Happy New Year!!!!

Okay, so I'm a slacker! I'll try to do better in 2009.

Christmas is over, the new year has begun. As I look back over the holidays I'd like to share an experienced we had.

This year we decided to do the 12 days of Christmas for someone that needed
cheering up. We picked a lady from my office who is 70 years old, divorced, 2 grown sons who live in other states and her mother lives with her.. No family here or even close by...no church family and really no close friends. I felt really bad when I heard that they would be spending the holidays alone. So we decided to leave a little gift and note for them for 12 days leading up to Christmas. The kids loved it! I think the best part was them sneaking up to the house (in the dark), leaving the gift, ringing the doorbell and running!

The recipients were elated. They went around asking everyone in their neighborhood if they knew who was leaving the packages. Some of the neighbors even started sitting on their porches waiting for us to come each night. As best as I can tell no one spilled the beans.

As this lady was telling me about it at work last week she said that was the best Christmas they've had in a long time and they were going to miss getting their packages every night. She said they saved each note and the non-edible gifts to remind them that someone was thinking about them and cared.

I think that is my best 2008 Christmas memory and the kids would probably agree.

For 2009 we've started a Christmas jar. I wish you all one do this one with us. We've taken a quart jar and sat it on a shelf. As we get spare change we add it to the jar. The plan is that come December we'll have a full jar and then we're going to select someone in need to give our jar to. When you have time go to the website: www.christmasjar.com and read about it. *(it may be christmasjars.com)
This is something that we could all do!

The kids go back to school Tuesday, Gary goes back to work Monday and things will start to get back to normal (whatever that is!).

Fishy, thanks for keeping this blog going.

I love you all,
Big Sister (and big really means big now!)