- OUR UPCOMING DAYS -

just wanted to share what's we're going to be doing over the next few days - spike & i went shopping for all the 'last minute things' this evening - we're now done (we think) - we're taking all 4 girls out tomorrow night as they'll be buying for us & brittan will be buying for all her siblings - then on saturday we've got a funeral showing to attend out of town (spike's uncle) so we'll be traveling to/from on saturday - we've got church on sunday, brittan will work the 4y old class & kiara's got a christmas program, then it's home to begin (yes, i've not even started) wrapping gifts UGH - on monday (christmas eve), we've got to pick barbara up at the airport at 12:20pm, then we'll be heading to my parents where we'll enjoy christmas with my side of the family (barbara, my parents, my brother & his wife, 2 of their girls (5y & 3y), us & our 5 children & whatever friends stop by) - we'll then head home late to catch some sleep, then it's up in the morning on tuesday (christmas) around 7:30-8 to spend the morning with our kids (all 5 of them!) - we'll then all get ready & it's off to grandmas house where there will be tons of people (barbara, spike's mom, spike's 3 siblings, their spouses, their 8 children, their spouses, their 12 grandchildren children, us & our 5 children, my parents & whatever friends stop by) - we're then off to take barbara back to the airport so she can head out to visit her daughter in NY for a few days before heading back to haiti to get 'more kiddos out'! - so maybe on wednesday we can... rest?? *wink* (angela, when we planning on getting together??)

- OUR CHRISTMAS LETTER (PG1) -

- OUR CHRISTMAS LETTER (PG2) -

- OUR CHRISTMAS LETTER (PG3) -

- CHECK OUT OUR FAMILY -

either click on this link or copy paste it into your search bar & check out our family - the first link's spike, myself, dustin & brittan & then the other link's kiara, ruby & karleigh - we're lookin' good, don't ya think?

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http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1579625854

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1579919398

- NEW PICTURES OF MADISYN & LOUDNIE -

these were taken by a friend of ours just last week - how sweet they both look!! thanks bob for taking them & passing them along so quickly!!

- THE HOSPITAL WINDOW -

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives & families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they'd been on vacation. Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he'd pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened by all the activity & color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks & swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color & a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes & imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days & weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arri ved to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who'd died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened & called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch & after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who'd described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind & couldn't even see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

- ELLLLLVIS & the chick monks -

we took all the girls to see this movie tonight & it was so cute - they all had a blast as did we - when you ask kiara what we went to see, she yells, "ELLLLLVIS & the chick monks!" - the entire movie she kept asking, "is that elvis??" - it's so funny how they can hear something & it sounds so different than what was really said

- KARLEIGH'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM -

here's karleigh's christmas program & she'd such a wonderful time - up to that night, she'd told me that her class was NOT doing any christmas song & was NOT doing any songs with hand movements (hehe) - she's so funny! - after the program i asked her about why she told me that & she said, "oh mommy, i was just teasing" - isn't she adorable!!

- THE HOUSE I GREW UP IN -

the other day i was on my way to moms house & i'd just gotten a new camera & so i decided to take some pictures - it was snowy & all, but i drove by the house where i remember growing up - we moved there just before i started school & lived there for a few years, until we moved into the 'big house' where my parents still live - just thought i'd share!

- GOT ANY WIENIES?? -

well, he's at it again - my dad's gotta stop as he's very embarrassing to all that's around him when he begins saying the things he's been saying - not long ago, my parents were at the supermarket & mom overheard dad saying this to the man at the meat counter - dad said, "excuse me sir, but can you show me your all beef wienies" - mom quickly grabbed him & out the door they went - we've all be telling him that they're hot dogs, not wienies!!! - then, this past week, he called as he was on his way home from work (he delivers parts for an auto company) & said that he was so thrilled as that particular day, he had the short route (one he normally doesn't have) - he said that when he has this route, he stops at a local restaurant & eats lunch - he said, "yeah, i pull up there & yell into the speaker, i want some of your sweet wienies!!" - i said, "dad, you didn't!" - laughingly, he said, "yes, that's what they are" - he said they're coney dogs with a sweet sauce, but that he calls them sweet wienies - i said, "then why don't you say coney dogs with the sweet sauce?" - he just laughed - he grew up in a family where they called them wienies & he's one that apparently won't break tradition

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so if you're ever out & there's a man asking to see people's sweet wienies or asking for his own all beef wienie, please load him into your vehicle & bring him home to me - see what i've had to grow up with all my life!!!

- READING IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM? -

well, nameless' at it again! - the other day she was doing laundry & had gotten in trouble for not pulling clothes out when the washer/dryer shut off, but in stead let them sit there for hours - to help her situation, she decided to stay in there until the loads were finished so as to not 'miss' the timer - i passed by this tiny room & noticed her sitting there, READING! - i don't read in a comfortable chair, etc. & she's sitting on a hard floor, in a laundry room??? - geez

- WHAT SEASON IS IT? -

my niece megan (5y) was asked yesterday by her teacher what season it was & to that she answered... DEER SEASON! (can you tell she's raised by my brother which's an avid deer hunter!)

- FAMILY PORTRAIT TIME -

dustin 22

brittan 16

kiara 5

ruby 4

karleigh 3

well, here's our bunch! - we went tonight to portrait innovations & had our yearly family pictures taken - the girls all had a good time 'posing' & dustin tolerated it quite nicely (don't let him fool ya, he enjoyed himself) - i told him this evening that we were going to start to increase these photo shoots to twice a year & he just laughed - aren't our kiddos adorable!! (BTW, if you haven't noticed, i'm the one with the fat head in pic #1 *wink*)

- MY MAN'S HOME! -

boy, i sure don't know how single women do it as spike was only gone for 1 night & we were all so happy to see him tonight - he walked in & was bombarded at the door before he could put anything down - we let the girls stay up until 9pm so they could 'visit' with him & they all enjoyed that - he's going around putting them all down as i type this - i'm off here for tonight, unless of course he's going to be working on his computer in the other room, then i'll get back on -

- MY DAY -

well, my day started early this morning with a 'not so good' phone call - there was a situation that arose concerning something i'd instructed someone (we'll call her, "mary") to do - mary did what she thought i'd said, but found out it wasn't going to be enough - i don't know if i didn't give her the 'full' instruction, that she didn't understand totally what i'd meant & only did 1/2 of it (thinking that was all that was needed) or if it was just bad communication all the way around on both of our parts, but no matter, we'd a situation to deal with & had to deal with it NOW! - anyhow, we prayed that everything would work out & i just received a call from mary & she said yes, it all got taken care of, things went VERY well & that 'missing instruction' has been rectified! - even though no one really knows what i'm talking about, just know it was weighing very heavily on my heart & now it's not!! THANK YOU JESUS!! - PS... good job "mary"!! *wink*

- KIARA'S PRAYER TONIGHT -

"jesus, help god bring my daddy back home to us since he's gone - tell him we love him & tell him i've still got the pillows ready for when he comes to visit me - in jesus name... amen"

`

PS - every night when the girls go to bed, spike will go in, kneel beside their bed & 'visit' each one of them for a couple minutes, talking about something that happened that day, listening to the never ending questions, etc. - well, weeks ago, it was kiara's turn & he was just in there a minute & said he needed to leave due to his knees hurting - well, ever since then, she stacks 2 big pillows up at the side of the bed as these are now 'daddys visiting pillows for his knees' - they sure don't miss a beat, do they?

- MY HUSBAND... THE 'DONKEY' -

yes, you read it right - this morning when i took kiara outside to the bus stop (our driveway) she met up with her 6 bus stop buddies (adrienne & her sister mackenzie - lilly & her sister daisy - jordon & her sister morgon) - well, it wasn't no time & spike walked out to load the car as he was leaving for an overnight trip - kiara introduced him to her friends & then i told them that he was 'spike... kiara's daddy' - instantly jordon says, "awww, i know a spike too!" - i said, "you know someone named spike?" - she said, "yes, my grandpa has a cute donkey named SPIKE!" - i 'bout died laughing! - he said, "gosh, i'd thought i'd heard it all, but i'd never been called... A DONKEY!" - sorry, but maybe you would've needed to be there

- A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS POEM -

The embers glowed softly & in their dim light,

I gazed round the room & I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

`

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure & surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

`

The sound wasn't loud & it wasn't too near,

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

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My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

& I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold & the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary & tight.

`

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up & smiled,

Standing watch over me & my wife & my child.

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What are you doing? I asked without fear,

Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!

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For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold & the snow blown in drifts.

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light,

Then he sighed & he said It's really all right.

`

It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,

That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

`

My Grandpa died at 'Pearl' on a day in December,

Then he sighed, That's a Christmas Gram always remembers.

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',

& now it's my turn and so, here I am.

`

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent & he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red, white & blue... an American flag.

`

I can live through the cold & the being alone,

Away from my family, my house & my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain & the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

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I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my sister & brother.

Who stand at the front against any & all,

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.

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So go back inside, he said, harbor no fright,

Your family is waiting & I'll be all right.

But isn't there something I can do, at the least,

Give you money, I asked, or prepare you a feast?

`

It seems all too little for all that you've done,

For being away from your wife & your son.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

`

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough & with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

- WE'RE STILL ALIVE -

yes, we're all still kickin', but man have we been busy - i don't even remember what we did thursday, but on friday i had the 'grand-poo-ba' of migraine headaches - spike was out of town that day so the girls & i braved it all & stayed home - friday was supposed to be hair day, but nope, there's no way i could've concentrated AT ALL on anything, let alone some intricate detail of a new 'do! - i did however, get busy saturday morning & braided from 11am - 11pm, then it was up again on sunday for another 11am - 11pm session & ended this morning (monday) with just a 1 hour touchup on karleigh (whew!... 25 hours of non stop braiding EEEEK!) - it's not even that i'm all that slow (slower than haitians, just not THAT slow), but since we're getting family pictures taken this thurday, i wanted to do something different - here's some pictures of their 'dos before they start getting fuzzy - these are all of ruby, because the other 2 were napping (all 3 have the same hairdo's though! - will write more later!!

- A NIGHT WITH SANTA -

karleigh 3, santa (old), ruby 4 & kiara 5

here's some pictures of our girls with santa last night - they'd a great time telling him what all they wanted him to bring - now for the kicker... between you & me, ruby's going to be the ONLY one of the three that'll be getting what she asked for! - kiara asked for another live cat (NOT GONNA HAPPEN) - karleigh asked for a dora & boots doll (NOT GONNA HAPPEN) - ruby asked for a doll (YEAH, 1 OUT OF 3 ISN'T BAD, HUH?) - i know my girls & they'll love whatever they get, but man, couldn't they ask 'him' for something they'd already asked 'us' for?

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the history of the twelve days of christmas

this' one christmas carol that's always baffled me - what in the world do leaping lords, french hens, swimming swans & especially the partridge that won't come out of the pear tree have to do with christmas? - from 1558 until 1829, roman catholics in england weren't permitted to practice their faith openly - someone during that era wrote this carol as a song for young catholics - it's two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church - each element in the carol has a code word for religious reality which the children would remember...

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the partridge in a pear tree = jesus christ

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2 turtle doves = the old & the new testaments

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3 french hens = faith, hope & love

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4 calling birds = the 4 gospels

(matthew, mark, luke & john)

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5 golden rings = the first 5 books of the bible

(genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers & deuteronomy)

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6 geese a laying = the 6 days of creation

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7 swans a swimming = the 7-fold gift of the holy spirit prophesy

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8 maids a milking = the 8 beatitudes

(matthew 5:3-10... "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", "blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted", "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth", "blessed are they that hunger & thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied", "blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy", "blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see god", "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of god", "blessed are they who're persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

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9 ladies dancing = the 9 fruits of the spirit

(love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self control)

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10 lords a leaping = the 10 commandments

(exodus 20:3-17... "you shall have no other gods before me", "you shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below", "you shall not bow down to them or worship them, for i, the lord your god, am a jealous god, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third & forth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me & keep my commandments", "you shall not misuse the name of the lord your god, for the lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name", "remember the sabbath day by keeping it holy - six days you shall labor & do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the lord your god - on it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates - for in six days the lord made the heavens & the earth, the sea & all that's in them, but he rested on the seventh day - therefore the lord blessed the sabbath day & made it holy", "honor your father & your mother, so that you may live long in the land the lord your god is giving you", "you shall not murder", "you shall not commit adultery", "you shall not steal", "you shall not give false testimony against your neighbor", "you shall not covet your neighbors house - you shall not covet your neighbors wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor"

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11 pipers piping = the 11 faithful disciples

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12 drummers drumming = the 12 points of belief in the apostles creed

(i believe in god, the father almighty, creator of heaven & earth - i believe in jesus christ, god's only son, our lord, who was conceived by the holy spirit, born of a virgin mary, suffered under pontius pilate, was crucified, died & was buried & he descended to the dead - on the third day he rose again, he ascended into heaven, he's seated at the right hand of the father & he'll come again to judge the living & the dead - i believe in the holy spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body & the life everlasting - amen

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so there's your history for today!