The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear,
'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!'
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.'
'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,'
Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.'
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'
'So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.'
'But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
'Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.
John, thank you, that is beautiful...just another thing to make me cry this season!
Quote:
Cheez-it Twisters. OMG, they are yummy.
Alicia, I cannot be around them...I will eat the whole dam box!! I was actually looking for them last time I was in WM, but thankfully they didn't have any... I ended up with Goldfish...which I also ate in 2 days.
I'm making bagels this AM...the dough is finishing up in the bread machine now...I haven't made them before, but have been dying to make some bread, and found an easy recipe for the bagels. I'll letcha know how they turn out.
Way to go, John...now I'm all verklempt!! Seriously, that is a beautiful poem that I am saving...
Lauren, homemade bagels sound awesome...I would love one!
Hanna...I actually AM a cookie decorator...that book would be perfect for someone like me. I have to make aobut 150 cookies this week. I'll attach a pic of the finished product.
TJ..hey, I live in Bucks County...practically over the bridge from you!! Hi Neighbor!
Well, I gotta go..I have four screaming children in my basement Off to see Santa at DH's plumbers party in about an hour...
Have a lovely day!!!
Lauren, yeah I can only buy them so often cause I too can finish the box in 2 days. Homemade bagels do sound good, I am sure they are much better than the store bought ones.
Pam have fun at the party.
Well it is officially moving day. DH hasn't started, so I figured I would say hello before they start. DH has already got the truck stuck twice, once at the new house and then here it got stuck in the ice/mud in the drive way. The kids and I are staying till Friday. It is really bitter sweet as I am going to miss this little town I live in.
Alicia, it depends where you buy the store bought ones! Don't forget, I live in Northern NJ, our bagels are as good as NYC bagels. There's a place that we use at work, Sam's Bagels...OMG, the BEST bagels I've ever had, real dense and chewy.
Anyway, the bagels turned out OK for the first time making them. There are a few things I will do different next time. They were definitely easy to make with a bread machine!
Pam & TJ, we could almost have a 30 something's meet up! There are 4 of us in the NJ/PA area! (Karen's the other one)
Hey speaking of Karen, where are you? did the kids tie you up? Drop us a line.
Well today I got to wear pjs. It was a Karen Newberger pajama party. I came home and am instantly ready for bed. It was really nice and comfortable. I did find out that my slippers don't have much support in them though. Whatever, I don't wear them around the house anyways.
Yes, I know it's mid-mornin' at this point, but I've been up for a few hours.
Lisa, Slippers are supposed to have support?? I love my slippers. Don't usually have shoes on unless I'm going out.
Hope everyone's having a great weekend! DH just went outside to blow leaves. Poor guy, he's in a constant battle with the leaves. I told him it's only 34 and we're having a winter weather advisory until 1pm!
Hi all, I was invited into this thread! I'm 37, OK OK, the 19th I'll be 38 but ssssshhhh! hahaha... I have an 18 yr old college student who is pretty good boy, but has that fleety foot syndrom most teens get at his age! I also have a sedentary occupation and am hoping my eating determination and exercize will help to get me back into shape (HA, HAVENT' BEEN FIT SINCE BEFORE PREGNANCY!). Hoping to make a friend, or two, or more!
welcome lori...we're always glad to meet new peeps.
hey to everyone else.
Nothing really exciting...had a good time with family this weekend. Now i have a clinic christmas dinner to go to tonight...and then the next two days off.
Hi, thanks all! Well, I should of known! My son asked me to take him to boarders today, and I bought a car stereo and had it installed. WEll, the installation was going to take an hour and a half, so we went to get something to eat. HHMMMPPHHH, the restaraunt we ventured into was a sports bar with 20 dollar plates. The only other thing, you guessed it, was chinese place! I ordered what sounded like an ok dish, as i know they are HIGH in sodium and a NO NO on ANY diet! I didn't over eat. OK< OK< one spring roll and a small bit of mangolian beef. I know it was a no no, but I am not going to beat myself up. Besides, the walk from Circuit city to the restaraunt was half mile, and the walk back was half mile, does that help? hehehe... OK< I will start the diet seriously tomorrow. I haven't really started, just making steps I know to do. Plan, Plan, off to Plan I go!
Alicia.... Where do you currently live, and where are you moving too? Whats with today anyway? My little sister just moved this weekend from an apartment to a house they bought! I"m so excited for them!
Gator, glad you enjoyed the family, for me that is the most important thing outside of my fellowship with Christ!
LBH... your hubby blowing leaves, I'm out shoveling two feet of snow! No complaints, I chose to live in NY...I love it. OK< I admit, don't care to drive in the storms! But I love it!
Lori, Are you anywhere near Westfield? One of my best friends lives there and works in Erie. We've had snow recently, but not much. It's been a running joke since we moved in (the weekend before T-day) about the amount of leaves we have!
TJ, we'll have to plan something in the Spring! I'm hibernating, aside from work, all winter!
Lorianne, Welcome! I am living in WV/VA area for one more week then I will be in the Charlotte, NC area. I'm real excited because we will owning a home again.
Lisa, I wish everyday could be wear your pj's to work day, I think that would be great.
Actually the move went really well. I'm just really discusted about all the dirt I found under all our furniture. So this week I'll be cleaning up and all that great stuff. Oh and the kids rooms were the worst. So I have one more week of work then I will be unemployed, UGH.
LBH... Ok I will be off of work again in the spring and I know I will be looking for adult conversation... my son is having surgery and I am taking off a couple of months to take care of him.
30 Something chat weekend 8th and 9th
Off to see Santa at DH's plumbers party in about an hour...
I love my slippers. Don't usually have shoes on unless I'm going out.
