December 29, 2005 - 10:35 PM
Christmas weekend got to a bit of a rough start, but overall was a special and memorable time.
On Saturday morning, while in the car traveling the short distance to WalMart where Amelia was dropping Amanda and I off on her way to work for some final Christmas shopping, Amanda discovered a major ouwy on Geneva's leg. Once at WalMart, I got a better look at the wound and called my friend Jeanette who ended up picking us up and running us over to a local emergency clinic. Geneva had a deep cut right at the joint where her foot meets her leg. This is her front right leg and it was on the inside, a location similar to our wrist. She ended up getting 6 stitches. the scary part of all of this is we have no idea of how this wound occured. It was obviously not a fresh wound, but Geneva had not shown any indication of being hurt. We had been doing a bunch of running around with my mom and sister the day before, in and out of their car, but no one noticed anything and there was no trace of blood or anything sharp in Mom's car. Also, no trace of blood in our house or on my clothes. None of it makes much sense. But I sure wish I knew what had happened so that I could prevent it from happening again to her or someone else. Anyway, Geneva's been a prize patient with the exception of wanting to run around and play. Her leg has been bandaged to protect the wound and stitches. Today, I took her to Dr. Yeik, her regular Vet, who removed the bandage and said it was looking good, still swollen though. He had a bandage wrapped on it again, just to keep her from bothering the area, but he said that I could work her. She isn't limping or babying that foot, but she did yelp once tonight when her and Madison started playing, without permission I might add.
Besides this unwanted excitement and expense of Geneva's emergency visit ($315), Christmas was very nice. My friend Meka spent the weekend with us and Santa was very generous to us all, leaving 5 stockings full of goodies hanging near the hearth and lots of presents under the tree. The girls especially love their gift certificates. Lyle looks handsome in his new leather jacket, and I'm very much enjoying my new DVS movies.
We spent Christmas day at my parents with family, eating yummy Mexican food, including my favorite, Chile Rellanos, playing a movie trivia game and just relaxing and visiting. In the late afternoon, Amelia and Amanda went with their cousin, uncles and grandpa to see a movie. One of the most special things of this year's Christmas was that our family was all together. My nephew Chris moved back home a couple of months ago after being gone for the past 4 or 5 years. And we were able to get a family photo taken by Amelia's boyfriend, Tanner. Oh yes, I should mention Tanner.
Tanner is in the Air Force and is currently going to school in Texas. He came home on December 22, surprising Amelia via her friend Tara inviting her to dinner at Red Robin and Tanner showing up there with a dozen pink roses in hand. He goes back on January 3 to finish his schooling and will then be stationed in Japan. Amelia hopes he'll be able to come back home between Texas and Japan, but we'll just have to wait and see. This was my first time getting to meet Tanner. And I must say, he seems like a very nice young man, and quite taken by my daughter. They're both just 19, so I sure hope they take things slowly.
Now, in closing I want to share with all of you a song I wrote about 12 years ago. It was during a time when my daughters were just little girls and I found myself struggling with Christmas and how to balance the secular and Christian experiences of the holiday. I sure didn't want the girls to lose out on the fun and jolly aspect of Santa. Yet I also didn't want the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, to be watered down in any way. Out of this heart and mind struggle, I learned that we can enjoy it all, and in the process, share the joy of Christmas with everyone. So here's the song that my daughters have grown up singing with me each December and which I hope some day to record with accompanying music and all. I hope it will bless each of you as it has our family.
Merry Christmas and warmest wishes for a healthy and happy 2006.
Hugs,
Cindy and Geneva
The Merry Christmas Song
By Cindy Burgett
(Written for her daughters, Amelia and Amanda, Christmas 1993.)
1.
Merry Christmas!
I hear the bells ring.
There’s joy in the school yard.
The choirs all sing.
The stores are all busy
With goodies to sell,
But there is just one thing
That I want to tell.
Chorus:
I want to
Thank you God for sending your son.
I want to
Thank you Jesus for being the One.
From the day of your birth
You’ve brightened the earth
With a Spirit that breathes life in me.
2.
Merry Christmas!
A star on the tree.
Decorations
And lights flicker with glea.
Presents all wrapped
With red ribbons and bows,
But I want to make sure
That everyone knows!
Chorus:
I want to
Thank you God for sending your son.
I want to
Thank you Jesus for being the One.
From the day of your birth
You’ve brightened the earth
With a Spirit that breathes life in me.
3.
Merry Crhistmas
And joy to the world.
Santa is coming
For each boy and girl.
Families together
On this holiday
But there is still one thing
My heart needs to say.
When Christmas is over
And a new day is here,
The joy of the season
Can last the whole year.
If our hearts bound together
And pray Peace On Earth
As we celebrate each day
The joy of His Birth.
Chorus:
I want to
Thank you God for sending your son.
I want to
Thank you Jesus for being the One.
From the day of your birth
You’ve brightened the earth
With a Spirit that breathes life in me.
From the day of your birth
You’ve brightened the earth
With a Spirit that breathes life in me.
