IT''S SATURDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS~ HERE COMES DRSES TRIBE!

It's the Saturday before Christmas!

Here comes the Tribe via Allegiant Air

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We will miss ya Angie, sorry you have to work at the Center

Oh my goodness, the phone started ringing yesterday... the fam is nervous... the snow is supposed to start falling and the worry is clear!  They left for the airport on Friday, staying in a hotel and then off to the airport early this morning, dressed in sweats just in case the snow prevents them for boarding that plane headed for sunny Florida today! They are warriors my family, warriors they are! And they will do what they must to get here before Santa, and then we will be together; those kids will jump in the pool with wild abandon, their cries will be heard all over the neighborhood!  Oh me oh my... snow in Virginia; someone might have a white Christmas this year! Hope they get in the air safely... We will sit, and we will wait for the call... and we will hope that folks get where they are headed for the holidays safely.

Here comes "da fam" minus Angie who has to work through the holidays... she will be working with those at the retirement center in Dublin Virginia on Christmas... and boy how we will miss her.  BRRR, she will be cold too! She has said at least she will get some rest; she will sleep when not working; but we all know how she will miss being in FL, here with us for the holidays... hoping to sneak in a tan to take back to the cold weather and a day on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico looking for the dolphins!

But she will join with many others working on the holiday, providing care in retirement facilities; nursing homes, hospitals and hospices... walking in on someone elses' day and providing a little cheer in what may be a pretty rough day for another family.  They will all put on their best holiday faces and with joy in their heart; for a moment they will make a difference in the lives of someone else. And for that we should all give thanks... And so it is good!

But for today, I am looking forward to the family arriving; their smiles and sounds of raucous laughter to fill my home! Those "hallmark moments" that will get the four-leggeds' stirred up and the calm and quiet of usual days will go out on the wind... haha  And oh the stories they will tell of their escapades in the snow and at the airport I am sure! Of course Kamryn will also tell of his most recent basketball game where he scored 13 points and tied the game with a 3 shot and then went on to win for his team with another 3 pointer! The next Michael Jordon to be certain. Can't wait to hear the animated details through the eyes of my 8 year old Godson as I get equally animated by exclaiming, "Kam, that's what I'm talkin' about baby, focus!"

The celebration will officially begin! The Godson's will care not that the pool has a definite chill; they will forget that they have just left 32 degree weather and snow, they will be in suits quickly and make the "dive of winter" and the sounds of their screams will be heard by the neighbors knowing that "DrSES" has the family from "up North" here for the holidays! 

In years past the whole family has volunteered on Christmas Eve at hospice for a luncheon for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The boys quite striking in shirts and ties were the greeters; taking folks to their seats, doting on them if you will! Often going for their drinks, assisting in pulling a chair out and distributing prizes as their special numbers were drawn. As I reflect back, I can remember the first year when Kamryn the 8 year old was standing on stage ... he was handed a number of the raffle ticket to read, to which he exclaimed, "I don't know how to read numbers!" Ah, but that was a long time ago, now striking a pose, he resembles our President Obama and has had his picture on the local news as an "Obama little Look a like"!

But this year will be different as I no longer work for Hospice, and the boys will not have the need to wear their shirts and ties!

They may enjoy the break now that I think about it; but the people whose lives they touched by their presence through the years will probably miss those two young men this year, along with my Mom, aunt and Angie.

So for the thought of this Saturday before Christmas, *as if I haven't given enough to think on already*

*During the holidays pay attention to your body... it will let you know when tired, stressed, sad, hurtful, rested or peaceful

* Caring for you is not being selfish

*When you are missing someone important to you and your festivities... tell them so! 

* Reach out to someone when you can't be with the one's you want during the holidays! Friends don't let friends be alone on the holidays!!!

* Create a ritual for you and/or the family. Something special that is time limited but feels right

*Smile... it takes less muscles than it does to frown and has many more benefits to you and others!

*LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH... even if it is at yourself!

HAVE A HEALING HOLIDAY SEASON!!!

Walk In Beauty

author of Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life

autographed copies available at:

http://www.healingheartaches.com/

http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/