The True Meaning of Christmas

We had a Christmas party at Frances' house last night. If you read my blog you know how much this dear woman has come to mean to me and my family. She has overcome in less than a year what most people would consider a fatal blow. She had a botched catheter which sent her not only straight to open heart surgery but a nursing home for rehabilitation. That in it's self would have most probably sent me knocking on the pearly gates begging for admittance citing all my good deeds versus evil ones hoping the gates would swing open in pity.

This woman never once complained or acted like a grandma (she is of that age) but acted like it was simply a task she had to take on and conquer. She not only became the mascot of the nursing home but the mascot of our family.

She gave us an appreciation Christmas party last night to thank all of us for helping her through her adversities.

Her niece was there...a hoot that I have come to love as dearly as Frances. They both cooked a fabulous dinner for us. Pork roast, meatballs and pigs in the blanket. There were so many side dishes that my stomach hurt from the unusual full feeling it had!

She showed off a beautiful cape with leopard trim that her aide had given her for Christmas. A wonderful woman that comes several times a week to help her and treats her like family not an employer.

I was supposed to leave early and take Massey to practice but just couldn't. Being with family is the one thing I CAN afford this Christmas and not having much spare time in my current life just wanted to stay and enjoy the love and friendship that means so much to me . It was my first and only Christmas party and one of the best times I have had in months. Even Zach got into the spirit of things having his picture taken with Frances with both of them wearing their "Hoodies." Frances gave us all presents and presented each one with why she was grateful for that person...it was truly a touching thing.

I think I may have gotten Massey into trouble with her guard coach...but for Pete's sake, I want to enjoy my Christmas too and making Frances happy makes me happy. If that is wrong, find me guilty!!

Got home and I fell into bed. I have been running a fever for two days and it makes you feel like crap. I went to bed by ten and slept til noon. I woke feeling a little better and went out to scope out if I could afford anything they had left to buy. I found a couple of things I may be able to get the kids if I make a butt load of money on Christmas Eve. I did get a ham pretty cheap at BJ's (they take a week to process a check...MY kind of store) and went into work to work a mad shift.

It is always crazy right before Christmas (a good thing) and when I walked through the door one of the servers told me to come out into a side room we have for parties. This friend of mine had gone out and bought us a turkey for Christmas, made a pan of dressing had two packs of dinner rolls and even cranberry sauce for my family.

Dang...I never knew I had so many tears in my ducts, but they just seem to be working overtime.

My family, my friends...where would I be without them?

I was worried that my ham may not be enough...now I can invite others that don't have anywhere to go.

I decided the other day that my mantra would be "Maybe life sucks...but doesn't that mean at least I am breathing?"

Now I know the true meaning of Christmas is real.

People love you if you love them.

The golden rule has come to mean so much more to me in the last year that it has in the 49 years I have been alive.

"Do unto others as you would have then do unto you."

I have plenty of food and plenty of love to throw around at my house on Christmas day...come on over if you need some.

Merry Christmas and Thank you...those sayings should go hand in hand.

A blessed...slightly sick but happy COTTON

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU