In Honor of All Soldiers

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, 'SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. 'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,! AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

Author Unknown

Snow Fun with Meeko

In my previous post I mentioned that we got dumped on. Saturday morning when I got up, the world was a winter wonderland. Hubby took Meeko for his early morning walk and about noon, I put on his leash, my warm winter clothes and we set out on a walk.

This is the street that runs along the canal. I was going to take a picture of Meeko walking in the snow, but he walked toward me just as I snapped the picture, so I only have a bit of him. I swear that dog hates to have his picture taken.

Here's a better one of him in the snow. I tried to get him to walk along the snow ridge while I walked on the street. That was easier for me and he had fun plunging through snow drifts.

He also likes to roll in the snow. I guess it cools him off. Here he is enjoying life to the fullest.

All the way over three times. He sure knows how to enjoy the finer things in life.
When we got back to the house, I put him out in the yard. He loves sitting or laying in the snow.

In the photo above, Meeko is watching the kids up the street playing in the snow. He would love to run and play with them, but he can't be trusted off-leash.

Above is where the pickup truck driver pushed the snow from the end of our driveway last night. It's quite a pile.

I got the red bows put up on each side of the porch steps. The Christmas tree is on the porch at this point. We brought it in later, cleaned the snow off of the porch and shook the snow out of Meeko's blanket. We put it there so he doesn't have to lay on the cold cement.

This reindeer lights up at night. This was a gift from Brandon and Jordan three years ago.

The boys love penguins and so this year we added this guy to our outdoor decorations. He looks great when I light him up at night.

The kids up the street playing in the snow. It was such a beautiful day. I was glad to see them outside enjoying themselves.

We are supposed to get more snow overnight tonight and then again tomorrow. I'm not sure where we'll put it, but we'll face that dilemma when we get to it. Take care and enjoy a pleasant day. ~Blessings, Mary~

The scene outside our house looks very much like this one. Well, not the house of course, but all the snow. Yes, we got dumped on. If what's outside our side door is any inclination, we got between 8 inches to a foot of snow. That is a lot and we are to get approximately the same amount on Sunday. I'm not sure where we're going to put it all and then the weatherman is predicting 4 inches for Christmas Eve. I love to have a white Christmas but this is a little whiter than I prefer.

Friday night about 8pm, the snowplow went by and left a three-foot ridge in the middle of our street behind the driveway. I called the city and told them that hubby couldn't shovel because he has a heart condition and asked if a snowplow that was in the vicinity could clear it a little. I was flabberghasted when the snowplow driver came by, stopped, looked at the mess he'd made and then continued up the street. So much for Christmas spirit.

However, my faith in human kind was reestablished when I saw a pickup truck with a blade on the front plowing out my neighbor's driveway. I quickly donned my boots and coat and went out and asked him how much to clear the ridge from our driveway. I almost fainted when he said $40. I offered him $30 because it had to be done. Hubby has to work tonight and MUST be able to get out. I knew I couldn't clear all of that snow in that amount of time and if hubby did, he could have another heart attack. At first he said no, he had too much to do. Well, I don't give up easily and said, "Ah, come on, it's Christmas and my husband has a heart condition." He immediately agreed and I gave him the last $30 in the house. Now I have to go to the bank tomorrow. Dang!

I will try to get photos of the snow sometime today. If you live where there is a lot of snow, be careful on slippery streets and roads. Stay in where it is safe and warm, if possible. And if you have a neighbor who is elderly or disabled and you are healthy or have a snowblower, please think of them and clear their sidewalk and driveway. It will mean a lot, as they are not able to do it for themselves. The Christmas Spirit was alive and well at my house last night. I am thankful for random acts of kindness. ~Blessings, Mary~

Today was a pretty good day. It seems the antibiotics are working and though I am really tired, I'm feeling a little better.

I picked Brandon up from school at noon because there was a dance this afternoon and he doesn't like to go. So we went out and bought Grandpa a Christmas present and then came back here and baked some cookies. Once that was done, he showed me what he's doing on NeoPets. Both he and Jordan enjoy the site. They have adopted pets and play games, collect things and try to get their hands on the rarest items. During December there is an Advent Calender where you can get something free everyday. They have done this every year since they were very young. It is something that they really look forward to. This is a very nice site for kids.

A little Christmas decorating got done and the boys will be coming on Sunday to help decorate the tree. Hubby and I need to get it set up on Saturday and get the lights on it. The boys don't help with the lights, but they do put most of the other decorations on. We've done this as a family since they were tiny and the tradition continues.

We have about six inches of snow. It is to snow overnight and all day tomorrow. The weatherman said we could get a lot and then it is to do the same again on Sunday. So, we shall see if the predictions are correct. I sure hope not. I like snow but not so much at once. It's difficult to shovel, especially if it is wet snow. We don't have a lot of space to put it in. Some years our lawn is piled three feet deep from where we shovel the snow from the sidewalk. That makes shoveling even more difficult because you have to throw it up on top of a three-foot bank. I do want a white Christmas, but two feet of snow over the weekend is not something I look forward to. I guess I'm getting old. I used to delight in such snowstorms.

Enjoy the season. This is a stressful time of year and we just need to sit back and take a deep breath every once in a while, so we can focus on what Christmas really means. Take care and enjoy the weekend. ~Blessings, Mary~