Merry Christmas!!



Where do I begin? This has been, like always, a wonderful, or should I say, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!" Last Friday, we had Christmas with the Glenns. It was great to see everyone since I had not seen them in a while (we were at the Sanders for Thanksgiving this year). I'm used to seeing the kids everyday and I really miss that! When we got home that night Jared just had to give me my presents from him, he just can't wait. He did good!!! Saturday morning I woke up with the stomach virus, but treaked on to Brundidge anyway. When we got there, Jared, like tradition, woke up his brothers and we opened our gifts. Jared and I both were blessed! Next we went to Jared's Aunt Cora and Uncle Bill's house for the Sanders' Christmas. It was hard for me to pass up all the goodies, so, against my better judgement, I indulged. Hey, what' a couple more hours of stomach pains, it was Christmas!! We had a great time, but missed Tony and Ryann. Please pray for them and Jared's aunt and uncle. They are doing as well as can be expected. I thought back to last Christmas. Of course, Hadley was the center of attention, she was the only child there that day, and everyone was playing with her. She got a little wound-up and had to be put in time-out for acting up. I remember Jared begging Ryann to let her out because things had gotten boring! She is missed, but in a much better place!
After we got back from the Sanders' Christmas, we watched a movie with Jared's parents and brothers (Santa had brought Jared "Invincible" in his stocking at his parents' house). The next morning we went to church at Hamilton Crossroads and then had lunch and Christmas with the Flowers (Jared's mom's side of the family). Then it was time to come back home. We got to go to church at Roebuck Pkwy since S.S. changed their services and we missed it. We met Casey there, too. I got to see my cousins and aunts and uncles again, plus past students and friends from JCA and Roebuck. PLUS, I got to see my good friends from Faulkner, Jamie and Darrell Powell!! I hadn't seen them a while. They were in the same situation with church, too, and so we all We about closed the church down talking to them, of course, when don't we close the church down? After that we went to Mama and Daddy's for dinner. We woke up on Christmas morning and went over to Mama and Daddy's for Christmas with them! We had fun and again, we were blessed! Jared got a pool table from my family and he was so excited, he could hardly stand it! Any takers for a game of pool?? Of course, the pool table means rearranging the house. It looks like Jared might get a man's room (which will be our diningroom and our diningroom will be our computer room). The day after Christmas my family and I all went to Gatlinburg, TN. We had a lot of fun! We actually made it all the way there and back with Pam, Joseph, and I in the backseat of my dad's Lumina! We made fun of ourselves the whole time, you know, being three adults 23-27 years old crammed into the backseat! We didn't even fight one time! When we got there it was too late to do anything, so we relaxed at the resort. Wednesday, Me, Pam, and Mama took the car and went to the outlets. Dad and Joseph slept in and took the trolley to meet us later. They had an adventure because they went on a trolley that took them all the way to Gatlinburg, then back to Pigeon Forge, and then on to Severville, where they finally met us at the outlets. They only had to walk a little bit and cross the major highway twice (where there was a foot of sidewalk. They were also the only English speaking people on the trolley. We ate a restaurant called The Big Chop. It was good. Then we tried to get back to the resort for a game of Bingo, but, because the traffic was HORRIBLE, we missed it! Oh, well, maybe next time! Then we went to church where Barbara Hammock goes. We also found out that Charles Shepherd's mother and sister attend there. So, again, we closed, literally, the church down that night talking with Mrs. Shepherd. Yesterday we went to The Dixie Stampede for lunch (that is our favorite thing to do there)! Next, we went to Cooter's Garage (Dukes of Hazzard museum) and guess what???? Cletus was there, in person, signing autographs!! I felt so bad because of all the times Jared and I have gone there (a bunch) the one time he was not there, a cast member was there. I got my picture made with him and had him autograph a t-shirt and photo for Jared. For those who don't know who Cletus is, he is Boss Hogg's cousin, who is a policeman in Hazzard County. The other policemen was Rosco P. Coltrane (whom Jared was for Halloween- Rosco is Jared's favorite). Cletus' s real name is Rick Hurst. I will post a picture ASAP! Then, Pam and I walked the streets of Gatlinburg while Mama, Daddy, and Joseph went into the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. Pam and I had been there before when we were on a band trip in high school. That museum scared Pam so bad, I had to scare away two little boys (there was a certain part that had a man in an electric chair and these two little boys kept pulling it and electricuting the man over and over. It made a startling noise and scared Pam to death. She was huddled in a corner crying her eyes out.) Then I had to drag her out of the museum. Did I mention that I was a senior in high school and Pam was a junior? Anyhow, Pam was not going there again and Joseph really wanted to so we split up for awhile. After that, we went to some different outlets and then had a late dinner at Atlanta Bread Company. This morning we had breakfast at our other favorite place, The Apple Barn. Now we are all home and exhausted! We had a blast! I feel so lucky because I am so blessed! Now I am back home with my honey who just walked in the door! I better go, I haven't seen him since Tuesday when he left for work! Happy New Year!!!