MERRY CHRISTMAS AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!

Yes its that wonderful time of year again. Crisp cold air waifting through the skies, scents of pine and peppermint flittering through the air. Laughter, singing hymns of Christmas and good cheer ringing through the streets....(screeching sound).......Oh wait, that's just in my own Utopian Society!

Well despite all the hectic stress and strife through the year, I truly find the Christmas season a time for reflection and a time to gird my loins for the coming year. I try not to pack on multitudes of pounds about my loins as my goal this year is to finally get the steps done to get my Lapband surgery. So...with that said, this is my reflection upon this past year and my hopes for the coming year.

First, I'm alive and still breathing and my blood pressure, my doctors tells me is AMAZING! Not a bit of problem there! I have a healthy heart. Which is good to know with as much as I feel it could burst at any moment given my state of mind or level of freakiness. I am still happily married, and even through all this craziness of especially the last 3 months of this year, have found a new level of appreciation and unabashed love for my wonderfully patient and understanding Prince Charming. He has held me several nights while I've sobbed in his arms, fighting a series of dark, world shaking depression and serious self pity. He has loved me and strengthened me. I know I would still be wallowing in the dark dredges of self loathing, if it were not for him. He is truly my Prince Charming.
Second, the Child and I have found a new level of understanding. She has achieved a new level of maturity. Its nice to see. She and I have found several things on which we agree and find enjoyable. We both love Chinese food, and she is learning to cook and loves to make rice and chicken teryiaki. So its a win win for me....except when I'm stuck with the Dishes.
Third, I have a pretty decent job. I have managed to remain employed now for a full 6 months. I am a faithful Cast member for the biggest production on earth, at the four-fingered, white gloved, hands of a tiny little mouse! Although this last week, I managed to be accosted by a garbage bag filled with 5 helium ballons, and smack my pargo (golf cart to those in Rio Linda) into a pine tree. The pine tree felt no damage. The pargo, my pride and my wrist suffered the most damage. The pargo will not be operational for a while....my pride will now bear the moniker of Crash Test Dummy 2, ( apparantly I am not the first to have done this, so thus I am given Crash Test Dummy 2) and my wrist is on the mend, it doesn't even hurt when I move it anymore! I hope to only receive a Reprimand, which is what I have been told to expect. I will be able to keep my job....just might not be allowed to drive pargos for the next 6 months.
That's alright.
So, I still have my job, my stepdauthter's love, my husband's arms, my dogs adoration, my cats reluctant acceptance of human existance, my younger brother's safe return from war, and my new lemon Custard yellow, Chrysler, PT Cruiser. So, I think its working out allright.

Now for next year I can hope for world peace, althought I may just end up with Whirled Peas! But I can still hope.

For my family I hope we remain as loving as we have been this last 3 months. To my extended family, I hope that there is opportunity to see many of you, but I fear that won't happen for quite sometime, but I hope that everyone of you knows how much I love, miss and adore you. You certainly don't quite grasp the true meaning of what it is to miss someone when you aren't able to see then when the urge hits. I am so grateful to be living close to some family, my younger brother Larry and his beautiful wife and new precious adorable baby. Although, I am not able to see them when the urge hits all the time, cause they live 6 hours away.....
Its good for Crazy Aunt Lyn to have babies close by to spoil and to give Zerberts to!
I hope to in approximately 6-7 months be on my way to being half the person I am now..... Getting the Lap Band surgery. I am looking forward to being healthier and able to do the things that I would be able to do being half the woman I am today. The Child is fanatical about rollercoasters, and Busch Gardens has 7 and she has expressed a desire that when I am half the woman I am today, that we go on all of these rollercoasters together. She also thinks she'll be able to wear my clothes....Um...NOT!
I am also going to take a few days here in the first part of the year, they will have to days that I have off work, and create ALL of the birthday cards that I will need for the entire year, so that Not only will my family members and friends get the obligitory Happy Birthday call, they will also get a wittily created Birthday card! I appologize especially to my sister in law Hallie, she's been married to my brother Chuck going on 20 years now, and I think I have managed to remember ONE of her birthdays.....and its June 29th, as if its not close to my own on July 16th. I appologize to anyone else in the family, Olivia, Quentin, Shawn, Emily's kids, Jessica's Kids, Chuck's new daughters, My Prince Charming, for forgetting or failing to acknowledge your days of birth. I will strive to acknowledge all, this next year!
To all of my friends both gold and silver .....Thank you so much for you love and support. It is amazing to me how when you move away from the comfort of friends nearby, how much they mean to you when you move father away than next door or down the street! I am not blessed with the ability to retain friends for very long. I don't know if its because I am a transitory kind of person or if I'm just amazingly dull, but I don't have many friends, and those that I do have all live on the complete other side of the world or country. But I love and appreciate you all. It has been fun to re-gain the acquaintance of many friends, and I hope that these oldies but goodies keep popping up. How fun it is to remember the fun and joy of youth.

I pray that everyone has a Glorious and Magical Christmas Season. Sing the Christmas Caroles with a full heart and voice. Greet Everyone you know with "Merry Christmas" and smile when you say it. Remember that our Lord and Saviour is alive , He Lives and Loves each of us! Even if we don't realize, accept, or acknowledge it.
Be happy and have joy.
Merry Christmas!