End of another year and Finally!!.... After 20 years!!!

With Christmas being all of a sudden at my doorstep... I find myself completely grateful for EVERYTHING. Literally everything. I've been so very blessed this year- how do you possibly hope to count them all. I of course have a wonderful and WONDERFUL family that I feel has rallied around me and boosted my spirits so much this year. I'm so grateful for the support system that I can always "go home" to.

Awesome friends! I can honestly say- there's not a single bad apple in the bunch. I absolutely adore every single one of them and I'm so grateful to have every single one of them in my life! As the saying goes "You are who your friends are..." Well my friends make me look AWESOME just by being awesome themselves!! :)

I've been so blessed with the jobs that I've had this year...Sure there were definitely some rough patches...but I feel I've learned many life lessons that I probably would have learned else where---but I was able to learn them sooner :) and now I have a job that is not only challenging and rewarding- but it will teach me those life lessons that will prepare me for that BIG job that I hope to one day have... Mom. :)

And last but not least. A loving Heavenly Father. Need I say more. :)Everything comes through him. And he gave us the greatest gift-his son Jesus Christ. And because of his gift- I can be with my family forever. Relationships that I make here won't have to end with death. And I have the chance everyday to just flat out be Happy.


Also with Christmas being here- I'm reminded of many past Christmas'

I remember making neighbor gifts...for practically the entire town :) with my mom. Using the Home-made ornaments for the tree. Using the same stocking from birth and as our family grew how the fireplace started looking smaller and smaller.
I do remember being 6 or 7 and getting up early and sneaking downstairs and totally opening my presents before anybody else woke up. Yeah.....
Some years later- waking up to see a trampoline in the backyard and about 10 years worth of memories that came afterward with that gift.
Driving around town to look at Christmas Lights!
The silent competition between my dad and our neighbors with Christmas lights.
Christmas programs put on by the Elementary school-as well as the middle school and high school.

And here is the FINALLY!!!

let me back up a bit
I think that I was about 4 or 5--- It was getting close to Christmas...and me being the 'snot-nose' kid I was ;) I probably totally brought this on myself....but maybe not.
I told my older sister that I knew what our mom and dad had gotten her for Christmas. And she comes back with "I'll tell ya what I got for you if ya tell me what mom and dad got for me."
Me being gullible as well..... I told her exactly what she was getting for Christmas. She in turn "told me what she got me for Christmas"

Well---I was pretty excited about the gift that she "got" for me. But when Christmas morning rolled around...this "gift" was no where to be found.

Hmm....I'd been dooped. :)

Well- I'm proud to say that after almost 20 years... I finally got that gift from my sister this year. Took long enough :) hahaha!

and even after all these years.... I still get excited over new BOOKS!!! :)