well said...

My children each year ask me the same question.

After thinking about it, I decided I'd give them my real answer:
What do I want for Christmas?

I want you.

I want you to keep coming around.

I want you to bring your kids around.

I want you to ask me questions, ask my advice, tell me your problems, ask for my opinion, ask for my help.

I want you to come over and rant about your problems, rant about life, whatever.

Tell me about your job, your worries.

I want you to continue sharing your life with me.

Come over and laugh with me, or laugh at me; I don't care.

Hearing you laugh is music to me.

I spent the better part of my life raising you the best way I knew how. I'm not bragging, but I did a pretty darn good job.

Now, give me time to sit back and admire my work. I'm pretty proud of it.

Raid my refrigerator, help yourself, I really don't mind. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I want you to spend your money making a better life for you and your family.

I have the things I need. I want to see you happy and healthy.

When you ask me what I want for Christmas, I say "nothing" because you've already been giving me my gift all year.

I want you.

Grateful because...

posted on Facebook...

It’s December 11, the day before our 35th wedding anniversary and I thought I would take this time to thank the naysayers – those individuals who (1) didn’t want me to marry Dan; (2) didn’t want Dan to marry me; or, (3) thought our marriage would not last -- for whatever reason. And yet, here we are, 35 years later and still together. I would have to say that we’re also still going strong, despite the challenges that we have faced in the distant past, in the recent past ...and which continue to dog our steps.

And, we’ve been through A LOT! Of course, what marriage that lasts this long hasn’t? I can honestly say that it’s those challenges that have kept us going and moving forward together… Those were and are challenges that God has given to us – to shape us into the couple that we are still becoming and to help us be the example to our children and someday our grandchildren of what perseverance in a marriage looks like and how to trust God to keep our marriage intact through all obstacles that life and even people throw our way.

There were times when we really could have thrown in the towel and called it quits; some of those times for good reasons. But, neither one of us has considered ourselves to be quitters, so we just hung in there until the Lord worked everything out for His divine purpose.

Yes, all glory goes to the Lord! It was HE who brought us together, despite years of separation when I was in the States for college and other relationships that might have worked out but were not what God wanted for us… He alone is to be given the credit for our marriage lasting 35 years!! He gives us the ability and willingness to keep going despite those times when we don’t feel like it…

So, we praise God for His mercies which are new every morning. We thank Him for His love that we cling to when everything seems to be upside down. We are forever grateful to Him for our 3 children, their spouses, and our 9 grandchildren who are further testimonies to God’s faithfulness and blessings to us!

So, here’s to US –

HAPPY 35TH ANNIVERSARY!!

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING

OUR 50TH IN 15 YEARS, THE LORD WILLING!!!

this is my theme for 2017...

i LOVE Irish blessings...

yup...