I have my TIVO filled with Christmas movies and they have already brought more than a few tears as I experience the emotions they hold---I called a dear friend, one I always considered "tough as nails" only to find her sobbing over the Christmas Shoes movie. Too sweet, too wonderful--to let our hearts flow with the many emotions our Dear Saviour has Given unto us as children of men, who HE has now made children of the Heavenly Father. I go from the traditional to Johnny Quest, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and the Yogie Bear Christmas....hehehe

This is a sweet email forward--if you have already read it, know that to me it reminds me of you and yours....

Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, 'I love you and I wish you enough'. The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom'.

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

'Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this forever good-bye?'

'I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back
will be for my funeral,' she said. 'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?

She began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to
say it to everyone'. She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough', we want the other person to have a life filled with just enough
good things to sustain them'. Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from
memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no
matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even
more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive
and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of
joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you
possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final
good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them.

* Only if you wish send this to the people you will never forget and remember to send it back to the person who sent it to you. If you don't send it to anyone it may mean that you are in such a hurry that you have forgotten your friends.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE.....
To all my friends and loved ones , I WISH YOU ENOUGH.....


This time of year is special in so many ways. I love the 12 hours of darkness, I love coming home to a blazing fire, and a warm pot of tea, with a crystal decanter and glass ready for the bedtime Scotch--just to take the chill off for the night of course. I love the books I keep ready and nestled in every room as I wander as I wander from room to room reading parts of five books at a time. I love working my way through my 25+ CD's filled with Sounds of the Seasons--this year i have added:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (remastered)--favs hearing over and over Christmas is Here, Greensleves, Fur Elise,
Angel Voices-Libera--Silent Night
A Christmas Celebration-Celtic Women--Panis Angelicus
Christmas Memories-Ella Fitzgerald
And of course till I can listen no more--Noel-Josh Groban--Panis Angelicus, Ave Maria, What Child is This?

I am home the next four days and there is a near by mug waiting for you to have a bit of my pot of tea and some shortbread from my ole Irish-Scotch Granny Walker. If you are quick enough a spot of Old Bushmill's Irish Cream, Nucello, or velvety smooth Tequila liquor--but, be fair warned, I can not predict how long they will hold out against the raging North winds of Coppell.

I can assure you that there are plenty of Drunken Raisins and Glogg. You can always bring a fav bottle of your own to share with us---giggles. Or cookies, or fudge, or...we are a household of fend for your self boys---have mercy on us.

I am off to my favorite Costco to close it down at this once a year we close at 5:00PM the only sad sound of the season--and then I am picking up Miss Norma and we are off to a fine steak dinner just the two of us and then to see It is a Wonderful Life in the Theaters at the Angelica at Legacy at 7:30--then I will get her to home in time to make Midnight Mass with all the wonderful sounds, smells, and the Arrival of our lovely Child Jesus in the Manager, in our hearts, in our homes, and in our bellies.

The boys and I sleep in on Christmas Day and then when they are fully roused, I serve them my truly wondrous and made from Scratch---Vanilla pancakes and real Maple Syrup, great bacon and eggs and eggnog and fresh Orange Juice....Andrew will read us the Traditional Gospel Christmas story and we will exchange our gifts and more our stories and laughter before the fire...

Here are a few of my sweet family memories to share with you. I will keep writing my Christmas cards throughout the Christmas Octave, the Twelve Days, and up to the end of the Catholic 40 Days of Christmas---how wonderful that the Church gives us so much times of celebration in our wondrous Church Calendar.

Please, KNOW that you are in my heart so deeply and so fully. YOU as an expression of HIS LOVE the FACE of LOVE have turned my mourning into dancing and turned my sack cloth into JOY. I did not think this was possible, but it is--HE IS.

I would love to hear from you during this wondrous time of peace and Goodwill to men, and on Earth tidings of Glad JOY.

Your friend,

Daniel, Andrew, and Lewis
Christmas Eve 2008 Coppell, Texas