thankful things...

i honestly started this post really unloading and venting my spleen,about this year... i honestly deleted that crap... sorry,folks...  it is Christmas,and i really do not feel joyous,and happy... i am finally losing weight(been over 200 pounds for over a year,and i have not felt well in the process)... my father was really surprised to learn that i was 225 pounds,at one time,and simply did not believe it... cracked a joke about being weighed on a truck scale,in the process... well,Dad,i have lost over 25 pounds,and will continue to do so... the last two months of this year has been a torturous road for all my family,and i honestly have felt miserable for my family... THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR:my dear stepmother is recovering in rehab,after hip surgery,and other complications... i am losing weight,finally... as for my family up in Redding,it is slowly getting better,because a family member died early last month... the grieving and mourning process is underway,and yet,some days are like the first day,after sweet Ben passed away,so we have to be patient with that situation... our tight family is right now split in two areas of the state,and it makes me upset... however,the Shaw-Stinson clan makes me very proud,because they are doing everything that they have to do... they may be unhappy about it,but they are all champions,in their own way,and i am very,very proud of every single one of them... it reminds me of the fifty four days that i spent with my dear soulmate,sixteen years ago,and i did the very same things that they are doing,and folks,it was painful for me,at the time of her passing,on Christmas Day,1999... i earned my merit badges that day,folks,and my family is earning theirs,at this time... in 1999,i walked two miles twice a day,being there in the early morning,shortly after she woke up,and spending up to twenty hours a day,doing things for her,going home for a little sleep,and a shower and then walk back... sometimes,i did not leave the hospital until after 1 am,walk back home,and then walk back at six in the morning... was always there,at about nine am,for her,and except for medication and bandaging her rear end(caused by severe bed sores),in the morning,and evening,i did everything else... i deeply respect my family for doing what they are doing,because i know that,in no way,is it easy... i must be thankful for a family that does what is absolutely necessary... Champions all!!!!