A special holiday gift for my dad

First of all...Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Kwanza...and happy merry everything else I may have missed!  The past month has been a bear...was in a car accident...thankfully nobody was hurt and...IT WASN'T MY FAULT!  LOL!  Some poor guy rear-ended me.  I was sitting still when I was hit from behind by a guy going 45 mph...UGH...

Then...just discovered that the sub flooring in my kitchen will need to be replaced...yes, all of it replaced along with the kitchen cabinets due to extensive water damage from a leaking dishwasher.  SIGH...

PLUS!  THERE'S MORE!  I have my wireless service with Verizon.  I participate in their cool "new every two" program.  It provides a new phone a $0 to minimal cost every two years.  My new free phone...a Droid...arrived on 11/26.  On 12/18, I managed to drop the phone from my back pocket into the toilet as I pulled up my pants! LOL...sorry for the visuals that probably just popped into your head but...it's just too good of story to pass up.

It's a long story but...Verizon came through even though I did not have insurance on the phone.  I received my replacement last week...thankfully!

I tell you all of these stories to point out that I was walking around feeling all down in the dumps with all this crap going on...feeling sorry for myself.  And as I was whining on the phone with MetLife to open up my water damage claim, I realized that there are people without a place to live...and I have the audacity to sit here complaining?  My insurance is covering all of the repairs?  What's my issue?  Verizon replaced my phone...My car has been repaired after my accident...AM I SO SPOILED THAT I CAN'T SEE THAT I'M SO INCREDIBLY BLESSED???

So, now to update you on Bob & Jo Ann...there's really nothing new.  Mom now has mostly bad days...her hallucinations seem to be quite frightening.  At times she is violent in terms of throwing things, refusing to speak to my dad or just flat out not making any sense.  Dad just tries to deal with each day...he continues to show such strength and grace.  I'm trying to learn from his example. 

I'll be heading home for Christmas on Friday...I'm a little excited about the gift I have to give my dad.  I am so incredibly hopeful he will like it...the weekend before my dad closed the sale of our old house, Dad and I went over to the house for the last time.  It was a bright crisp fall day...I took about a million pics...I selected the very best ones and had large prints made.  I received them today...Lord, they are GORGEOUS!  THEN...I went shopping and found the most perfect rustic-looking frames EVER!!!  They are going to be perfect in my dad's new little house.  The shots are just from his old property...places that hold memories for us.  Here are the photos...

Old apple trees

Trees on the property

Pine tree that was "home' to a kitty I rescued

The driveway just as we got ready to leave for the last time

After I get them framed, I'll post more photos...I really think this will mean a lot to my dad...although the house I grew up in was freakishly small (right 850 square feet) for 4 people, it was my dad's Taj Mahal.  He loved this place and the 2 acres that went with it.  I hope these photos will help document it for him.

Will leave you all to go back to finishing up your holiday preparation or...just resting up for the big day.

Good wishes to you and your family!

BJ