Merry Christmas again...

I wanted to separate the poems that I put on my blog last night. They were too close together and the post was really long. So here is another of my favorite Christmas poems.

The True Meaning Of Christmas:
Jesus Christ was born this day
So many years before
He came a servant to the lost
Though he was Lord of Lords
We celebrate this joyous time
Reflecting on His birth
Not born in a mansion, but a stable
As if He had no worth
He came so He could identify
With the human heart of man
And gave His life as a sacrifice
Offering a better plan
A plan that reconciles us back
To our loving Father God
Bringing hope and redemption from
Sins ruling iron rod
For this is the only reason that we
Should celebrate this day
To become focused on anything else
Would take the meaning away
So let’s arise with joy in our hearts
And share it with everyone
The meaning of Christmas will always be
The birth of Jesus – God’s son
© By M.S.Lowndes

I just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years!!! Enjoy the time you get to spend with your family and try to remember what Christmas is truly about. Yes, it's fun to get gifts but there is more to Christmas then receiving gifts!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I'm really excited about this Christmas. I know I'm not going to get much--that doesn't matter to me. What I'm excited about has nothing to do with gifts. First of all...I am home for good. That's very exciting to me, while I do still miss my close friends tremendously!!! :( I'm excited at all the time I've been able to spend with my family and all the time I will be able to spend with my family. I really didn't realize how much I've truly missed my family while I was in college. I'm just glad to be home! Second, I'm glad that Sarah, John, and Grayson moved back to Maine also! When I parted with Grayson during Thanksgiving it was very hard for me to do. I had already got attached to my new little man! It's weird how you can meet someone and love him instantly! That's how it was when I met Grayson! I have really enjoyed all the time I've been able to babysit him. He is such a happy go lucky little guy. He makes me laugh when I'm "talking" to him! It doesn't hurt him that he is so cute and cuddly!

Below are one of my favorite Christmas poems:

A Visit From St. Nicholas by Major Henry Livingston Jr.(previously believed to be by Clement Clarke Moore)

'Twas the night before Christmas', when all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that ST. NICHOLAS soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the creast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

Laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT."

I'm officially home for good...

I flew out of Chicago Midway airport yesterday at about 8:00 pm. I am home for good. Believe it or not, I'm excited to be home. I'm also sad. I had to leave behind all my friends! Some of them were harder to leave then others! I've cried quite a bit the past week!!! It was really hard for me to leave! I have a lot of friends that I am really close to out there. I know everyone has to leave at some point but that didn't make it even easier. I don't like change at all. I wish everything could just stay the same but I know it doesn't work like that. It's just that I don't know when I will see my friends again and when you're used to seeing them everyday that's hard! I can't just run to one of their rooms when I'm having a bad day or I just want to see them. I know I can call them or even write them but it's not the same...not at all!!! It's just that so many friends grow apart when they separate and I definitely don't want that too happen!! :( Seeing how I was leaving for good...I have been taking a lot of pictures the last few weeks. Here they are in a slide show...

My birthday celebration at college...

Well...this is my first post since I've been back to college. I was not excited about coming back at all but it helped knowing I would see my friends and my bus kids. On Saturday night after we all got back from our bus routes, me and four of my friends went and celebrated my birthday. It wasn't my idea. Bethany asked me if I wanted to do anything for my birthday and I was like why not?!? So me, Bethany, Elizabeth, Julia, and Kim went to Red Robin to celebrate my birthday. It was a lot of fun!!! I didn't take very many pictures but I did take a few.
Good news...my bus route officially won. We go on the trip next Monday. I'm really excited and can't wait!!!
1st picture- Beth, Liz, me, Julia, and Kim
2nd picture- me and Kim
3rd picture- me and Liz