Hi All

Wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. This is going to be a great Christmas for me this year as I have lost some weight and Kat helped my husband to get my Christmas so I will be surprised like it should be. I cannot wait for tomorrow morning I feel like a child. I am siting up with my 2 grandkids and letting her sleep a little this morning since I do not go into work til 8:30. Hope everyone is well and doing great. Just got over being sick and missing almost a week of work. Lets all share our happy stories and pray for all those having the surgery soon and may God bless each of us.

You are so sweet to let Kat get some sleep. It is so hard on young mother's at times and it is so nice to have someone take over occasionally. I am looking forward to tonight. For the first time in many years, I will have 2 of my children with me and one of my sweet grandchildren. Most of the time, I have no one here for Christmas and hubby has to work (he is a corrections officer and Jail's don't close for the holidays!) I am looking forward to seeing my family. I made potatoe salad yesterday (took all day) and today I will bake the ham. I know I have to stick with my clear liquid diet for another week so that wll be hard but worth it. My surgery is the best Christmas present ever! I am going to take advantage of this tool and watch this butterfly, fly! You have a wonderful day and I will be thinking about you and your beautiful family. Hugs, Betsy

Thank you. I have had a fairly nice day. After I wrote this We got a call on kat's phone and I had to wake her up to go with me to take him to the hospital. He was opening a box with a cutter and cut himself. It was about 3" long they cleaned it out and put the liquid stuff on it that makes a a covering, then they put a banadge on it and he went back to work. I went in late which I am glad that my work understood because today is my first day back since Tuesday. I bet that potato salad is good. I will be thinking about you when I eat and have fun opening and watching the grandkids do theirs. Kat is the best that I know for sure.

Good Morning Momma Pat and Merry Christmas . Wow .. it is almost here .. Christmas .. a time of celebration and a time for reflection . I look back at all the Christmas's I have had and I can not put one before the other as they where all great .. This year however, I am alive .. alive in my spirit for the first time . And I too feel like a small child waiting on my suprise from Santa .. however this year my suprise is going to be watching my grandkids open their gifts .. laughing and celebrating . I think back to times as Obese and trying to do all the shopping , cooking , wrapping and driving .. and how much pain I would be in .. How exhausting I found it all .. Now .. I am up intil 2 am wrapping , cleaning . cooking and feeling like brand new .. As I look back over the past year and how far each of us has come .. especially you .. !! I am in awe .. We have so much to be thankful for .. your daughter for one has made such an impact with me .. for her friendship is forever binding .. and her heart is as big as life itself .. so ...Merry Christmas to you .. and to your family .. enjoy the spirit and joy that this holiday brings .. and know that I love you . Always. Natalie

Natalie thank you for your kind words. They come at a very good time. Like I told Besty the day we have had. Like you said looking back over the past Christmas's I cannot think of none of the bad only the good ones. I hope you enjoy this Christmas like all the rest and have fun with the grandkids and I will too. Merry Christmas to you and all yours. You know that I love you too. This board has been a life saver for all of us.

Hey Pixie! Thank you for your words of kindness. They are from the heart and I know that. I love you so much and know that we are forever friends and bonded in our hearts. Merry Christmas beautiful! Love you, Kat

Good Morning Pat and Merry Christmas. Even though Christmas is a sad one this year for my family, we are trying to make it a good one for the kids. My dad's passing has really changed alot of things. MY mom for the first time yesterday was filling out a tax form and had to put "single" for the first time in 41 years. She started balling her eyes out. We are trying not to leave her alone for too long. My hubby, son and I are taking her to Christmas Eve service at her church and then we are going to my cousins to eat seafood and cajun food. She's helping me cook tommorrow. I'm doing the Turkey and the ham, potatoes, mac n cheese, rolls and SF desserts. She's doing everything else. Last year, I was down 60 pounds and still struggled with the cleaning, cooking and shopping. Now at 155, I have so much more energy. It feels great. and I thank god everyday for his gift of surgery. Christmas is not about presents or santa claus, it's about family. So we went light on the gifts this year (Except my new car, heehee). I wish you and Kat and the little ones a merry christmas! Hugs, Jane

Thank you for your post. I am sorry that this is not a very happy one for you. I know what you mean we lost my father-in-law on Thankgiving in 1985 and his mom in December of 1990 and my mom in September of 1999 so I can feel for you and yours. One thing Ido on these times is to say a prayer that God will help me go through it. You re right Christmas is not about what you get but the love of God to let us make it another day. Here is wishing you and yours the best that it can bring. Keeping by her side will mean more to her than you will ever know. If you need to talk just let me know. Love ya.

And Merry Christmas to you as well, HUGGSS, Melissa