Merry Christmas!

This year I am exceptionally Merry. I can't tell you that in the past I have been the same. It has been years since I have felt the Christmas spirit, and I can tell you EXACTLY why this year is different. We get to celebrate our Christmas AT HOME with our family, as a family, and Keegan is here.

I started my shopping rather earlier than I ever do. There are probably a few factors for that, one being we didn't know when we would be "home" from the hospital and for how long. Also because I needed to budget what and how I was going to spend my "allotted" amount. I was also stuck in the hospital with Keegan for 6 weeks straight then two weeks at RMH with nothing to do but watch TV and cruise the Internet. So I think it was around July or so I started picking things up. First it was a T-shirt here or a mug there. I found GREAT photo deals on Snapfish, shutterfly and Vista Print and also free samples from some of my favorite blogs that came in handy for stocking stuffers. I have definitely learned how to be thrifty this year.

With that said, since I started so early I also got done exceptionally early which has really given me a chance to not stress about the gifts and getting them shipped to our families but concentrate on what Christmas is all about and enjoy being home with my husband, son, mom and sisters (and my brother in law too of coarse).

I found a great website called freecycle.com. Evansville happens to have one and I have begun giving away things left over from our charity yard sale to people that could and need this stuff. I found a lady collecting for our Rescue Mission (its a homeless shelter for men). I found all the coats I could, Ry cleaned out his closet, I gave all our million hospital pillows we took home, spare blankets we had accumulated, and I cleaned out our pantry so these gentlemen would have some food. It was amazing to be able to give things that we no longer had use for to people that really needed it. This is the email I got from the worker lady that picked the stuff up on Wednesday:

Thank you so much for all the goodies.   Several pillows and blankets, 3 coats, and a few other things all went out in the first few minutes we were open!   The people were so thankful to get the pillows and blankets.  And the coats will definitely keep some of them warm!   The food will come in handy for the food baskets we give to those in need. 

Folks like you are a blessing and allow us to do what we do.  Please thank your husband and friends for the donations also.  God bless you all.  Have a wonderful Christmas and a healthy new year.   You have certainly carried out the true meaning of Christmas with your donations.

If we can be of any help to you, please let us know. 
 I in no means did this to get recognition, I just wanted to share how good it felt to help others in need. Last year my family had decided that instead of buying for one another which can, and for some reason always get out of control, that we would adopt a family. Well we threw that idea out the window when Keegan got sick because well, quite frankly we have had the year from hell and we thought we deserved to have a good Christmas. But I think God, Santa, Jesus, or the Great Divine thought otherwise.

I came across this post that a friend shared on facebook and just knew I had to help. I read the post and contacted Jenny immediately. God had meant for me to read this post and donate b/c within hours I got a donation on our blog for almost the same exact amount that I donated to a mother of 4 children who works at the waffle house for three dollars and something cents an hour. The children's father hasn't been around and she gets no support from him. She wasn't sure how she was going to do Christmas until this post came up. I sent her a Wal Mart gift card overnight for her to spend so the boys would have a Christmas. I feel fortunate that so many people have helped us this year that I just had to do something. Does this make me a saint? Hell no. Does it make me a better person? No, but it did warm my heart in knowing that I helped someone who otherwise would have had to explain to her children ranging in age from 11 down to 5 why Santa didn't come this year. No this doesn't make me better than you or my next door neighbor, it was just something I felt compelled to do and so proud to be a part of. Jenny was actually on Canadian TV yesterday talking about how huge this thing turned out to be. You can check it out on her site.

So with all these things: Keegan being home, families being helped, a roof over our head, and thousands of people around this great country that love and care for Keegan as much as we do-Merry Christmas! It has been one heck of a ride this year and we are so glad we get to celebrate together with food, drink and family!

May you and yours be as blessed and may you have a Merry Christmas filled with Love,