabetes. I of course have type 1 and have had it for 30 plus yrs. He is trying me on several different insulin's, plus the insulins I am on, and once I get my numbers in better control, will try a insulin pump. He drew 9 vials of blood and did a urine check also. I have never had that much blood drawn, but he is checking everything. Finally maybe he can help me. I am sure hoping. I see him again Dec 18th, and he has set me up for a diabetes class also. It's been yrs since I went. I have brittle diabetes and it makes it tough. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers that I can get this in better control, cause if I don't, I don't think, I will be around for long.

My granddaughter Sydney wanted to have her hair cut for Locks of Love. She's 5 yrs old and I am so proud of her for doing this!! What a big and brave little girl she is, with such a giving heart. You have to have 10 inches to give them, and she gave exactly 10 inches.


We got our tree up 2 days ago finally. We put up a 4 ft tree on a table, since it's just David and I. I think it's pretty. I love to sit here and look at it.


Here is a picture of our front door with the stockings hung. There's one for David and I, and Bart, Bucky, and Baby. Santa always remembers the fury children with toys and bones :o)


I hope to get pics of the outdoor decorations soon. I hate to go out and take pics as it's so COLD!!

I hope everyone has a great Thursday evening. Mine will be resting and watching Grey's Anatomy, as my pain level is sky high today. The cold just kills me.

God Bless~
Debbie

PS. By the way, if you wonder why all the Santa's, I LOVE Santa Claus and collect them, for Christmas.

My Thanksgiving

*** Another edit.. Go over to dlynz and enter her giveaway!!***


***Edit..This blog is kind of long, so get a cup of coffee and relax to read it. I hope it doesn't bore anyone. ***

I did have a glorious Thanksgiving. I was surrounded by people who love me and who I love!! I can always count on my sweet Carrie to make me smile. We had a wonderful dinner, full of ham, turkey (deep fried), stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans wrapped in bacon, broccoli rice casserole, mac & cheese, deviled eggs, water gate salad, rolls, cherry pie, pumpkin squares, apple goody and fudge.





Here are the 2 middle girls with their plates full!


Here is Cooper in his high chair with his dinner ready for his indulgence.


Here's Taylor my oldest grandchild. She is so beautiful!!


Here are the rest excluding me, as I was the picture taker.

Here is my son in law Chad. The pic below is my daughter Carrie and Gilly their chihuahua. Then the next pic is the girl's laying in front of the TV watching the movie.



After the movie, I set up a tea party for the girls. They had a blast!!


Cooper had a terrible cold, so we put a pot on the stove to get humidity into the air and try to help with his cough. It did seem to help him.


David played guitar for Morgan,Sydney,and Cooper,and he helped them play. What a memorial weekend we had.


The girl's wanted one of my t shirts to sleep in. Here they are. They had just showered.

Here are all 4 of the kids.


Carrie and Chad put up my outside decorations for Christmas. It's a nasty, cold day today, snowy etc, so I will take pictures of that another day and share. They raked my leaves and cleaned my yard also. Have I ever said, they are the best before? If not, THEY ARE THE BEST!!! They stayed with us Wednesday night till Sunday evening and we had a blast!! I hope everyone had as happy Thanksgiving weekend as I did. I am blessed by God, and I love my family. Yes, I missed my oldest daughter, her husband, and her 3 children, yes, I missed my son and his wife, but Carrie made sure her Mom had a wonderful day filled with memories and love. I am a happy blessed woman, with wonderful children, a wonderful husband and wonderful memories.

Thanks for enduring this long blog, if you made it to the end. Now the Christmas season is here, and we will celebrate the birth of our savior. May everyone go out and make memories with family and friends!

God Bless~
Debbie