The Christmas Miracle

Each one of you is amazing!  We have raised over 15000$ helping to support two amazing people!  At present Bobby is still patiently waiting, waiting, waiting.... but it is the prayers and support of each one of you that makes this journey possible. 

I thought perhaps today, I would tell you the story of a miracle, perhaps to inspire hope and a miracle for Bobby and Barbara....  See, every year in our family Bobby and Barbara host THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY.  It's truly the event of the year.  Its a family affair with several generations of relatives and extremely close friends.  There is amazing food prepared by all.  There are special gifts for all the kids, lovingly chosen by Aunt Barb, gift exchanges for adults, gifts from the favorite niece, and way back when Bobby's parents Willis AKA "Pop" and Mary were alive, there was at least one bottle of Old Overholt or Jim Beam under the tree.

So, one year long, long ago, at 801 Seville, Pop was sitting in his official recliner at the party.  The gift giving was in full swing.  Kids were opening gifts, wrapping paper was piling up and laughter was heard everywhere.  As gifts were being handed out there was a special one just for Pop... He slowly opened it up, held it high and proclaimed "Jim Beam, now that's sippin' whiskey!"  His eyes were twinkling like Santa.  The men in the room laughed knowingly and took the bottle from him for safe keeping.  As the gift giving continued another similarly wrapped package came Pops way.  He opened this one, addressed from a neighbor in Connecticut, held it high and repeated "More Sippin Whiskey!"  This bottle too was removed for "safe keeping."  Over the next hour of gift exchanges Pop had the good fortune of opening several more of these bottles.  Some cleverly wrapped in trash bags, recycled gift wrap or barely wrapped at all.  They were from a myriad of givers, the pets in the family, long lost relatives, deceased relatives, neighbors from long ago... magically, mysteriously, miraculously, Pop received over 10 bottles of Jim Beam that night.  Never once did he notice that the wrapping was recycled or that when the bottle was taken by the men it was quickly brought to the kitchen.  When he went to bed his dreams were full of good sippin whiskey he could enjoy for years to come.

The next morning in the the kitchen all one could hear was doors opening and closing, cabinets being searched and muttering about "where the heck are those bottles?"  All of us just remained in our beds, laughing.... knowing.... there would be no more than one bottle of sippin whiskey found.... That is all there was that night.... One bottle of Jim Beam wrapped and addressed 10 different ways.....  The Christmas Miracle was that Pop never knew what the men were up to that night... and that we have a story to tell.

This is a story that is still told each year at the family Christmas party.  We all laugh and remember when.  This year we did not have a chance to have our family party... Things were a bit different... But next year, when Uncle Bob is breathing easier with his new lungs we are going to have an amazing time and toast to Pop, Bobby, Barbara, and all of you for the miracle of life and of breath.

A Washer and Dryer

So...Monday Monday Monday.... I must say, this little blog and a hope and a prayer started as a way to give Aunt Barb and Uncle Bobby a bit of peace.  These two amazing individuals have done so much for so many... In fact....

Jeff and I were moving to Maryland from Maine about 20 years ago and needed to store a few things.  We called Aunt Barb and Uncle Bob and said "Hey, we need a place to put a washer and dryer for a few weeks until we find a place, think we could leave it at your house?"  Naturally, the answer was "Of course".... So down we drove from Maine with our U-Haul.....

We landed at their house on the Elk the next day and began unloading, a washer, a dryer, and a box and another box, and some furniture, some other boxes, a table, and some other boxes.... in fact, we filled up an entire storage room with our stuff.... and we never heard a word.

I can still see Uncle Bob sitting there, Coors Light in his hand, watching us drive in and asking, "I thought you just had a washer and dryer?"  Never once did he complain... But he kept saying "That's a mighty big washer and dryer....."

This is who they are, amazing family who give to everyone...  And here I started this venture in an attempt to give back to them for all they have done for so many, when in actuality, I am the one getting the gift here...

Day after day I receive e-mails of love and support for two amazing people.  I hear stories of each of them and how important they are to so many friends and family.  I am humbled and overwhelmed seeing the love and support of friends and realizing its power to provide peace and healing.... Thank you to each of you for what you are doing for Bobby and Barbara, and also, for what you are doing for me.  I am learning more and more each day about the amazing people Bobby and Barbara are and the people that love them.  I am getting far more than I deserve by being a part of their lives and yours.

Now, a message from the Top Deck:

I sent a list of all the donors (we are nearly 55 strong to date!) and here is Barbara's response (I took the liberty of cutting some of this a bit):

Wow, this is quite a list. I have to start writing thank you notes. I think I will have some time while I am waiting for Uncle Bob when he is having pulmonary rehab. He starts this Monday and is scheduled for 3 times a week if he can handle it. 

(My parents (his sister and brother in law Lee-Roy went to visit them this weekend) 

It was great having your mom and dad here this weekend. I miss them already. They were such a big help. They left at the crack of dawn (no surprise) so I didn't see them. We decided to put all of the donations into a savings account and just draw down on it as the bills come due. That way we will have a separate account for donations only. Good thing Uncle Bob knows how to do these things...

Just in case you didn't know it, your uncle is quite a character. (really.... who doesn't know that!)  Someday we will all have to sit down and get him to tell you some of the stories from when he was a kid. You might be shocked but then again maybe not. To be sure, you would get more than a few laughs.

Aunt Barb