December 26 – “Chaos and Christmas lists”

Phew.  The day after Christmas and you would think things would finally begin to slow down.  So far … not so much.  I stopped by two of the fire stations on my way home from church Christmas Eve.  Seaside gives away boxes of donuts to people who have to work on the holiday.  I had a chance to check out the brand new, very relaxing, very leather recliners at station 7.  It was hard to leave there.  Very soft.  Then I dropped a box off at station 4.  They had just had a good supper.  How do I know?  Because I was sent home with some leftovers.  Enchiladas and bean soup made from scratch.  Lemon cake.  Very good stuff.  Sure helps to have great cooks when you have to work on Christmas.  Josh and Christi and their boys were here and joined us at the service, so we have been in grandkids mode for a few days now.  Our Christmas Day yesterday was a really great one.  Nathan had his one Christmas Day off every four years, so all of our children and grandchildren were together in one place at the same time.  Can’t beat that for a Christmas present.  And it’s not over yet.  They grandkids will all be back over today for the highly anticipated “cousins sleepover.”  Oh, and I forgot to mention that I spent most of Christmas morning in the emergency room with my uncle Jerry.  He had some kind of infection that was causing him to be in excruciating pain.  Sadly, he ended up spending his Christmas Day in the hospital. 

Now I have to hurry on to share something from our Galveston newspaper.  No, Travis Hill and Ryan Schaefer, I’m not going to mention that you got your picture in the paper administering oxygen to that little kitty y’all saved from the fire the other day.  Although I did notice, Ryan, that you were careful to leave your mask on for the photo shoot.  And who was that mystery man in the third photo, the one with the red hat? 

The Galveston paper publishes kids’ letters to Santa every year.  This year there were some very “interesting” ones.  I have categorized some of their requests and even made some comments on a few.  Check out what Galveston kids want for Christmas:

I can relate:

AquaMan, Batman and Iron Man.  (Two out of three isn’t bad.  But sadly, Iron Man is not real.  Wrong universe, young man.  Stick to DC.)
Super hero stuff (that’s the safe way to go, I guess)
All I want for Christmas is Blay Blay fire truck, and a garbage truck. (ah, a young man after my own heart.  I used to drive a garbage truck on the beach, and now I work with the fire department)

Things I never heard of:

Scunci girl bow gift set
Zummer Dog
Stompeez house shoes
Inkoos (Wait.  I have to take this one off the list.  Cailyn got one.  It’s a stuffed pillow you can write on, put in the washing machine, and write on it again.  Still kind of odd, though)
Hex Ba-Gnomo-V2  (No, there are no typos.  I carefully copied everything)
Lalaloopsy
Boom boom balloon
Jake the Pirate boat  (Maybe Captain Hook’s competition?)
Pinkie Cooper and the jet set pets
Horse Castle they Rock
A book called nerds 2 “M is for mama’s boy” (Good.  A book.  I think.)
Edward Paxton and Fearless Freddie (Are these the superheros of the next generation?)
Frozen dools (What, pray tell, is a dool?)
Heelys (I think I went to school with a guy named Heely)
Wow-wee Roboraptor
2-P.K ploderz face off x3 (that has to be code for something)
Baby Aives

Big on TV:

Monster High inflatable slumber bed
Monster High games for my DS  (Monster High stuff I have seen, but still don’t understand.  Zombies go to high school?)
Hello Kitty cosmetics (That cat pops up everywhere)
Elmo Rockstar (So does that little red beastie)
Skylanders (These are from video game land, right?)
Power Ranger  (I thought these guys were canceled years ago)
Ralph Lauren shirts (Just print off a tag and pin it to a shirt from WalMart.  How different could they be, really?)
Lebron shoes (Ah.  Basketball.  Bet the kid has never heard of Michael Jordan)
Air Max and Kevin Durant shoes (I sense a little one on one action with the Lebron guy)
Labrons, Labrons socks, and Labron (I think this guy will win.  He went for Lebron’s whole wardrobe and Lebron himself)
I want everything on the commercials on TV (Aaaand that sums up this category)

Classics:

Holiday Barbie (Is she still around?)
Hot wheels (Been around for years.  Can’t argue with the best)
Legos (Of course.  And now they come themed.  Kind of defeats the creative purpose, though)
Chutes and Ladders  (Now you’re talking.  Classic games)
Monopoly (No more need be said here)
Twister (Fun for all ages)
CandyLand game  (No reading necessary)
Grey jet plane (didn’t know where else to put this one)
The dolly that sings “Ring around the rosie” (Don’t know about the doll, but the son’s been around for a few hundred years)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle set  (Learn from the classical artists – Leonardo and the gang)
Thomas the Train set (Another in a long line of talking inanimate objects)
My Little Pony (Poor substitute for My Real Pony, but not nearly as expensive)
Bike (well … yes)
Play-Doh (The ultimate in creativity training)

Practical:

Boots (Cowboy?  Work?  Knee length girl boots?)
Clothes, my size is 8-10 jeans (Always helpful for Santa)
Some learning toys to help me learn my alphabet, colors and numbers please (Go ahead and say it … aww, how sweet)
Some money - $200 (Well, there you go.  Instant happiness?  Not for me.  I want someone to think about my present.  Prove you know me)
Elite socks (as opposed to common socks?)
Gym shorts, basketball, football and toys (back to the realm of athletics)
Polo shirts and basketball goal (Polo is athletics, right?  He can wear them while shooting baskets)
My own room  (Sounds like a first-born’s request to me)
P.S. a Furbie and a cell phone  (How about an antique phone wired to the wall?)

Unexpected:

Babies, barbies, and a guitar (Not an unusual request.  I just like the lyrical ring to it. 
            Reminds me of a country song)
I love you Ho Ho (That’s one of my personal favorites)
We have your presents that you gave us 2 years ago (Perhaps a world record)
I would like a whistle, a new drum (Gonna be noisy around their house), drum sticks (to eat

or hit the new drum with?), weed eater, lawn mower, hedger, chain saw (now you’re talking, youngster.  Power tools.  Aarr, aarr, aarr), a coloring desk. 

(Oh, and this guy’s only 4 years old)

Candy, toys, phone, ring, necles, gift card, money, and a nice note (A nice note?  Where did that come from?)

From the animal kingdom:

I want to get a chicken set. (What’s that?!  I think I want one, too)
I want a little elephant that stase little forever.  I want a little monkey that stase little

forever, I want a little rat that stase little forever, I want a little ginnypig that stase little forever.  I want a little mice with toys and a little goat.  (Hope she has a really big room)

My birthday is Christmas Eve and all year all I want is a little puppy.  Not too big to

push me over or pull me when I start to walk.  Some dog with a wagging tail & lots of kisses. (This kid was listed as turning one on Christmas Eve.  Somehow I think maybe Mom was projecting some fantasies from her childhood here)

1.  I want a horse but a baby pony that would never grow big I hope you can do that for

            me and I gust want for all of them a little house for all of them and land.

            2.  I want a tiny monkey and it won’t get big I would take care of it and my pony

            so I hope you get it please. 

            And after a lapse where some actual toys were mentioned …

            4.  I want a Little Mouse for Christmas he would be so adorable for me and I

            would love them and they would have a nice home.

Medical requests:

People to be happy and healthy.
Cure for my astma attucks.
Nobody to get sick or hurt on Christmas Day.
For my family to be happy and I will pick my mom some flowers (Nice touch with the flowers)

Thinking beyond yourself:

Please bring Granma Simmons something nice for helping me with this letter.
A place where homeless people can sleep softly in Texas City, and maybe even have food.  Please!
There’s only 2 things I want, a Xbox 360 kinect or a razor skoter or world peace.  Not that good at counting, but an admirable addition.

Where’s the Kleenex?:

I want my Daddy to come home please.  I miss him.
The last and the biggest, Please I would like is my Dad to come back.  Please I miss him.

And finally, into the spiritual realm:

I love you so much.  I’m sorry for the things I’ve done.  Please forgive me. (Talking to the wrong guy there.  Let me introduce you to the Right Guy ...)

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Father, thank you for being “the Right Guy.” Amen.