Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve sent an e-mail. I don’t think I’ve sent one since before I left for Disney with the band. Ever since I’ve gotten back, things have been super busy between shopping, other Christmas preparations, Christmas, traveling to everyone’s house, etc.
Let me begin by saying how grateful I am for all of you. I love all of you. A young member of Carol Anne’s former church just passed away. As far as anyone can tell, he died in his sleep in his bed. We don’t know any details yet. He was 16 or 17. Gary, Carol and the gang used to bike-ride with him every Sunday after church. Things like this always put life in perspective.
My return home from Disney was priceless. I don’t think Timmy let go of me for four hours straight! Everything, from the moment I got home, was all about preparing for Christmas. Carol Anne did a wonderful, selfless thing this year by orchestrating most of our relatives into spending the money that would otherwise be used for Carol Anne towards a charity of some sort. We rummaged through our own stuff in the garage and hit a few stores and made Christmas shoe boxes full of toys for the less fortunate. Carol Anne and Vicki wrapped bags full of toys that Carol Anne and I brought to the homeless shelter on Christmas Eve. Other members of her family did the Angel Tree-thing and my parents filled a sack full of toys to hand out to the kids at the hospital all year round. The list goes on and on. My wife is an incredible human being and I’m so lucky and proud to be sharing my life with her.
We spent a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family. My Dad made Tur-duck-en (Turkey, Duck and Chicken). Don’t ask me how. It was wonderful. On Christmas Eve he made steak and shrimp. Oh yeah, we made homemade eggnog, too.
My life nearly came to an end when a stocking holder fell on my head while I was nobly trying to keep us all warm by putting more wood on the fire. It cracked my skull open and “I got a coma.” If my Mom, the nurse, wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be typing this right now. I hope you all know I’m exaggerating. ; )
On Saturday, we headed to Greensboro to see the Greensboro Granny and the rest of Carol Anne’s extended family. It was nice. We had BBQ and all the trimmings. I got to meet Carol Anne’s cousin and her husband for the first time. From there, we finally got to hook up with Carol Anne’s parents and her sister at Carol Anne’s parents’ house in Salisbury. Gary had been down with the flu most of Christmas week. We opened presents and then headed to a wonderful seafood restaurant for dinner.
Timmy thought every present he opened this year was supposed to be a “car.”
Well, I wish I could think of more, but I’m really tired. Thank you all for the wonderful gifts. I hope everyone enjoys their New Year. My New Year’s resolutions are to grow my hair back out, the usual diet and exercise resolution, to make my wife and son as happy as they make me, and to remind each one of you more often how special and meaningful you are to me.
I love you.
Jeff