Getting Old, A Bad Tooth and Some Fun Memories

Getting old is not fun. My teeth are falling apart. Yes, I remember my mom warning me about chewing ice...but that was supposed to be a problem when I'm OLD!!! Now I have a HUGE pain in my mouth. It's a molar that broke in half last year after losing a big filling the year before. I've alternately writhed in pain and been perfectly fine since then. Over the past week, it has leaned much more to the pain side. So I'm "biting the bullet" so to speak and have a dentist's appointment in the morning for the extraction. I would appreciate any prayers you might feel like offering up around 9:30 am eastern time.

That said, I'll post a few more pictures from our Christmas Eve festivities. First, though, let me say our "festivities" were a bit subdued this year--and I'm really lamenting that fact. (Must be the tooth pain making me so melancholy.) I've come to the conclusion that it was subdued because we only have ONE little one these days. Our Christmas Eve's used to be so lively and L*O*U*D!!!! with 13 grandchildren running around. But with the oldest being 30 and the youngest being a 9-year old, things are more sedate and (might I add...) B*O*R*I*N*G!!! But we had a good time anyway. With such great food, it surely can't be too bad! Next year, I think we're going to have to import some kids. Any of you want to offer yours?


This monkey was hanging out in a tree looking for Santa and his reindeer. Yes, monkey's can climb trees in flip-flops!

The monkey also celebrated her 9th birthday on the 23rd. So, Christmas Eve was just a continuation.

























As it so often is after church, it seems we spent more time "leaving" than we did "staying."

This is my youngest brother (26 and SINGLE!), Beau. He was hamming for the camera and didn't believe I would be bold enough to post this lovely picture for all the world to see. Beau...NEVER, EVER dare your sister!













My dad and step-mother listening to all the "after-party" discussions, stories and lies. We were all "leaving"...remember?
















Most of you don't know my almost youngest brother, Alan. (He WAS my youngest brother as we were growing up...but then Beau happened. So, now he's my almost little brother.) If you did know him, you would have absolutely no trouble figuring out he is telling a story...probably full of lies...but always entertaining!















This is Sable (Alan's 2nd daughter) and her latest beau, Austin. You might remember him from Thanksgiving...standing on the fringes of the crowd...wondering how he got himself into this mess. Believe it or not, he came back for more!!!












Bex and Mr. Fix-It were enjoying the stories, too! Like I said, they are ALWAYS entertaining!


















Here is an inside picture of my sister Mandy and her husband, Erik. It was a rare treat to have them at Christmas Eve because they are with the traveling nurse program and have been in California, Texas, Alaska, or other faraway places over the last 6 years.






Since I was talking about my teeth before... just a little FYI.

Do you know how we know that a country, redneck invented the toothbrush?

(Here's where you say, "No, I didn't...How do we know that?")

Because if it wasn't a redneck...it would have been called a "TEETH-brush!"



Stay tuned--it could be worse!