Well, Christmas is just down the road form now, my yard looks like is belongs to the Griswald family, my gifts are all still unwrapped, I am working on a 12 day stint at work with 11-14 hour days everyday, and you know what? I am still happier now than I had been since about this time last year.....
In 2000, I last saw my second oldest niece, Brittany Bone, when my wife and I got married. She has been in contact with my mom, her sister and some others in the family, but I haven't seen her. Brit was my mini, female version of me in a lot of ways, smart as hell, athletic, energetic, adn personable....everyone liked her. This year....all I want is to see all four of my nieces, 3 of whom will be at our Christmas celebration this weekend.
Flash forward to 2003, CPT Christopher Soelzer and SGT Benjamin Biskie died in a VBIED attack north of Baghdad, Iraq. These two were my battle buddies when I was in the 5th Engineers. From eatign dinner with Ben and his family, to feeding Chris and sharign a beer with them all, losing them on Christmas Eve was one of the two hardest moments in my life.
In 2004, SGT Roy Harrison and his wife Anita joined families with me and Jennifer to host our New Soldiers, and this is the year I started acting like a Griswald. In 2005, we adopted families for the holidays again, only this year I dressed up as Santa, delivering gifts to Soldiers working on Ft Bragg, NC on Christmas Day. In 2006 I moved to MO, kept things low key, but still decorating like a mad man. Now this year, I played Santa, will visit the family, decorate like a maniac and who knows what else.
Wow, what a summary of the past 5 Christmas' plus more. I'm not sure when I will post again so if I am not back I want to close with this message:
No matter what religion you follow, if any, it doesn't matter if you are Conservative or Liberal, Christmas is a time of love, of sharing, of family and of giving. Remember that as we enter the Holiday Season, and live that all throughout the year. Don't be offended for someone wishing you a Merry Christmas.....it is a federal holiday after all :D
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