CHRISTMAS NEST

Foyer

Family Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

HAPPY NEW YEAR

http://www.icq.com/img/friendship/static/card_16961_rs.swf

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

WOW! This is the first time in 8 years we have not traveled for Christmas! It was WONDERFUL! But better than that was the fact we had Christmas with our children TOGETHER on Christmas Eve for dinner. My parents, sister and her husband and son, our son and fiancee were here for Christmas dinner. Our daughter and husband traveled to NC to be with his Dad and family. What a blessing it was to have everyone in our nest. I love being HOME for Christmas!!!!!!!! Maybe by next Christmas I will find the ornaments for my tree!!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful day as we celebrated the birth of our Saviour, Jesus...Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, THERE is just something about that name!!

THANKS TO OUR SOLDIERS

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and 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 and 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, and 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.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

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

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

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"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!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

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

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"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 Gramps 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 ',

And now it is 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 and he carefully pulled from his bag,

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

I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home.

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

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,

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

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

Your family is waiting and 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 and your son.."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

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, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S.service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. May people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrifice themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN

30t h Naval Construction Regiment

OIC, Logistics Cell One

Al Taqqadum , Iraq.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM A SNOWMAN

http://llerrah.com/snowman.htm

THANKS FOR SHARING NEVA!!

THIS IS ABOUT AS CLOSE AS I AM GOING TO GET TO SENDING CHRISTMAS CARDS!! I AM NOT EVEN SURE WHERE THEY ARE!!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SENT ONE TO US!

BOXES BOXES AND MORE BOXES

We began on Thursday unpacking boxes. We are still unpacking boxes, and I don't see an end in sight!!!!! I should have followed advise and got rid of "stuff" before we moved! Man, are we tired, and am I grouchy!!!!!! We have the bedrooms,office and kitchen in shape for the most part, dining room, some of it is done, too many dishes and glasses!!! I haven't even started unpacking the Longaberger baskets!!!!!!! And therefore, I really don't have much sitting out. By the way it was 71 degrees in Roanoke today!!

I brought my laptop to the house last night, and turned it on at lunch time today. Imagine my surprise when the icon on the bottom said network available...hmmmmm...so I clicked it and I am on someone's system. I am inquiring about a possibility for service, but it sure looks like someone has it...so I should too!!!!!!!!!! Or I will have to keep using a neighbor's until they kick me off.

Too tired to think or type, but there is a little update. Took time off yesterday to go hear Bonsack Baptist Christmas program. What a blessing it was!

MOVING IN DAY

We got a phone call saying our furniture delivery would be delayed several hours because of the snow in OHIO! That really doesn't surprise me, having lived there for 8 years!! So what ever time it arrives tomorrow, Thursday, we will be ready!! We have everything ready to go. I plan to vacuum again in the morning, we put down rugs in the dining room and kitchen eat in area, and have one for the family room. Hopefully, our refrigerator will arrive tomorrow as well. Our phone service was NOT installed on Monday, so not even DIAL UP for the ole computer until next week. I guess I will be going back and forth to my MOMS when I need a fix!! We might stay at parents tomorrow night as well if we need to. Lucky me I have some kind of virus, like a cold, but mostly coughing and at night, so been sleeping (?) in the recliner. Went to dr. today, said I needed to rest HA HA HA!! I said I will get the movers to put my bed up, then I will just go get in it!! I am looking forward to having it all done. Might not be on computer, so feel free to call my cell phone. After I get my phone hooked up next week, I will have free unlimited long distance, so watch for that 540 area code! Ok, now for that rest!!