A Christmas Miracle- a true stoy and why I run!!!

Please read this, a friend sent this to me (after the rough-tough military man stopped crying). Then I decided to post it when I finally stopped crying. It is a true story and why I can't give up. Too many people out there need the help, and more importantly, the HOPE!

Three years ago, a little boy & his grandmother came to see Santa at the Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin . The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl.

"Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? Your sister?"

"Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister, Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly.Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, & saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the child exclaimed."She misses you," he added softly.Santa tried to be cheerful & encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas..

When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, & started to say something to Santa, but halted.

"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.

"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but .." the old woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors."The girl in the photograph.... my granddaughter well, you see ... she has leukemia & isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa . any possible way that you could come see Sarah? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."

Santa blinked & swallowed hard & told the woman to leave information with his elves as to where Sarah was, & he would see what he could do.

Santa thought of little else the rest of that afternoon. He knew what he had to do."What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "this is the least I can do."

When Santa finished visiting with all the boys & girls that evening, he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to Children's Hospital.

"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face.Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's grandmother earlier that day."C'mon.... I'll take you there," Rick said softly.

Rick drove them to the hospital & came inside with Santa. They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out in the hall. Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door & saw little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother & the girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah's mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman who he discovered later was Sarah's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with weary, sad look on her face. They were talking quietly, & Santa could sense the warmth & closeness of the family, & their love & concern for Sarah.

Taking a deep breath, & forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!" "Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes in tact.

Santa rushed to her side & gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder & excitement. Her skin was pale & her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, & he had to force himself to choke back tears.

Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear the gasps & quiet sobbing of the women in the room. As he & Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes.

Santa & Sarah talked & talked, & she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year. As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, & asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement & the entire family circled around Sarah's bed,holding hands.

Santa looked intensely at Sarah & asked her if she believed in angels."Oh, yes, Santa... I do!" she exclaimed."Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you," he said. Laying one hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes & prayed. He asked that God touch little Sarah, & heal her body from this disease.He asked that angels minister to her, watch & keep her. And when he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night.... all is calm, all is bright."

The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah, & crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all.When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again & held Sarah's frail, small hands in his own.

"Now, Sarah, "he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do, & that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, & I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!"

He knew it was risky proclaiming that, to this little girl who had terminal cancer, but he "had" to. He had to give her the greatest gift he could -- not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE."

Yes, Santa! "Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down & kissed her on the forehead & left the room.

Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look passed between them & they wept unashamedly.Sarah's mother & grandmother slipped out of the room quickly & rushed to Santa's side to thank him."My only child is the same age as Sarah," he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do."

They nodded with understanding & hugged him.

One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by & then one day a child came up to sit on his lap."Hi, Santa! Remember me?!"

"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her.After all, the secret to being a "good" Santa is to always make each child feel as if they are the "only" child in the world at that moment."

You came to see me in the hospital last year!"

Santa's jaw dropped.Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, & he grabbed this little miracle & held her to his chest.

"Sarah!" he exclaimed. He scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long & silky & her cheeks were rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year before.

He looked over & saw Sarah's mother & grandmother in the sidelines smiling & waving & wiping their eyes.That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He had witnessed and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of hope.

This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive & well. He silently looked up to Heaven & humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. 'Tis a very, Merry Christmas! Thank you for making Miracles like this come true.

Merry Christmas

PS. If you have a Miracle, story of inspiration or hope please reply and share it.

My Christmas Wish List

When I was little, I loved Christmas for all of the gifts that we got as well as all the cousins that came over that I could play with. Christmas was about getting gifts and being with family to a little girl's eyes. But as I have grown older (and hopefully wiser), I've realized that Christmas really isn't about giving either. It's about wishing. Unfortunately, I as a person, am unable to give most people what I want them to have. Not because I can't afford it, but because there is no price tag on the items I wish them to have. So here is my revised Christmas Wish List:

To all my friends in the armed forces: My wish for you is peace. Peace of mind, peace and quiet, and a peaceful holiday. Not everyone understands your sacrifice or what it is you must do. You sacrifice not only your physical life, but your emotional life and family life as well. You have my respect, my love, and all my hopes for the future. Keep your head down and always come home safe.

To other military spouses: I also wish peace upon you. A peace of mind that only comes when you know your loved one is safe. It is a difficult life we have chosen and those we love couldn't do what they have to do without the love and support from the home front. Raise your chins high and know that you hold a very special position in the military and that you are admired for your sacrifices as well.

To my friends in other service jobs; Cops, firefighters, EMS, security, etc... You also risk your lives on a daily basis for those you don't know and those who may not be appreciative of your sacrifice. I wish for you safety and much deserved appreciation. You have my respect and admiration for your job well done.

To my fellow educators: I wish patience. We have a stressful, yet highly rewarding job that often requires more patience than we actually have to keep our sanity in tack! Have a restful, relaxing, and rejuvenating holiday break and come back fresh in January ready to take on the world... or at least a classroom full of very important lives!

To my friends/family in other countries: Most of you are away from home doing the Lord's work while others are serving our country in one way or another. I wish for you success in whatever your endeavors and that you touch and affect many lives for the better. Know that you are missed but loved and everyone "back home" is proud of the amazing work you do.

To my "online" friends: Some of you I only know through your blogs or other means of computer communication such as a chat room or forum. I've hooked up with you for various reasons. Some perhaps on my journey to learn how to cook, while others are military wives who have helped support me when Hubby is gone. Other are there for me on my weight and running journeys. You've helped me tremendously and I thank you for that. My wish for you is that I or someone else out there in cyber world be as helpful to you as you have been to me...oh and may your modem always be fast!

To my "real life" friends: You have been there for me when I was lower than low and helped me to stay grounded when I was high on life. You've picked me up and encouraged me to go out be it with a girls night out, a girls night in, or just a long in depth phone call at odd hours of the day or night. No one could make it in this world without friends and I have the best of the best. I wish for you the energy to continue to do the things you love, the light of God to help you along your path, and of course, a few rounds of Chocolate Martini's!!

To my family: Thank you so much for all of the love and support you have given me in my life's journey. It hasn't been an easy one and I have fallen many times. I praise God that you have been there to pick me back up again. I wish for you love, happiness, grace, and peace as well as the patience to continue to put up with me! :)

To my husband: I love you more than I could ever express in words. You have helped me in more ways than you can imagine, both physically and emotionally. You are my best friend, my love, and my hero. I wish you happiness, love, plenty of time to go camping, lots of ammo, and of course... bananas and grapes :) I love you!

I asked my family not to worry so much about gifts for me this year, but instead t donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society via my donation page. Several of them did and I am so grateful to them for that. he greatest gift in the world that I would wish for myself, my family, and anyone else who has suffered due to cancer is to find new treatments and hopefully a cure for cancers like my father's, my brother's, my friend Dominic's, Alex's, and little Gracie's. As of this morning, I am only $121.10 short of my Christmas goal of raising $3000 for LLS. Not too shabby if I do say so myself! If you'd like to help make my Christmas wish come true, check out My Reason to Run and donate a few bucks if you are able.

My wish for everyone is to have a Blessed Christmas season. Live, Laugh, Love!

Christmas Camping

I love camping! Being in the middle of nowhere with nothing around but the river, the woods, and the creatures (and family and/or good friends) is one of the best feelings in the world. So relaxing and peaceful. For just a little while, you can forget all the troubles of the world, the economy, the stress, everything but how wonderful this life can be.

This is the first Christmas in 3 years that Hubby has been home for Christmas, yet he still isn't going to be able to take part in the family Christmas activities because he has to work. Instead, we went camping for a couple of nights with his parents. As a Christmas gift for them, I put a few of the pictures together in a digital collage and will grab a few matching 8x10 frames to put them in today. Here's what I came up with:

Here are a few more pictures that didn't make the collages but I think are worth showing.

Christmas decorations

I thought it was about time I made a new post! I took a little break after my 31 posts in a row, then I got sick and didn't feel like even looking at a computer screen. I finally got around to putting up a few decorations so I thouht I would share what I have done so far!

(The magic key that lets Santa inside on Christmas night since there is no chimney!)

(Over the bar)

Thanksgiving Comes First!

A few days ago, I posted a blog complaining about the Christmas decorations going up before Thanksgiving. This post is going to be very similar to that one.

I was directed to another blog about this very same issue and decided that he was on to something! Many of his reasons for being outraged about this insulting epidemic of Christmas-before-Thanksgiving-itis echo mine.

Here is a list of why it bothers me so much to walk into a store, or even down the street and see Christmas decorations put up so early.

1. Too much of a good thing is just too much! I love Christmas. Unequivocally it is my favorite holiday. However, if the Christmas music starts mid October, by late December I'm SICK of it and just ready for the holidays to be over rather than reveling in the joy of the season. I will admit, while in CVS prior to Halloween, I did buy some Christmas socks - I run in special toe socks due to a funky pinky toe that likes to "hide" and gets blistered easily. Well, I happened to see Christmas toe socks with bells on them and knowing that I am signed up fo a "Jingle Bell Run" where everyone puts bells on their shoes, I couldn't resist them...but I didn't go in there looking for them, and they are tucked in my drawer NOT to be taked out until December!!


2. Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Sorry to all those who love Christmas yet aren't Christian, but, without Christ, there would be no Christmas...we shouldn't forget that! With the stores putting all the materialistic and commercialism aspects of the Christmas season out so early, people are less likely to focus on the real meaning of Christmas and rush right into the "my-tree-is-bigger-than-your-tree" syndrome. Oh and lets not forget that one relative or friend that we all have that uses Christmas gifts not as a symbol of love and appreciation but a show of look-at-how-much-I-spent-on-you. Please don't cheapen my favorite holiday!


3. Thanksgiving seems to get pushed under the rug. Thanksgiving is a time for reflection on the blessings we have received and a time to spend with family and loved ones, yet it is slowly becoming the forgotten holiday. Costumes and candy are out for a month before Halloween, then right after the costumes come down, the Christmas trees go up... where are the cornucopias to remind us of our bounty and the Fall foliage to remind us of change?


4. Since we are on forgotten holidays...Let's not forget that my birthday is November 30 which falls between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Perhaps I should have joined the cruisade a little earlier, but better late than never!

To show that I do not have Christmas-itis yet, here is my Thanksgiving table :)

It isn't Christmas yet!

Has everyone forgotten about Thanksgiving? It seems that as soon as the Halloween decorations come down, up go the Christmas decorations! What happened to Thanksgiving!? 100 Days to Christmas reminded me today that it is only two weeks until Thanksgiving and 42 days until Christmas. Pssst... that means, folks, that Thanksgiving comes first; it is prior to or before Christmas. Why oh why does everyone seem to forget Thanksgiving until the day or two before.

With all of the Christmas decorations up, people are starting to get Christmas gifts (my mother informed me she bought mine, the last one she has to buy this year, yesterday and is officially finished with shopping). We even filled out our "Secret Santa" slips for school yesterday and one of my students wore Santa earrings this week too!

Thanksgiving will creep up on you this way! The day before Thanksgiving people will be scrambling around trying to get ready for Thanksgiving because they have been so focused on Christmas. That is, of course, unless you have been following 100 days to Christmas who, although she is counting down to Christmas, didn't forget to prep us for Halloween and is currently reminding us to prep for Thanksgiving so we can enjoy our day in 2 weeks rather than running around like a chicken (turkey?) with our heads cut off!

My opinion? The sequence of events is Halloween, Thanksgiving, my birthday, THEN Christmas. Don't skip those holidays in between - and yes, my birthday is a holiday! I refuse to pull out my Christmas tree and decorations until at least the day after my birthday (Which would be December 1 since my birthday is Nov 30).