-) Hump the media for making me aware. For years I’ve had a little thing called “faith” in my bank. When my account got wiped out, they put the money right back in my account. Now this particular bank is under all kinds of scrutiny. My faith has been shaken. Although they have been a good bank to me, it adds a little more unnecessary stress to my daily life. I guess on the other hand I can be thankful for knowing what to look out for.
+) Hump our soldiers. Many of who have had to, or will, go through the holidays without their family. Some will even miss being home this Christmas. I want them all to have a great Holiday Season. Especially one very special soldier named Paul. Here is a poem I’ve gotten a few times in my e-mail. If you haven’t seen it already I’m posing it here.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.
'ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'
While not all soldiers carry a rifle over their shoulder, they all play an equally critical part in our lives whether you think they do or not. Most of us don’t worry about terrorist attacks and war on our own soil. And for that alone, I thank you. Peace of mind is priceless.
+) Hump my wife for trying for 6 months to make sure I had the best birthday party ever. She worked really really hard to keep it a secret form me and to insure that it would be as spectacular as possible.
-) Hump the people at our Knoxville terminal that was told to send 2 scales to Memphis and sent the 2 ugliest most damaged scales I have ever seen. They cost us over $1,500 a pop to fix. I can’t wait for the day they ask us to send you something. I’ll probably set it on fire and put it out with a wet hammer before I put a label on it and ship it out you...
+) Hump the Paint Lady for sending us these cool sites for free stuff. Thank You!!!
Walmart.com - Free Samples
Freebies and Giveaways - Spoofee Forums : Discuss Coupons, Deals, and More
AbsurdlyCool Freebie Finder
Free Toothpaste
Awesome Freebies & Deals - Home
Coupons, Grocery Coupons - The Grocery Game
Anything you want 100 percent FREE! No fees No prices No credit cards
Family Daily Deal, 1 Sale A Day
Online Coupons Deals from DealTaker.com
TeenFreeway - New Freebies Page 1 (You may have to be a teen to get this one to work)
Hey, It's Free! Daily freebies, free stuff, and free samples!
AllYou.com Monthly Giveaway
Printable Coupon Database
Woot : One Day, One Deal (SM)
Grocery Coupons
P&G eSAVER
http://www.neverpayretailagain.com/
Kids Eat Free List of Kids Eat Free Restaurants - November 2009
13 Deals
SlickFillers.net - Amazon Filler Item Finder - Filler Items
Amazon Filler Item Finder - Get Free Shipping on Amazon.com
The last 2 are if you are a few dollars short of getting free shipping on Amazon
P.S. To the people that hate war and/or dislike our troops... Get over yourself. Everyone is anti-war. Sometimes war is the only thing that protects your right to keep being a douche bag without consequences.
______________________________________________________
In other news, The season finale of Dexter was extremely sad. It really did end with a twist. I won't say much else except that nobody guessed it.
6 comments:
My husband and I have been married six years. This is the third Christmas of those six years that he is in Iraq.
I don't put a tree when he's gone, and most the spouses I know that do not have children don't bother either.
Just another reminder they're gone and we're alone.
we heard the poem read on the radio and had me in tears. My cousins husband is on tour number
6. Hope your birthday was good. How is Crystal?
That IS a lovely poem, but it's not the original and as a writer I think it's important to give credit to the real writer:
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/soldier.asp
:)
Well, as I told Crystal about parties and people....you just cannot count on folks to be at a party. Well, maybe you could when we were in college and someone said "free beer" but other than that, usually only 50% of the people you invite show up. It's unfortunate....But, hey, on the bright side, you got to see us!
The stuff your family said about you that night was so nice! I am glad you all have people that loving in your life....that's what it is all about!
Let me clarify my use of the word "friends." I was talking about the people I grew up with. You guys are my friends and I love your family to death. You know that.
Thank you for saying something about our troops who are serving and won't be home with us for Christmas. Our oldest son (my husband's oldest son) has been in Iraq on and off for almost a decade. He got back in the states again safely in September (thank you, God!), but came home to a wife who wants a divorce and wouldn't let him see the boys... he went through heck (still is), but finally the attorney got that straightened out and our son can see the boys and have them for visitation. So, all the money son had, went for the attorney and paying wife's bills and paying his bills, etc., etc. Long story short, we haven't seen our son for over 6 years... or is it 7 now... and we still haven't gotten to see him yet. He is in Washington, we are in Kansas. We are financially strapped so don't have any means to help him get down here for holidays. But, we are thankful he is SAFE on USA soil!! And we at least get to email him and talk on the phone.
Happy Belated Birthday!!
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