Southwest Virginia Blogs

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright......  (Stevie Nicks version is wonderful)

I'm not so sure how many silent or holy nights Stevie has actually had in her life but she still does a rockin' good job wailing it out.

"I like big butts and I cannot lie".....actually I wouldn't have even posted this shot of Darius (who would be devastated) but earlier he went over and started batting some Christmas ribbon and I just looked at him and told him I wasn't even worried about it.  He is too big to do much damage....

We've been baching it tonight...Toonces has gone to a meeting.  That meant a 40 minute bubble bath gabbing on the phone and a dinner of Baked Cheetos and Hershey's kisses washed down by a glass of white wine.   Can't beat that.

Lucy moments:  I haven't posted any of my mishaps lately....

innocent for once.

First this week, I cut on the burner for our tea only it was the wrong burner and the new festive, holiday dishtowel I spent 10 minutes picking out went up in flames. 

Today, I loaded the Thugs and headed to Claudville (mom and dad's). I couldn't leave the a bag of sweet feed I had purchased yesterday on the back of the Explorer so I pulled it off and strained to get it to the fence by the barn until I could get home and changed to feed the horses.  They are really heavy for me.

I pull in later today and say "Oh No" out loud.  I see purple debris and Ruby standing over a dilapidated bag with a "What?" look.  Freckles by her side. 

I cannot believe those horses dragged that heavy bag under the fence and chewed a hole in it!   They had only eaten about half the bag so I hope (fingers crossed because Toonces would kill me) that Ruby didn't get enough to founder her.....I had no idea horses could pull stunts like that off!  Who knew? Spirit was hiding and Ruby looked guilty as sin.

Oh and here is a peek at the photo shoot I did for our friends Hollywood and Suzy this weekend!

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright......  (Stevie Nicks version is wonderful)

I'm not so sure how many silent or holy nights Stevie has actually had in her life but she still does a rockin' good job wailing it out.

"I like big butts and I cannot lie".....actually I wouldn't have even posted this shot of Darius (who would be devastated) but earlier he went over and started batting some Christmas ribbon and I just looked at him and told him I wasn't even worried about it.  He is too big to do much damage....

We've been baching it tonight...Toonces has gone to a meeting.  That meant a 40 minute bubble bath gabbing on the phone and a dinner of Baked Cheetos and Hershey's kisses washed down by a glass of white wine.   Can't beat that.

Lucy moments:  I haven't posted any of my mishaps lately....

innocent for once.

First this week, I cut on the burner for our tea only it was the wrong burner and the new festive, holiday dishtowel I spent 10 minutes picking out went up in flames. 

Today, I loaded the Thugs and headed to Claudville (mom and dad's). I couldn't leave the a bag of sweet feed I had purchased yesterday on the back of the Explorer so I pulled it off and strained to get it to the fence by the barn until I could get home and changed to feed the horses.  They are really heavy for me.

I pull in later today and say "Oh No" out loud.  I see purple debris and Ruby standing over a dilapidated bag with a "What?" look.  Freckles by her side. 

I cannot believe those horses dragged that heavy bag under the fence and chewed a hole in it!   They had only eaten about half the bag so I hope (fingers crossed because Toonces would kill me) that Ruby didn't get enough to founder her.....I had no idea horses could pull stunts like that off!  Who knew? Spirit was hiding and Ruby looked guilty as sin.

Oh and here is a peek at the photo shoot I did for our friends Hollywood and Suzy this weekend!

Later on, we'll conspire,
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid,
The plans that we've made,
Walking in a winter wonderland......  sung by Louis Armstrong.

Oh I love the way he sings that one....smooth.

You weren't expecting that were you?

You often hear people say that there aren't any real miracles or that prayers aren't answered like they should be.    When miracles surround us daily and we probably just don't take the time or have the capacity to witness them.

So I can choose to believe that so many people sent prayers and good thoughts up for me that maybe just maybe what was there disappeared.   Or I can choose to believe nothing was there to start with.  I guess I will never know for sure but it is nice to believe that prayer does change things.  Either way I am a relieved girl with a very relieved husband right now.   And either way I am thankful.

We go in this morning.  The gyn. office didn't fax over the orders like they were supposed to.  We wait.  Get the orders.  I pee. Wait again in radiology.  Go in.  Toonces asks 200 questions.  They explain the procedure.  They have my mammogram and ultrasound up.  They show us the area the doc is concerned about.  They explain how if no fluid comes out they will use a GUN like device to extract tissue for a biopsy.  I almost pee again, this time in my pants.  Toonces leaves.  I get half naked.  Get slathered up in Mercurochrome. 

I can see myself on the screen that the dime spot doesn't look anything like it did last week.  Long story short the Doctor comes in.  Very nice.  We roll around and around the boobie....no complex cyst.  Hmmm.  Doc is 99% sure it is fibrous tissue.  They do the Doppler radar thing on the area....nothing.....great...no sticky sticky for Rollie!  Yahoo!   

I should have told them to tell Toonces when they went to get him so early it was all good.  They scared him a bit.  But he was happy happy there was no sticky sticky too!

My mother came rushing after us up the hall.  I thought she couldn't wait for the news but my daddy had another attack and they brought him in to ER.  The attacks just take him momentarily out.  His headaches are severe.  He sees his regular Doctor tomorrow and will be sent to Winston to see a neurologist.    We all need dad but those little ones truly deserve their papa with them longer.....he gives them so much of himself so please if you have any more prayers are kind thoughts send them up for my daddy. 

Why no photo cards from me this year?

Well not only do I look the color and shape of a big ole piece of KFC chicken but what in the world am I doing with T's shirt?

I just don't know what my grandmother and some of the nice ladies I am friends with would think about that card.......I make Toonces look like he is doing a Love Machine cologne commercial or something!

Later on, we'll conspire,
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid,
The plans that we've made,
Walking in a winter wonderland......  sung by Louis Armstrong.

Oh I love the way he sings that one....smooth.

You weren't expecting that were you?

You often hear people say that there aren't any real miracles or that prayers aren't answered like they should be.    When miracles surround us daily and we probably just don't take the time or have the capacity to witness them.

So I can choose to believe that so many people sent prayers and good thoughts up for me that maybe just maybe what was there disappeared.   Or I can choose to believe nothing was there to start with.  I guess I will never know for sure but it is nice to believe that prayer does change things.  Either way I am a relieved girl with a very relieved husband right now.   And either way I am thankful.

We go in this morning.  The gyn. office didn't fax over the orders like they were supposed to.  We wait.  Get the orders.  I pee. Wait again in radiology.  Go in.  Toonces asks 200 questions.  They explain the procedure.  They have my mammogram and ultrasound up.  They show us the area the doc is concerned about.  They explain how if no fluid comes out they will use a GUN like device to extract tissue for a biopsy.  I almost pee again, this time in my pants.  Toonces leaves.  I get half naked.  Get slathered up in Mercurochrome. 

I can see myself on the screen that the dime spot doesn't look anything like it did last week.  Long story short the Doctor comes in.  Very nice.  We roll around and around the boobie....no complex cyst.  Hmmm.  Doc is 99% sure it is fibrous tissue.  They do the Doppler radar thing on the area....nothing.....great...no sticky sticky for Rollie!  Yahoo!   

I should have told them to tell Toonces when they went to get him so early it was all good.  They scared him a bit.  But he was happy happy there was no sticky sticky too!

My mother came rushing after us up the hall.  I thought she couldn't wait for the news but my daddy had another attack and they brought him in to ER.  The attacks just take him momentarily out.  His headaches are severe.  He sees his regular Doctor tomorrow and will be sent to Winston to see a neurologist.    We all need dad but those little ones truly deserve their papa with them longer.....he gives them so much of himself so please if you have any more prayers are kind thoughts send them up for my daddy. 

Why no photo cards from me this year?

Well not only do I look the color and shape of a big ole piece of KFC chicken but what in the world am I doing with T's shirt?

I just don't know what my grandmother and some of the nice ladies I am friends with would think about that card.......I make Toonces look like he is doing a Love Machine cologne commercial or something!

O Bells will be ringing
this sad sad sad news
Oh what a Christmas
to have the blues
My baby's gone
I have no friends
To wish me greetings
once again
O Choirs will be singing
Oo Silent Night
Christmas carols by candle light
Please come home for Christmas
Please come home for Christmas
If not for Christmas by New Years night -   by the Eagles.

I think until Christmas my normal quotes will come from my favorite Christmas songs.  Bells will be ringing comes in at probably number 2.  I just love that song.  I could sing it in July.

to Toonces's delight.

I am so happy to have a red headed woodpecker in the back yard feasting this morning.  I love the woodpeckers and they have been scarce lately at the feeders.

Earlier I counted 32 mourning doves, 3 blue jays and about 6 snow birds.  The finches, nut hatches and squirrels must be sleeping in this morning.

The squirrels have grown in number.  I watched from 1 to 2 to 5 and recently 8 playing in the backyard.  I didn't plan on that many.  They clean out their food very quickly but even worse they don' t appear to be so cute when in a group.  They bristle their tails and gnash their tiny razor sharp teeth.  Their little tails make a point over their heads and they make a "nah, nah, nah" noise............I crack the door loudly and wait for them to scatter before I walk out into a large group.   They appear sinister in packs and I fear their numbers may continue to grow into maybe 40 or 50.  And what if  their bristly tails and gnashing teeth turn on me!

I was showing Toonces last night what I had bought for the puppies Christmas stockings.  A stuffed duck and a stuffed squeaking squirrel from the American Kennel Club.  They are very realistic.  Toonces said "Well honey, why don't you just put a real squirrel in their mouths? Don't you think you might be teaching the thugs a bad lesson?"

Au contrare my dear Toonces....au contrare. 

finally complete.

Let me know if my Christmas banner with the Grinch cat Darius is taking to long to upload.  Thanks.

And thank you all so much for the supportive comments and emails I received from yesterday's post.  Everyone has been so very kind and thoughtful.  That meant a lot to me and again I really appreciated them.  I am ready to get this behind us.

O Bells will be ringing
this sad sad sad news
Oh what a Christmas
to have the blues
My baby's gone
I have no friends
To wish me greetings
once again
O Choirs will be singing
Oo Silent Night
Christmas carols by candle light
Please come home for Christmas
Please come home for Christmas
If not for Christmas by New Years night -   by the Eagles.

I think until Christmas my normal quotes will come from my favorite Christmas songs.  Bells will be ringing comes in at probably number 2.  I just love that song.  I could sing it in July.

to Toonces's delight.

I am so happy to have a red headed woodpecker in the back yard feasting this morning.  I love the woodpeckers and they have been scarce lately at the feeders.

Earlier I counted 32 mourning doves, 3 blue jays and about 6 snow birds.  The finches, nut hatches and squirrels must be sleeping in this morning.

The squirrels have grown in number.  I watched from 1 to 2 to 5 and recently 8 playing in the backyard.  I didn't plan on that many.  They clean out their food very quickly but even worse they don' t appear to be so cute when in a group.  They bristle their tails and gnash their tiny razor sharp teeth.  Their little tails make a point over their heads and they make a "nah, nah, nah" noise............I crack the door loudly and wait for them to scatter before I walk out into a large group.   They appear sinister in packs and I fear their numbers may continue to grow into maybe 40 or 50.  And what if  their bristly tails and gnashing teeth turn on me!

I was showing Toonces last night what I had bought for the puppies Christmas stockings.  A stuffed duck and a stuffed squeaking squirrel from the American Kennel Club.  They are very realistic.  Toonces said "Well honey, why don't you just put a real squirrel in their mouths? Don't you think you might be teaching the thugs a bad lesson?"

Au contrare my dear Toonces....au contrare. 

finally complete.

Let me know if my Christmas banner with the Grinch cat Darius is taking to long to upload.  Thanks.

And thank you all so much for the supportive comments and emails I received from yesterday's post.  Everyone has been so very kind and thoughtful.  That meant a lot to me and again I really appreciated them.  I am ready to get this behind us.

I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane.

Waylon Jennings

I am the type person that tends to do better if I can sit down and have a little private cry over something bad and then I shake it off and move on.  Last night I missed my cry window and this morning I just have too much to do to think about crying.   So I have moved to my aggravated mode.  Maybe today I will get the time for a little cry and get it over with.   I am having lunch with my girlfriends who know what a big baby I can be and have all seen the very worst pathetic sides of me so that should help.  I never have to fake bravery for them.   They know I am a scaredy cat.

I wasn't going to do this post but then I thought I have shared everything else with you guys.  And would it be better to say why I am not posting much or just look like I was losing interest, which is not the case?  So I will clarify.

Last week at my yearly girlie physical Kay (the doc) found a mass in my right breast.  I have been cystic in the past and wasn't very concerned but she thought this one felt odd and I had to have an immediate ultrasound and another mammogram.  My last was Dec 2005.   So I go yesterday and they pretty much tell me it is all well and good, that I am cystic and have very dense tissue...blah, blah....and I tell my husband, who has worried himself sick and was delighted with the good news, and I have a huge wonderful day out shopping with my mother.

When I get home late last night Toonces tells me I must call Kay at home and it turns out that the huge mass is simple but the smaller one attached is complex.  My options are to have another ultrasound and they will aspirate fluid from the cyst and have it biopsied.  Or I can choose to wait 6 months for another ultrasound.

Of course no one will let me take door number 2 (mom and Martin anyway) and I am just not happy at the aspiration thought.  Truly I think I am fine.  My mom and aunt have been through this many times with no bad outcome.  My family lineage is good on both sides.  But I am just aggravated to have to go from a high to a low, which I hate.  I don't want to have my boob stuck with a needle no matter how many times mom tells me it doesn't hurt........and I don't like my husband worrying about me.....and mostly I hate that I am such a baby and my mind keeps dwelling on this when people are going through so many horrible things.  I don't want to be selfish and think about me.  This is nothing in the big scheme of things. 

So there you have it....an honest post.  I am just not in the best of moods but I want to pretend to be.  I have a whole lot to do today.    And I am still hoping to get that good cry in so I can move on and enjoy putting the fake snow piles under my tree..........

I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane.

Waylon Jennings

I am the type person that tends to do better if I can sit down and have a little private cry over something bad and then I shake it off and move on.  Last night I missed my cry window and this morning I just have too much to do to think about crying.   So I have moved to my aggravated mode.  Maybe today I will get the time for a little cry and get it over with.   I am having lunch with my girlfriends who know what a big baby I can be and have all seen the very worst pathetic sides of me so that should help.  I never have to fake bravery for them.   They know I am a scaredy cat.

I wasn't going to do this post but then I thought I have shared everything else with you guys.  And would it be better to say why I am not posting much or just look like I was losing interest, which is not the case?  So I will clarify.

Last week at my yearly girlie physical Kay (the doc) found a mass in my right breast.  I have been cystic in the past and wasn't very concerned but she thought this one felt odd and I had to have an immediate ultrasound and another mammogram.  My last was Dec 2005.   So I go yesterday and they pretty much tell me it is all well and good, that I am cystic and have very dense tissue...blah, blah....and I tell my husband, who has worried himself sick and was delighted with the good news, and I have a huge wonderful day out shopping with my mother.

When I get home late last night Toonces tells me I must call Kay at home and it turns out that the huge mass is simple but the smaller one attached is complex.  My options are to have another ultrasound and they will aspirate fluid from the cyst and have it biopsied.  Or I can choose to wait 6 months for another ultrasound.

Of course no one will let me take door number 2 (mom and Martin anyway) and I am just not happy at the aspiration thought.  Truly I think I am fine.  My mom and aunt have been through this many times with no bad outcome.  My family lineage is good on both sides.  But I am just aggravated to have to go from a high to a low, which I hate.  I don't want to have my boob stuck with a needle no matter how many times mom tells me it doesn't hurt........and I don't like my husband worrying about me.....and mostly I hate that I am such a baby and my mind keeps dwelling on this when people are going through so many horrible things.  I don't want to be selfish and think about me.  This is nothing in the big scheme of things. 

So there you have it....an honest post.  I am just not in the best of moods but I want to pretend to be.  I have a whole lot to do today.    And I am still hoping to get that good cry in so I can move on and enjoy putting the fake snow piles under my tree..........

Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.  ~ Douglas Pagels

Mr. Fiber Optic Snowman is on display.  He is the first each year to make the journey from attic to the main living area.  Toonces loves that thing so that I dread the day I go to plug him in and there are no twinkles.  So every year he glistens it is a blessing.

Yesterday my mom and I did not get to go to Winston shopping.  She has the same horrid cold my husband has and all the family has ganged up and are blaming poor baby Seth.   

In Lowe's I looked at the new LED lights everyone is talking about. I broke down and changed ours over as well.   Toonces loves the colored lights and while I still won't allow them on the tree I am doing the entire deck in bright reds, blues, and greens.....just for him.   He can sit on the back patio with the pups and bask in the glow.   Toonces is your filling station kind of Christmas person.....the tackier the better....and that is okay by me because we live far enough off the road that no one can see.....  Well, they might see the light above the trees from the highway and wonder if there is a forest fire in the area. 

I told him last night not only did he like filling station style decor but the back of the attic is like being at a flea market.  I can find anything.   I bought a white tree for my den with the retro look and had told him I needed to find one of those cotton skirts we had as kids with the glitter pieces stuck in it and I will be damned if I didn't find one in a box in the back of the attic.  Unbelievable.

Things happening to Rollie this week:  (aka embarrassing moments)

Tuesday was one of those days I just got up and went to cleaning.  I had several things going on in the house and my plan was to change sheets, etc. all morning then dress for the gym and take off.   I had noticed during cleaning that my back yard was full of wild birds and squirrels and when I took a little break I snuck around back with my camera for some practice shots.    Note that I had never changed out of my pajamas.  A pair of boy pants and long thin tee shirt.  I had raccoon eyes bad and my hair was stuck to one side of my head.  Granted it was lunch time but I had no reason to change before hand.

So I am in the back yard and I hear a truck and assume it is the garbage guy.    The pj outfit I have on is one that you have to be careful how the pants ride up on you or it gives you the "Pat" effect from Saturday Night Live.   So with no bra and the pants riding up, my boobs are about even with the waistline giving me the most unflattering look ever and here comes the dude to pump out the heating oil we no longer need.  I was so embarrassed....he said "I don't want to interrupt your picture taking...."  I just said I was finished and ran into the house to dress.  Realizing only then that I had the "Pat" look and raccoon eyes going for me.  When  I got back down stairs he was waiting for me to move the cars. 

same day:   Earl and Eudora love riding with me to the post office in town.  It is customary and pretty mandatory that the pups get their Marrowbone treats when we arrive.  We pull up and I only have one.  Being the good mother and not being able to break it into by hand I decide to bite it.........little bits of Pedigree bone marrow went all over my mouth and I jump out of the truck spitting and harking like some crazed redneck for all the other street folks to see.  (My husband works right across the street and I often hope no one knows who I am.)

yesterday:   I am one that speaks without realizing how things sound and yesterday while at Bath and Body looking for gifts and playing in the Snow Frost glitter spray (I later bought) a guy I used to work with walked up and said "Deana, what are you doing over here?"  I said "I am spraying myself all up with glitter!"  (I had a rather low cut top on)  He said, "Oh, I am off taking mama to the Doctor today.."  and around him steps this little old lady that has this stern face and look in her eye that is telling me I am a Jezebel.   I think she took it I was flirting with her married son.   He and I quickly exchanged pleasantries without her ever cracking a smile and he was gone.

So that is my week.  I am taking my time pulling out my Christmas decorations.  I don't want to stress over rushing to have things perfect.   I realized yesterday that somewhere in this country someone is getting bad news that will forever change their lives....and somewhere someone is getting news that makes them ecstatic.  It swirls and changes for all of us and that makes me want to slow down and take more in.  Whether my house is a mess or my blog needs a post.   Last night I skipped some work and just sat in Toonces's lap for a while watching TV. 

In other news:

Bush getting snubbed in Jordan was a very big deal.  No matter what comes out of the mouths at the White House that was horrific.   Iraq is an even bigger mess and is soon going to have some very, very dangerous consequences.   I am praying someone comes up with a solution quickly and we can all work as a unified group to get this resolved.    We seem to be on a slippery slope here and I don't think many people realize just how bad this could get.

In good cheer..... to me nothing spreads hope like the innocence of a child.  So I have a video of my nephew Jackson singing for his daddy.  He is practicing his first grade song for the Christmas program......it is maybe a 2 minute clip.  I tricked it up a bit for him, of course, with all my bells and whistles!  I think he is precious. 

Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.  ~ Douglas Pagels

Mr. Fiber Optic Snowman is on display.  He is the first each year to make the journey from attic to the main living area.  Toonces loves that thing so that I dread the day I go to plug him in and there are no twinkles.  So every year he glistens it is a blessing.

Yesterday my mom and I did not get to go to Winston shopping.  She has the same horrid cold my husband has and all the family has ganged up and are blaming poor baby Seth.   

In Lowe's I looked at the new LED lights everyone is talking about. I broke down and changed ours over as well.   Toonces loves the colored lights and while I still won't allow them on the tree I am doing the entire deck in bright reds, blues, and greens.....just for him.   He can sit on the back patio with the pups and bask in the glow.   Toonces is your filling station kind of Christmas person.....the tackier the better....and that is okay by me because we live far enough off the road that no one can see.....  Well, they might see the light above the trees from the highway and wonder if there is a forest fire in the area. 

I told him last night not only did he like filling station style decor but the back of the attic is like being at a flea market.  I can find anything.   I bought a white tree for my den with the retro look and had told him I needed to find one of those cotton skirts we had as kids with the glitter pieces stuck in it and I will be damned if I didn't find one in a box in the back of the attic.  Unbelievable.

Things happening to Rollie this week:  (aka embarrassing moments)

Tuesday was one of those days I just got up and went to cleaning.  I had several things going on in the house and my plan was to change sheets, etc. all morning then dress for the gym and take off.   I had noticed during cleaning that my back yard was full of wild birds and squirrels and when I took a little break I snuck around back with my camera for some practice shots.    Note that I had never changed out of my pajamas.  A pair of boy pants and long thin tee shirt.  I had raccoon eyes bad and my hair was stuck to one side of my head.  Granted it was lunch time but I had no reason to change before hand.

So I am in the back yard and I hear a truck and assume it is the garbage guy.    The pj outfit I have on is one that you have to be careful how the pants ride up on you or it gives you the "Pat" effect from Saturday Night Live.   So with no bra and the pants riding up, my boobs are about even with the waistline giving me the most unflattering look ever and here comes the dude to pump out the heating oil we no longer need.  I was so embarrassed....he said "I don't want to interrupt your picture taking...."  I just said I was finished and ran into the house to dress.  Realizing only then that I had the "Pat" look and raccoon eyes going for me.  When  I got back down stairs he was waiting for me to move the cars. 

same day:   Earl and Eudora love riding with me to the post office in town.  It is customary and pretty mandatory that the pups get their Marrowbone treats when we arrive.  We pull up and I only have one.  Being the good mother and not being able to break it into by hand I decide to bite it.........little bits of Pedigree bone marrow went all over my mouth and I jump out of the truck spitting and harking like some crazed redneck for all the other street folks to see.  (My husband works right across the street and I often hope no one knows who I am.)

yesterday:   I am one that speaks without realizing how things sound and yesterday while at Bath and Body looking for gifts and playing in the Snow Frost glitter spray (I later bought) a guy I used to work with walked up and said "Deana, what are you doing over here?"  I said "I am spraying myself all up with glitter!"  (I had a rather low cut top on)  He said, "Oh, I am off taking mama to the Doctor today.."  and around him steps this little old lady that has this stern face and look in her eye that is telling me I am a Jezebel.   I think she took it I was flirting with her married son.   He and I quickly exchanged pleasantries without her ever cracking a smile and he was gone.

So that is my week.  I am taking my time pulling out my Christmas decorations.  I don't want to stress over rushing to have things perfect.   I realized yesterday that somewhere in this country someone is getting bad news that will forever change their lives....and somewhere someone is getting news that makes them ecstatic.  It swirls and changes for all of us and that makes me want to slow down and take more in.  Whether my house is a mess or my blog needs a post.   Last night I skipped some work and just sat in Toonces's lap for a while watching TV. 

In other news:

Bush getting snubbed in Jordan was a very big deal.  No matter what comes out of the mouths at the White House that was horrific.   Iraq is an even bigger mess and is soon going to have some very, very dangerous consequences.   I am praying someone comes up with a solution quickly and we can all work as a unified group to get this resolved.    We seem to be on a slippery slope here and I don't think many people realize just how bad this could get.

In good cheer..... to me nothing spreads hope like the innocence of a child.  So I have a video of my nephew Jackson singing for his daddy.  He is practicing his first grade song for the Christmas program......it is maybe a 2 minute clip.  I tricked it up a bit for him, of course, with all my bells and whistles!  I think he is precious.