Ghosts of Christmas Past...

Everyone gets a break at the holidays. Well, everyone except those who work in retail. TV shows play reruns, the radio stations play endless Christmas music, schools close, and a lot of folks take whatever remaining vacation days they have left.

So, like your favorite TV show, I'm going to do a "clip show" blog of Christmas blogs past. Enjoy these favorites from days of blog yore (well, mostly 2006...)

The Grace of Gratitude
The fine art of giving and receiving with grace

Santa Claus is Coming Tonight!
Santa Claus is based on a real historical figure! Really!

The Christmas Story House
Pictures and memories from our trip to the house from the famous Christmas classic!

It's a Wonderful Life!
One of my all-time favorite movies

The Annual Christmas Letter
My take on the brag letters sent with Christmas cards

Itchy JINGLE!
My favorite, and least favorite, Christmas songs.

Ugly Christmas Lights
The title says it all!

Christmastime is here...
Charlie Brown's Christmas

Please DON'T Let it Snow...
Except at Christmas!

What Makes the World Go ‘Round?

The thing I love most about my birthday is that I always feel loved and appreciated! It's a major ego boost to have so many people just thinking about you on your birthday, isn't it? It's hard not to spend the whole day smiling, even if the day isn't what you expected.

My birthday today started a bit wobbly. I managed to wake up on time even though I forgot to set my alarm, so that was a good thing. But I had to take a shower in the creepy basement shower because the husband is working on the tile in the upstairs shower. I was dreading this experience, but it actually wasn't too bad. He cleaned the shower for me and it was kind of nice to get hot water almost immediately, being that the basement shower is in closer proximity to the water heater.

As I was getting ready for work, I got a phone call from the credit card company. Yesterday, they called me because some "suspicious" charges appeared on my account. Turns out, someone had been using my credit card number. You feel so violated when something like that happens. Luckily, the charges had not posted yet, so I called where most of the charges had been made and had them cancel the charges before they went through. I was also lucky that the total of the charges was under $100. This morning, they were just verifying some of the activity. My heart sure skips a beat when you answer the phone and it's the "Fraud Department" of the credit card company!

My commute was smooth, arrived almost on time to work, and when I got to my desk, there were presents and cards all over! Such a nice surprise, and my boss, who was out sick today, sent not only presents, but a tray of treats to share with the office in honor of the day! Next, I got to hear a hilarious story of a "set-up" date from a colleague, and she and another colleague took me out to lunch, which was very enjoyable.

It's been a nice, quiet day, and a "GOOD" day, even though a nap would have made it even better!

My boss sent me an e-mail today that said this, and I just thought this was a wonderful self-esteem lifter and wanted to share.

What Makes the World Go ‘Round?

Some say that:

Love makes the world go ‘round,
or
Music
Money
Wants
Denial
Geeks
Blogging
Cake
Chocolate, but
Moon mechanics literally make the world go ‘round

But I’d say, it is YOU, Marcy!

You move our information from paper to internet, from one person’s desk to those across the sea, from a personal letter to a widespread story, from hidden text to highlighted portions. You bring a smile, tell a joke, deflate tension.

I am celebrating at every opportunity, the ways that you make my/our world go ‘round, giving a sense of family, and fostering a light-hearted atmosphere... I am celebrating your ability to make our world go round today and in the days to
come!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Thanks to all for the uplifting thoughts and messages! I feel very loved!

Somebody's Been Wishing on My Star!

As I crawl back into the land of the living after a nasty cold, I came across this unbelieveable news story about a 70-year-old woman who gave birth on November 28, 2008.

Here is the story:

Rao Devi, 70, holds her daughter Monday at the Hisar fertility clinic in India. She gave birth to her first child on Nov. 28 after undergoing in vitro fertilization. She said she and her husband had longed for a child during 50 years of marriage.

"We longed for a child all these years and now we are very happy to have one in the twilight years of our life," she said, according to the Telegraph.

The newspaper quoted Dr. Anurag Bishnoi of the Hisar fertility center in Haryana state as saying that Devi and her 72-year-old husband, Bala Ram, came to the facility for treatment. "Both the mother and child are in good health," Bishnoi said.

The doctor did not disclose whose egg or sperm was used in the procedure.

The Telegraph said Devi and her husband had been married 50 years. After 10 years of childless marriage, he wed his wife's sister, but there were no children from that union, it said.

The new father said he wasn't worried about what would happen to the baby if he and his wife died before she grows up.

"The upbringing of the child is not a problem. We have a joint family as is common in rural Haryana," he said.

Previously, the world's oldest mother was believed to be a Spanish woman. Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara gave birth to twins in December 2006, days before her 67th birthday. She allegedly admitted that she lied about her age in order to receive fertility treatment from a U.S. clinic.

So, this just amazes me. And makes me wonder why it's so hard for me to get pregnant! I can't wait for 2008 to be over. What a year. 8 months of fertility treatments, shots, ultrasounds, blood work, and, of course, BILLS for it all, then a miscarriage, not to mention some health issues, various sicknesses, and some mental health crashes, this year is one for the books.

I know that turning the calendar to a new year really doesn't matter, but it's one change that I'm going to embrace with HOPE!