TIMES THAT TRY MENS SOULS

[workinghardguy]

Be upbeat and HAPPIER and be easy to be around. No mopey faces, and create some good memories for them to look back on b/c they will look back on this week.

Thanks for that 25... even if it did cause me to lose it for a couple minutes there upon reading it. You're right... the kids especially will look back at the "last family" holiday season as something special it needs to not be one of pain. I hadn't really thought of it that way, or maybe just didn't want to admit/think about it being the last.

The other night W and I were working out the gift list for the kids. I pushed to "go big" and get each kid a gift we never normally would. We've been saving hard for Christmas and done well. And I've even been donating plasma just to have enough for a great Christmas, especially if it will be the last. And yes, it isn't all about the gifts, but when you're 5 and 9 and even 11 the gifts are certainly part of it. So we're going to do it. If it is the last holiday all of us are together I want it to be big, fun, exciting, and full of as much love as we can muster. Even if that love only radiates to the kids and not between W and I...