Christmas Post

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

I officially started my Christmas vacation last night, and honestly, I feel good! I found out that I have several projects that will have to be completed soon after I get back from Christmas, but I have decided to table my plans, thoughts and stresses over them for when I come back from my vacation. I owe myself a relaxing holiday, darn it!!! =)

So this last weekend was pretty fun. I have enclosed some pictures of our Christmas exchanges. I think everyone liked what they received...especially Oreo and his bag. I can buy him presents galore!!! Yet he'll ignore them all and go straight for the bag.



So anyways, after shutting down my computer for the last time before my vacation, I got a call to hang out with friends. ON A TUESDAY NIGHT!!! How awesome is that!!! Since I wasn't working today, I met Annette and Adam for sushi. We didn't really even care that we had the worst service, watching the girls at the next table seated after us AND receive their ordered meal before our own order was even taken! We didn't have anywhere pressing to go, and we just talked and had fun.

Afterwards, we met up with Sean and Brennon and played a little "Seven Up, Seven Down."

"Shout out to ma' girl Annette!!! Girls ruled the games that ... actually required thinking!!! Girls Rule & Boys Drool!!!" :)

Anyways, it was fun hanging with friends during the week. Does it sound like I'm in great spirits? Pardon my language, I've just watched hours of the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice," which I so thoroughly enjoyed each minute of.

Needless to say, while I was waiting my companions arrival for supper, I felt the need to write down several things that had lent itself to my good Christmas disposition. Here is what I had down upon their arrival:

1. While passing time away at Borders, I was in dire need of a pen in order to jot down some book titles that I would like to own in the future. A kind lady who was of no acquaintance took pity on me and bestowed the gift of a brand new pen for my keeping. How unexpected and wonderful it was to be the recipient of a random act of kindness!!!

2. Prior to my meeting with the kind pen lady, my entrance to Borders was so very greatly enhanced when, upon my opening of the door, I was greeted by handsome Army men soliciting donations for a worthy cause by, get this, offering the service of gift wrapping!!! It took all my restraint to not purchase a frivolous item in order to have one of the muscular and quite manly uniformed ones perform the service of wrapping the item in sparkling red paper and top it off with a bright Christmas bow. Hmm...perhaps, if time permits, I shall revisit the store today in order to... uh... donate to a worthy cause. =)

3. As I sat on the bench in the crisp Florida evening air (it was a delightful 58-ish degrees), I was pleasantly surprised to see Florida mix with the Christmas season by watching a young girl dance about her father's steps wrapped in full snow gear - the boots, hat, gloves, snow pants, jacket, scarf were all present. As I watched her, several college-aged boys walked by in jeans, American-Eagle/Abercrombie polos with the collars turned up, and shuffling about in their flip flops. And behind them, a girl in a tank top, jeans, sweater in hand, and a santa hat resting atop her head.

4. Just behind the colorful crowds standing in line to see a sneak preview of the new Jennifer Aniston movie, I was also pleasantly surprised to hear FILIPINOS! i actually was not entirely sure since the presence of filipinos in Central Florida is not as prevalent as in my native land of No-Cal...however, as I strained my ears, I was able to catch several phrases that held a strong accent quite similar to what I heard in my youth while sitting around the family table. Just hearing the familiar accent truly brought a smile to my eyes since I have been aching to once again be surrounded by family. It has been too long.

5. Finally, Christmas has already blessed me for this year since I was part of a group that helped raise money to help some individuals and families through the Christmas season. Yesterday was the culmination of our work since we dropped off gift baskets full of gift cards to Target, Walmart, and grocery stores. We were also able to help one family with a mortgage payment. One family was in the situation they were in because the father was in the military and had come home from Iraq due to an injury. He also was diagnosed with post traumatic distress syndrome...or something like that. It was difficult to find someone like him since quite often military personnel do not like to admit their need for assistance, so for this 6'3" big hispanic man to express the need for assistance for his family, this was not an easy thing.

We also were able to help out a man who did not have any family, lived by himself, and although was capable of independence, was also a mentally challenged individual. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer, and money was tight for him.

We delivered monetary gifts to these people and others, but what we also delivered was at least some peace of mind. And therefore, although sometimes it feels as if life is 200% against my happiness and the happiness of those I love, I realize that I truly am blessed with my family, my friends, my job, my health...and my faith.

Merry Christmas, everyone.