Tuesday morning...

Good morning all!

I am so glad yesterday is done! It went a lot better at the funeral home than it probably would have had it been my mother who died and me & my siblings trying to decide on everything. My siblings would had picked out the most expensive everything and then handed me the bill. Bill & Suzie were pretty agreeable with everything. Me & Doug were just there pretty much for if they asked..lol. We did express our own opinions about a few things but pretty much at quiet and let the brother & sister decide. The services are going to be on the 29th from 11-1 with a short service at 1. Jean was a supporter of the Salvation Army & AmVet so we're asking that donations be made in her name to one of those instead of flowers. We know that some people will be sending flowers anyway. I hope Suzie has a place for most of them. I have a tendency to kill houseplants.

Then..Bill & I pretty much finished up our shopping. Jay is coming over today & helping me with some cooking stuff. We are going to do a shhhhh side trip too. We're going to make a quick run to get Bill a new computer chair for Christmas.

Oh...and we should be getting Lotus today! We'll be glad to have her home with us!

I hope you all have a good day today!

Sherri

It always seems tougher to have to deal with things like that over the holidays. I'm glad you got through it okay.

Today will be filled with work (as usual). Transcribing this morning and working at the P.O. this afternoon. Not quite as busy at the window as the only way to get something to where it's going by Christmas now is via Express Mail, and that's pretty expensive. Some people do it, though! Still have a lot of packages coming in, of course.

We had Christmas with my nephew and his girlfriend last night, she leaves for Seattle today for Christmas with her family. She's such a sweetie, we all love her. We opened gifts here at our house, then went out to eat and then to "Whispering Christmas" at Fort St. Clair park in Eaton, Ohio. It's a big park that they deck out all the way through with lights, all kinds of decorations, etc. etc....it is gorgeous! You drive through to see everything, and they have a log cabin with a big fireplace where they serve free hot chocolate and cookies. Didn't have any of that, of course, but I sure enjoyed everything else! It was a great evening.

I'm a little irritated at L.L. Bean. I mailed them an order on Dec. 3rd and still haven't gotten it. The check I sent with it cleared a couple of weeks ago, so it should be here by now. Dangit...there's a gift for my husband and another one for my nephew in there. Guess I'd better call them today.

Got on the scales and lost 3 more pounds this morning...yippee! Not bad for the Christmas season! Never happened before, THAT'S for sure.

Hope everyone has a terrific day...I'd better get busy!!

Merry Christmas!

Jenny

Happy Tuesday everyone! One week ago today I was shaking in my boots with excitement for my surgery the next day. Today, I have endured one of the most difficult weeks I could imagine. But I have learned how great this board is and how many complete strangers are praying for me and rooting me on. I am so blessed to have found you all. Today I feel great and look forward with anticipation my new life.

Good morning all!

I am getting ready to go to the unemployment office.  Of all the weeks to get a problem with the voucher.... It had to be Christmas week.  Just my luck.  I didn't get paid this week.  Says I need to go to the office.  Yippee.

Sherri, I am so glad you are getting Lotus today.  Maybe that will be a bright spot in Bill's difficult week.  I guess now we know why things didn't work out for the other dog you were considering.  Lotus was supposed to be yours and the timing couldn't be better.  I will continue to pray for you and Bill and the family.

Melissa,  Yeah!!!  You are feeling better!  I can almost see the sparkle in your typing compared to yesterday.  LOL.  You have a great attitude about things and I am sure you will do well.  Push your fluids today and I know you are gonna feel so much better.

I am gonna try to get things done today that I was supposed to do yesterday.  I ended up with a day of helping my daughter and Kim's crew with supplying water and assistance to each of them for houses with frozen pipes and various other problems.   I will check in on Kim this morning again, she had no water for over 24 hours now.  But we are just 4 blocks apart so she knows she is welcome here any time for any thing they might need.

Thanks to all of you who have been so kind as to pray for Kim and send her cards and things.  She has a smile on her face again inspite of all the craziness in her world.  It shows me how much goodness there is in people and how much love God provides to all of us.

So, I am gonna get started on this trip to the Unemployment office to see if I can get paid.

Safe travels to everyone going to work and to set off on your way to Christmas with family or friends.

Huge hugs,
Tracy

Good Morning Indiana OHer's,

It sounds like some of us have had some trials to deal with.  Everyone keep your chin up.  You can do this!  I am working on Christmas stuff this morning.  I have some baking and cooking to do.  Everyone have a great day.  I hope all your plans are complet.

 

Carol 

HI ALL! Just wanting to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I am up early this day and already have a Turkey and Cranberry Wreath made for the pitch-in # 2 at work today. I have cooked my chicken breasts and now have my noodles cooking away in the pot. I am going to go down to Paoli on Christmas day, to my cousins where my DH lives through the week, and I am taking the chicken and noodles. It sounds like they are having a big spread! They probably won't even need my noodles! But I wanted to contribute something good. I am sure that you all are going all out for the BIG DAY! 
 I would also like to ask for prayer for Kim and her family as they are going through a really, really rough time. She is still having on going health problems, her water was and still maybe froze, her boyfriends car broke down, and someone stole her little dog out of the front yard! All of this happened just yesterday! The little dog was on a lead in a fenced yard! Man do people have B_ _ _ S! Coming right up in your yard by the door to steal a dog! When it rains it pours!
 Also I am glad that things went well with Sherri and her family while at the funeral home. When you get alot of people together to pick things out it seems to go better when they all know what their parent or family member wants and they don't lose focus of that. Hope the rest of the time goes well for all members of the family. Also remember that alot of times the funeral goes smoothly and then after that, when the personal things need gone through that is when it can get hairy. SO good luck then also!
 Tracy good luck at the un-employment place! You know the red tape is waiting for you there! I hope this doesn't hamper your Christmas shopping! I hope your noodles come out great! Mine are smelling pretty YUMMY right now! 
 Have a Merry Christmas all!   Michelle

Good to see ya Michelle... Been missin ya!! Jobs will do that..keep ya off line...

Hey I wore my Harley ear warmers the other night coming home from work... my car decided not to let the heater work and you wouldnt believe the warmth the little wrap provided!!!

I really was glad you were my elf.. Hope all is well with you!!

Linda Kay

So today begins the Christmas celebrations for our family, then the next five days of family stuff.  I am ready for it to be over before it starts.  I still have gifts to buy, I went last night to pick up the last two items and had an episode, I already wrote about it in another thread so I wont bore you here lol. 

I have to make a fruit and nut try to take today so off to the store again, it feels like I been to the store daily for a month.  I love xmas time I just wish there was another week or two between Thanksgiving and Christmas, its hard to get everything done that you want to get done and try to work too. 

I have really enjoyed watching the newbies communicating thier problems, trials and tips.  Its so nice to see such wonderful fellowship among everyone.  If you are one of the ones *****cently had surgery and are reading this I want you to know that you have helped me in the past couple of weeks.  I have been inspired by you and watching you begin your journey has reminded me of where I started and how far I have come in such a short time.  Its easy to forget and take things for granted after a few months have passed.  I hope to meet all of you at the next clothing exchange. 

Jeannie

Kind of late posting today.  Haven't had time to jump on till today,  So many people going through all sorts of trials.

Had my family Christmas on Sunday.  My brother from Monticello and all his kids and grandkids cancelled at the last minute.  The nursing home called and my SIL wasn't doing well and they didn't feel right coming down to celebrate with her sick.  Instead of 26 people we had 11 and a ton of food.  But we sent my other brother and his family home with a bunch of stuff so it didn't go to waste.

Tomorrow after work I head to my DIL's mother's where we will have their Christmas.  That means when I get home tonight I have to make some of the things I am taking there and get up early in the morning to put on the crockpot for the barbecued smokies.    One good thing is tomorrow is my Friday.  I plan on doing nothing this weekend (after we celebrate Christmas)  The recliner and a good book sounds like a plan for me.

Hope everyone gets done what needs to be done for your celebrations today.  Santa comes tomorrow night!  Stay warm and stay safe. 

Julie

Boy do I hate to hear that about Kim.  I was so hoping things were finally looking up for her.  I saw a segment on the news last night that people are resorting to theft more and more with the economy the way it is.  Some of them are doing it to feed their families!  Is it wrong in that case?  I just don't know.  I do know our system stinks when we can send other countries billions of dollars in aid and we have our own people losing their homes and going hungry.

But it's Christmas.  We're supposed to be merry right?  I did the message at church on Sunday and it has really made me look at Christmas very differently.  It was all about what to expect on Christmas and how the things that occured that first Christmas when Baby Jesus was born were probably not the things Mary expected.  You know...like the long trip right when her baby is due, no room in the inn, giving birth in a smelly stable, being visited by shepherds who said angels came to them and told them about the babe and where to find him.  I would've been like, "Uhhhh God, you couldn't help a room cancellation along so I could give birth in a decent place but you can send a whole angelic choir to tell where to find us?"  But the bible says Mary "kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself." 

Another thing I discovered while studying for my message was that Mary was the only person who was at Jesus' birth who was also at his death.  I'm sure that was unexpected for Mary.  BUT in Acts she was also with the disciples seeing the resurrected Christ!  Whoohoooo!!!!

I just reprinted my message so I could share with you the last part.  The last few sentences...
Mary got to see the resurrection!  I'm sure at this point Mary knew it wasn't foolish for her to hold onto faith through all of those crazy unexpected events.  Mary now knew that God was powerful enough to put it all to good use.  And God can do the same thing with all the screwy mixed up things in our lives.

I really need to remember this.  It's so easy for me to think just because something doesn't turn out the way I expect it to, that God isn't involved in it and that I did something wrong.  God does some of his best work in the midst of chaos!  Thank goodness!!!!

I love you guys.  I hope you're blessed this Christmas.  Thanks for helping me through all of my chaos.  The people in this forum are the very best!  And God uses you so much.

Smooches, Jacqui

Sorry it's so long.