WHATS HAPPENING CHRISTMAS EVE

Christmas Eve and all thru the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse---------- I use to read that to my kids every Christmas Eve. And then we would all snuggle up and read the message of Bethlehem and the wonderful birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. This was in a time that I was a single mother with 3 little ones and no help from their father or the state. Most of the time I worked two full time jobs to make ends meet. So times were tough a lot. I always started buying Christmas for them in January and putting things in lay a way. Would get those things paid for and would buy other things the same way. Did a lot of garage sales too, you would be surprised at the new stuff you can find in sales like that. Now time has past and I have to more or less make an appointment to see the kids and grandkids. Most of the grandkids are grown too. There are only 2 left that are younger and they aren't babies anymore. 13 and 8 even the 8 year old is almost as tall as I am. My son and his wife and the above mentioned grandkids came down today for Christmas. We had a good time and I got a wonderful cozy warm pair of pink house shoes and Joe received a nice pair of men's house shoes too. Then we also got a big container of about 20 really cute tins of tea. I have gotten to where I love hot teas now. We had a great dinner and lots of good things to eat. Now I need to redo things and make stuff all over for Monday, Christmas day when all the rest of them will be down. My youngest daughter will be down tomorrow sometime. They will spend Christmas Eve with son in laws Grandmother. His mother lives in Fla. So he won't get to see her. Scott: wow 140 pounds gone. That is amazing. Is the picture on here one of you before weight loss or after the 140 pounds gone? I'm like you the best gift we could have possible gotten was the weight loss surgery. Julia: your consult date is January 3? Hope you get a surgery date soon. That is for sure. I'm sure it won't be soon enough but hopefully time will go by fast. Barbara Scott. Sounds like your holidays will be overloaded with family and good cheer. It is wonderful that your family makes you things that you can eat. Very kind of them. Give yourself a big hug and have a great Christmas Andrew: Yeah I say that every year about Christmas shopping too. But don't get it done anymore. I use to when my kids were little, only because I had to. Now I wait and for what I don't know. Maybe I am expecting the present fairy to come down and buy all of them for me. I got Joe 6 certificates for massages well really 3 for him and 3 for me. Thought it would be something we could go do together. Lol I haven't tried the carb countdown milk will have to see if my grocery store here will try to get that for me. Deb: Glad your hubby got the days off that you will need him with you. You shouldn't need any help after surgery, especially since you are having lap band. Wasn't that part of the reason for having that instead of RNY? So you wouldn't have as much down time? At least we will pray that you don't need any help. And will be great afterwards. LOL about giving back family, if you are like me as a mother we would like too sometimes I know I would. At times anyway. Not when they were little but after they were grown. As my grand mother use to say. When they are little they walk on your toes and when they are grown they walk on your heart. True, so true. My grandmother has words of wisdom for almost all situations. Lol Your surgery date in January will be here before you know it. Just try to stay busy by doing something almost every day. Schedule things like the 2nd clean out the bedroom closet, 3rd clean and organize kit cabinets, lol not that that will be your list but was some of mine. Lol Just turn Jason over to the Lord and let him work on him. He has the basic teaching and knows right from wrong so He will eventually go back to it. Is he still in school? Will pray for him . Rachael: well if my husband would help me wrap I would maybe wrap presents too but he doesn't so I use bags lol nothing but anymore. I go to wal mart the day after Christmas and buy a supply of them for next year. This year I need to get lots of big bags. I have about 30 or 40 little ones so need the bigger one. I'm glad that you and your family are helping out the poor soldiers that are away from family. Did your mother ever get a surgery date or was she flat refused surgery? How is your sister doing since her surgery? Barbara T: Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Lol Don't we make a good duet for singing? Lol I know I was reflecting about Christmas last year and how bad I felt. Sure a change since last year huh? I can't wait to see my two daughters I haven't seen them for about 3 months. My youngest daughter is bringing me several sweaters. That is big on her. She said they were mostly 12s and she wears 9/10 don't know why she had 12s I will be glad cause im freezing to death. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Praise God in the highest. Amen Julia: I hope things work out with Darrell. Please don't let things get like they were before when you sent him packing. You are worth more than that and don't need to take that sort of abuse. Sorry to hear about your sister. That is a shame isn't it. I hope you can go back to nursing. I have my paper to send in to get my lic. Back but just am afraid that I won't be able to do it with my back. I am making an appointment with my ortho guy next week to see what is going on with it. Colette: wow sounds like you will be quite busy this week end. Isnt it fun to have them all home? I know this week will be kids underfoot, good smells coming from the kitchen. The clank of pots and pans and dishes rattling, lots of talk and lots of laughter. Merry Christmas and hope the week end is a delight that will keep you warm for quite awhile. Lana: the 26th is creeping closer and closer. Just 2 more days really. Oh go**** is close. And the next two days will go by fast since you will be so busy. The chili sounds good. The lights of Silver Dollar City I bet were beautiful weren't they? You know I have never gone to see them but everyone says they are fantastic. Yes know that you will be cover in prayers on Tuesday. And I will be waiting for Stacey to call me and report on you. Have a happy and wonderful Christmas with your family. MELISSA;;;;;;;;!!!!!!!: Wow you have been being put thru the wringer haven't you girl. Just know that you are still in my prayers and will continue to pray for you till you get well. I would imagine that your body is just worn out and needs to really rest and just get well. So glad you feel like going to see your parents. Take it easy and be careful you don't need to catch anything on top of everything else. Hope to see more of you online starting Tuesday. Take care and love you. Merry Christmas. And if you need to come on here and to gripe and moan that is ok this is a support group you know. Vesta: Merry Christmas to you too. Won't be long till you have your surgery too. Just keep busy that is the key to making time pass fast. Want to wish all of you and yours a Merry Christmas. Don't know if I will get on here Christmas day or not. Probably not but will be back on Tuesday morning. Maybe Christmas morning depends on how early I get up. Have a wonderful day and remember the best gifts aren't what money can buy but what love can buy. LOVE AND JOY AND PEACE ABOUNDS JAN

I am wishing everyone a Blessed Holiday. Lana you are almost there I will be thinking of you. I know you are really excited. Vesta I will be seeing you and Marilyn and Gretta soon when you cross the bench.Kat, I hope you and Travis have a wonderful holiday with your children and keep in touch. Andrew wishing you and Susan the best. Brenda and Barbara S. I hope we get to see you soon. To all others, Sherr, Tami, Debbie,Linda S, Nancy, Kathy ,Kelli,Treece, and Alan and Toni, I wish you all the very best. Melissa it sounds like you are heading down the road to recovery now. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. Pat, hope to see you in the coming month. Glenda good luck and thanks for volunteering to keep our Angels working and connected.To Claudette and Collette Happy Holidays. I am sorry if I missed anyone because I wish you all the best and thank you all for giving me a wonderful extended family.May the peace of the Lord Jesus be with you.Julia

Wow, can ya believe it's christmas eve already?? Where has this year gone?? Well it's just about gone for sure now and a new year is just over the horizon!! I feel like I've already started the new year with my new life. I can't wait to see what God has in store for all of us this next year. Alot having surgery between now and next month, alot of us post ops are losing pounds we'll never see again, God has been working in all of our lives with such blessings. Today our church is having a lil candle light service this morning so Im gonna go to that. I'm fixin to put a ham in the big crock pot to slow cook all day and then I'll stick the turkey in the oven about 9am just before I leave for church. Susan has to work today until 2pm then the resturant is closing so Im gonna try and have most of our dinner cooked. I dunno why we are cooking so much other then to take some to her dad, we'll have enough to eat for 2 weeks lol I just want to wish each and everyone of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. LIke Jan said remember its not gifts that money can buy but the gift of love, thats the gift God gave us all, the gift of love through Jesus Christ His Son. Love and Prayers to all, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Andrew

Good morning Missouri.....Happy Christmas Eve.....I am up early because my hubby needed me to iron some clothes for work.....So while I have been up I did the ironing for him and folded two loads of laundry....I tell you what I dislike doing laundry more and more....but I have a surprise for my 8 year old today he is going to help me fold and fold and fold some more laundry.....my goal today is to get everyone's laundry done and put away....when DH tries to help with laundry he washes and dries it and puts it in baskets downstairs....so by time they get folded and hung they look like they have been run over by a mack truck...oh well, it is the thought that he helps....lol I already have two dozen cookies made for the soldiers as well as a rum cake cut up and put in a container for them....I will make a couple more dozen cookies and then my sister will be here around noon to cook and get her stuff together and then she is off to her friends house to exchange gifts and pick up the wings and then she will be back here around 6pm and we will go deliver the goodies.....I am really excited about sharing the Christmas spirit with those that could not be with their families....Even when I worked in nursing homes for many years I always adopted a person and brought them home on Christmas day to have dinner with my family and of course we would get them gifts.....My son and nephew go with my dad every year to the local nursing homes and they hand out candy canes to the residents.....it has been a tradition for my son since he was one year old......he gets a kick out of it and the residents of the homes enjoy the Christmas spirit...... Jan, my mother has not heard anymore on the surgery but she is waiting to hear......I wish that she would get it soon.....I know that she would be so much happier.....My sister is doing well with the surgery I believe she told me she has lost over 60 pounds....I can really notice it in her face....She is such a beautiful woman anyways and losing this weight will just make her self-confidence even better.....I always tell her that God gave us this second chance in life to be good mommies and wonderful people for ourselves.....We have always been close through lots of trials and tribulations but it was the Almighty God that has kept us together...... I talked to Melissa briefly yesterday and she had told me about her rash and that she was doing ok except for that rash.....she thought maybe it was a reaction to the medication she was taking....I told her it was the "devil" trying to take over her and to put that ugly man under her feet.....I told her I will continue to pray healing merices for her.....she was to go to her mom and dads yesterday afternoon for Christmas...I told her to have safe travels..... I am so glad that I don't have to travel at this time of the year....but maybe next year we will because we are thinking about putting our house on the market and moving to Nebraska to be with my DH family....Since he has moved down here we have not spent a holiday with them....but my DH got told yesterday when the assistant manager program comes open in April his store manager will make a call and get him into the program....this is what he has wanted for a long time but was scared to attempt it....he has been a support manager and right now he is the deli department manager......he has been with Walmart for going on six years now.....he is a wonderful worker and they told him that in a meeting they had with him on Thursday....So please keep that in your prayers...... Ok here we go I am going to try and wish everyone a Merry Christmas...... Jan, Melissa, Sherr, Claudette, Julia, Craig, Antonio, Kathleen, Glenda, Debbie D, Debbie M, Cathy, Diana, Deanna, Crystal, Treece, Valerie, Tara, Scott, Barbara S, Andrew, Barbara T, Colette, Lana, Vesta, Kelli, Tami, Alan, Nancy, Patricia Harmon, Pixielf, Elisabeth Meyers, Tressia, Ruthie Meyer, Shrinking Patty, Kat Smith, Dannielle, Robin Nanette, Gretta, Monique, Brenda Minks, Michelle M., Tracey Bateman, and everyones family.....May God bless each and everyone of you on this joyous season...be safe in all the things you do....If I happened to have forgot someone on the list it was by pure accident...I went through all the post and tried to write down everyones name.....you are definitely not forgotten, you all are always in my prayers..... Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.....Happy Birthday Jesus....And thank you Lord for dying for my sins and making me whole again.....Without you Lord nothing is possible but with you Lord "all things are possible." Lord, I pray that you keep each and everyone of us under your wings for the coming year....and for those that are getting prepared for their surgeries I pray that You will be right by there side and bring them through the surgery and give them a speedy recovery....And for those of us that are post-op keep us covered to have the strength we need everyday to make the right choices.....All this Lord I pray in your precious name......Amen..... God bless to each and everyone and your families..... Remember He is the reason for season....... Rachael, Jason, Dalton and Jaiden Medinger Thanks for all the wonderful support that we give each other on this board.....

you people really know how to put it into words, I am not good with words... but I do wish EVERYONE on here a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy new year..God bless all of you.....Vesta

Good Morning Everyone and Merry Christmas Eve!! Everything is good here. My daughter(Nicole), her bf and the kids will be coming over for awhile today and to open some gifts. Middle son, Roy has to work today and tomorrow but he plans on making an appearance sometme. The oldest son (Dave) and his wife (Holly) can't make it up so we will be going down there after Christmas to give them their gifts. Jason, we haven't heard anything more from him but God has given me total peace over that situation so I know everything will be fine there. He is a good son and has traveled the good path in life that the Lord and his parents have laid out for him. We tried to keep him there but he has slipped off the road a little but he knows his way back and I believe he's almost there. God IS in control!! I pray that EVERYONES Christmas will be as blessed as ours is and is going to continue to be!! May the Spirit be in everyone's home and touch the hearts and souls of all my friends and family one here!! Love & Prayers to ALL, Deb M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !!!!!