* A stack of Vince Flynn books.  To be followed by Buzz Patterson’s War Crimes.

* Random stacks of read and unread books that need to find a home on my bookshelves.

* The Boy…is working his way through OSC’s Ender series.

* The Daughter…stopped and picked up a rotissere chicken for dinner last night so I didn’t have to cook.  Nothin’ says lovin’ like anything I don’t have to cook myself. 

* A package of mini bath bombs.  Now all I need is to make some uninterrupted time to soak in the tub.

* CB has started her own gratitude list.

Auld Lang Syne

(Last year’s post…with a few new thoughts)

M*A

And….once again, a great big thank you to Trans-Siberian Orchestra!  TEN years of pure Christmas Joy for me. The first album, Christmas Eve and Other Stories is still my favorite. “An angel came down”….and finds the kindness and love in humanity. I’m so very thankful to Paul O’Neill, composer, lyricist, producer for all the joy TSO has brought to me, my family and so many others. I also want to point out that when he is introduced and makes his comments from the stage…he always takes a moment to thank the military, those who make it possible for us to gather for events like these and this year was no different.

TSO was remembering someone special to them and did an old Savatage song…that along with “Promises To Keep“…had me fumbling for the tissues.

BELIEVE
(O’Neill, Oliva)

So after all these one night stands
You’ve ended up with heart in hand
A child alone
On your own
Retreating
Regretful for the things you’re not
And all dreams you haven’t got
Without a home
A heart of stone
Lies bleeding

And for all the roads you followed
And for all you did not find
And for all the things you had to leave behind

I am the way
I am the light
I am the dark inside the night
I hear your hopes
I feel your dreams
And in the dark
I hear your screams
Don’t turn away
Just take my hand
And when you make your final stand
I’ll be right there
I’ll never leave
All I ask of you
Believe

Your childhood eyes were so intense
While bartering your innocence
For bits of string
Grown-up wings
You needed

But when you had to add them up
You found that they were not enough
To get you in
Pay for sins repeated

And for all the years you borrowed
And for all the tears you cried
And for all the fears you had to keep inside

I am the way
I am the light
I am the dark inside the night
I hear your hopes
I feel your dreams
And in the dark
I hear your screams

Don’t turn away
Just take my hand
And when you make your final stand
I’ll be right there
I’ll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe

I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time
Till time wasted me
Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
‘Cause the person I am
Are the parts that I play
So I plot and I plan
Hope and I scheme
To the lure of a night
Filled with unfinished dreams
And I’m holding on tight
To a world gone astray
As they charge me for years
I can’t pay

I am the way
I am the light
I am the dark inside the night
I hear your hopes
I feel your dreams
And in the dark
I hear your screams Don’t turn away
Just take my hand
And when you make your final stand
I’ll be right there
I’ll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe

And then there was Wizards in Winter…the song that won The Boy over a couple of years ago…you can’t beat lasers and pyrotechnics!  The lady that made this video…was two rows in front of us!

It’s been a hard 2008 and 2009 is looking a little rocky as it starts out…but…”there is always hope”…and I do believe.

Happy New Year!
Love and much hope,
M*A

2nd Lt. Christopher E. Loudon
22 years old from Brockport, Pennsylvania
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
October 17, 2006

2nd Lt. Christopher Loudon graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Baccalaureate Degree in Environmental Health in 2005. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Army on September 9, 2005. He received his commission as an Infantry officer and was assigned to 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas. He deployed to Iraq in July 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

2nd Lt. Loudon’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Ranger Tab.

He was KIA in Baghdad, Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. Also killed with him were; Corporal David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kansas, Corporal Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, of Amity, Pennsylvania and Specialist Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana.

He leaves behind his parents, Randy and Susan Loudon ; his wife, Jacey Loudon ; a daughter, Isabel Loudon ; two brothers, First Lieutenant Nicholas Loudon ,and Jonathan Loudon ; his paternal grandmother, Florence Loudon and his maternal grandfather, Everett William Campbell.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

I  received several versions of this over the last two weeks.  I promised I’d get to it…just took a little longer than I thought it would :-)  And…it is still Christmastime!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or Artificial ? Purist at heart…really want a real tree…but with work and the kitty beasts artificial seems the best for now.

3. When do you put up the tree? Optimally, the day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Twelfth-Night or when ever I have the energy.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, especially when it’s spiked. Yum!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Ice skates.

7. Hardest person to buy for?  My DH.  How do you buy a winning season…in Cleveland…in any sport?

8. Easiest person to buy for?     Shopping is never easy for me.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. My Grandmother’s.  And those beastie  kitties tried to destroy one of the shepherds and Balthasar!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?  Both

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don’t remember getting one I didn’t like.  (And if I did…I would never  admit it.  ;-)  )

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story, we watch it for all 24 hours on TBS every year!!  It was the first movie The Boy ever went to…he was a month old.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever I find something that would make a good gift.  Because shopping is not easy.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  Yes…very long story.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Spritz cookies, a glass of milk, sitting by a real tree…takes me back to being 5 years old.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes…lots of them

17. Favorite Christmas song? Traditional…Michael Crawford “Oh, Holy Night”…Modern…TSO “Promises to Keep”.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? STAY HOME HOME HOME!!!

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s? No.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning only!!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People Christmas shopping…being rude.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?  Can’t decide on just one.  I have an Angel tree, Thanksgiving tree, Snowflake/St. Nicholas tree and the living room tree is all of our ornaments from waaaay back in the day when I was little.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?  We tried Beef Wellington one year…well it’s a scary story…so  now we stick to ham.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?  Just for everyone I love to be happy.

*  Lt. Dan aka Gary Sinise

Presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal…now I don’t watch much teevee any more…but didn’t see this on the news.  It’s possible that I missed it.   Oh, wait…he received it for supporting the troops…silly me.  I  first saw this at Black and Right but go to the Washington Times and read the whole article…I got little teary eyed towards the end.  I do wish there were more like Mr. Sinise.

*  We always look forward to Louise and Ron’s Christmas cards…because they always involve a Corvette…well…they did.  This year I’m pretty sure this is going to be my favorite card.  (Unless someone sends a card with the angel I’ve been searching for on it.)

*Craisins.  A salad just seems…naked without craisins…and herbed croutons…and toasted almonds…and red bell pepper…all with ranch dressing.  I’m almost to the point where I’d rather have that salad than dessert…almost.  (Wondering what kind of salad that Chris…the food TownHall blogger would like.)

*Speaking of Chris…from his blog I find out that there is a new Muppet special on Wednesday. (I’ll be taping it  because Wednesday is Glenn Beck’s simulcast of the Christmas Sweater.  Planning on lots of tissues.)

*THIS was not The Boy….it wasn’t was it?

*10 days until Christmas…I just might get my cards written.