I’m trying like hell to get an entry posted, but my damn web host is still causing me grief. Lately I’m lucky if I can access my blog at all, let alone post an entry! GRRR!

ANYway, how are you all? I imagine you’ve been busy bees getting ready for Christmas, just like I have. It’s so much fun, though, isn’t it? I absolutely adore Christmas! I love giving my loved ones gifts and watching their faces as they open them.

Speaking of gifts, Hubs and I received one of the best Christmas presents we could have ever asked for. The other day our son David was over, and somehow the conversation turned to how he’s had a rude awakening since he got his good job and started making very good money. He’s found that many of his friends would like to take advantage of his kind heart and use him for what he now has. Some of them have even been living with him rent-free in his new big house! He’s just too nice, I tell ya. Anyway, one of the guys living with him lost his job because he preferred partying to actually working, so he’s been avoiding David altogether (he’s been living in Dave’s basement). The other day, though, Dave saw his friend loading up all his stuff, so assumed he was moving out without even saying thanks or goodbye or anything. That’s when I said, “Aren’t you glad you had parents who raised you right?”, never expecting to get the answer I did. He said, “Yes, I am, and that’s exactly what my engineer and I were talking about the other day on our trip. We agreed that how responsible young adults are all boils down to how they were raised. I told him that my Dad was always on me when I was an older teenager, saying stuff like ‘What did you get done today?’ and ‘Did you go out and get a job today?’, or ‘Why DIDN’T you go out and look for a job today?’ when he came home from work at night”. I almost fell over. LOL So I said, “So what you’re saying is that you actually appreciate what your father did back then? Bugging you all the the time like that and MAKING you responsible for yourself?”, to which he replied, “Yeah, I do”. Wow! He’s finally all grown up! LOL Then I said, “Isn’t it funny how when you get older you realize how much you appreciate your parents for how they raised you — even for the stuff that bugged the hell out of you at the time?” He said “Yep!”. It was music to our ears. LOL Our oldest son as told us many times how much he appreciates the way he was raised; even for all the times we were hard on him. And now Dave said it. Wow. I’ll tell ya’ what, hearing stuff like that makes all the hard times being a parent SO worth it! It makes all those times when you had to administer tough love, even though it broke your heart to do it, worth every tear and all the aggravation. Merry Christmas to us!!

Geez, I didn’t mean to gush on and on like that. I guess I was more excited about it than I thought. LOL Anyway, I hope you are all having a great weekend so far and aren’t feeling totally harried by what you have left to do. Just remember to take out enough time for yourself every day to sit back, breathe in, take a look around you, and enjoy the true meaning of the Season. I hope you make happy and beautiful new memories.

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} to all!

Peace