Month: December 2008

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New Years New Orleans style

Well if anyone knows how to throw a party, it’s New Orleans.  This year is gone and we are glad to see 2009 come.  The economy has made it even harder for a lot of our people to continue to fight to recover from the mess we all found ourselves in but the spirit of New Orleans won’t let any of us down.

There are lots of celebrities that are helping to rebuild or just homes for our people and we’re all out there fighting side by side.  Every new year means the old one is behind us and we’re still moving forward.  Slowly but surely, all of the rebuilding and building will be done and we will shine once again like the new years fireworks.  Here’s wishing nothing but blessing for everyone for the New Year!!

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My heart overflows

I have so many ‘Thank You’ cards along with Christmas cards that my heart overflows with the spirit of not only Christmas, but also the spirit of God.  Dinner last night was perfect.  We had gumbo, turkey, dressing, ham, candied yams, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, and more food than I can remember.  I don’t think I will be able to eat again for a week after all of that.

The children’s faces were just as I imagined they would be.  Every family brought their camera to me and I can’t wait to get them developed.  Families were coming up to me with tears in their eyes and thanking not only me but the whole community.  Some got job offers, everyone got a crisp new $100 bill, thanks to someone very special.

There was not a child that didn’t get ‘exactly’ what they wanted according to them.  There were more gadgets and toys in there than you can believe.  Each child brought their favorite toy if they could.  Some couldn’t because it was a bicycle or a game system but they made sure to bring their next favorite toy to show me.  Life is good here in Louisiana.

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Picking up presents

What a wonderful day this is.  The parents are making a steady path to my door to pick up the presents for their families.  I wish I could be at each and every house in the morning to see the faces of the whole family.  At least they will have a camera to take pictures.

I am so very proud to be from New Orleans.  I am so very proud of the people of New Orleans.  They have come together to make sure the families that have lost so much, will have a very Merry Christmas.  My little Angel Tree has already brought so much joy and tomorrow morning, it will bring more joy than I ever dreamed it could.

The day after Christmas, we’re having a special dinner for every family.  We had to borrow a church fellowship hall to hold it in but that’s as it should be too.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ after all so the church fellowship hall is perfect.  I can’t wait to see all the smiling faces.  Here’s hoping your Christmas is a full of love and joy as our is.  Merry Christmas!!!!

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Every present wrapped and every bow tied

Well every single Angel has been taken from the tree and all of the presents that have been donated or brought in are all wrapped and every bow tied.  There is a pile of presents like I have never seen.  In fact, there are enough presents to take up a whole room in my home.  What a wonderful feeling standing in the doorway looking at all the presents.

I feel so blessed and not a single present is for me to open.  The blessing comes from knowing I’m making Christmas special for children and their families.  I guess I’m a HO HO HO!!!!  I’m Santa Clausette.  How about that?

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The magic of the season

Christmas has long been a magical season and this year is no different.  The whole community has pitched in to help me with all the ‘Angels’ on my tree.  Some businesses have donated items.  Some businesses have offered jobs.  Some businesses have donated food, and there is even a celebrity, which I promised not to name, that has donated $100 to every family that has an Angel on my tree.  God has blessed this little tree in ways I never imagined.

I am so proud to live here in New Orleans.  I am so proud of the people of New Orleans as they have pulled together to see to it these families and mostly the children, will wake up Christmas morning to a wonderful surprise from Santa.  There are PSP’s, Game Boys, Wii’s, MP3 players, DVD players, TV’s, PS3’s, and more gadgets than I know what they are.  Guess I’m getting old when I don’t recognize some of the presents we’re giving out, ya think?

Oh well, I’ll know it’s the right thing with all the smiles.  Oh each family is getting a disposable camera that they are to bring back to me so I can get the pictures developed.  Of course I’ll get double prints and maybe more because I want a picture of the children’s faces, and I also want to send ‘Thank you’ notes to the many people that donated along with a picture of the smiling faces of the children they helped to make this Christmas special for.  Then of course, the parents need a copy of their pictures too.

I’m worse than the kids beacuse I can’t wait!!!!!!

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A little something from me

I know you have seen those portable DVD players.  I just found a heck of a deal on them and bought every one they had.  They had 30 of them.  That way, I can give them to some of the kids on my Angel Tree.  Some of them don’t even have a TV in their home so this will give the something to look at and occupy their time when they don’t have any homework that is.

With each one, I’m also giving a gift certificate for 5 DVDs.  The kids can pick them out themselves so they get something they like or wanted to see.  There’s a local DVD rental store that said they have several used DVDs that they get rid of once they have been rented so many times but the DVDs are still good.  They told me that I can pay for the DVDs after the kids pick them out.  See some are more than others.

Hey, I just got a call from the DVD rental store and they’re going to donate a new DVD to each kid that gets one of the DVD players from me.  That just made my day.

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I thought I was seeing things

SNOW…………..in New Orleans!!!  You got it. The rare snowfall has triggered crashes on major highways and left thousands of people without power.  Schools, government offices and bridges have been closed.  Snow just isnt’ something that we usually deal with so basically we don’t know how to do anything in it except maybe make a snow ball and hit someone with it.

The heavy band of snow coated windshields and grassy areas in New Orleans, where about an inch accumulated.  A peak of eight inches was reported in the town of Amite, about 75 miles northwest of New Orleans. Boy am I glad we didn’t get that much.  There would have been accidents everywhere because we have nothing to remove snow.  It was pretty though!!  See!!

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Well here’s number 3

I told you that trouble comes in 3’s.  First my printer goes out, then my water heater needs a new heating element (thank goodness I didn’t have to replace the whole water heater) and now  I dropped my cell phone and didn’t realize it.  It came open and who do you think should step on it and break it?  You guessed it, it was me.

Thank goodness I had that insurance along with my  new phone from Verizon.  I started not to get it because I have gotten it for the last three phones I got from them and every time I’m up for a new phone, I would have it put on that one too.  I haven’t ever had to use it and I almost told them I didn’t want that this time.  Boy am I glad I forgot about it by the time I got there.  I had every intention of it too.

See sometimes it’s good to have those CRS moments.  You know what they are don’t you?  The ‘Can’t remember shit’ moments.  I have them all the time and that’s why man or probably a woman did it but that’s why sticky notes were invented!!!!!!!!!!

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More about our Angel Tree

I am still getting requests for more Angels to be placed on my Angel Tree.  Most of the Angels are gone already and the presents are starting to pour in.  I wasn’t expecting them to be brought in until around the 15th of December but I have put them in one of my rooms for safe keeping.  They are due to be given on Christmas Eve.

Most of the presents for the children will be their Santa Clause this year as there are so many in need of assistance with that more than just a present.  How about that?  I’m Santa Clause this year but no I’m not a ‘Ho’.  😉  I never really thought about it that way.  I just thought of it as doing my part for my community.

Now here’s the sad part.  I got a request from a 7 year old little boy that wants a new Daddy.  His died during Hurricane Katrina and his mother has been sad ever since so he just wants a new Daddy.  How do I find him one of those.  Hey, maybe I could find a nice man that would be a Big Brother type Daddy for him.  In fact, I know just the right man for the job.  He’s worked for me for years and is single.  He’s great with kids too.

Then there’s the request I got from a 9 year old little girl.  Her mother has cancer and her father left them when she got it.  She wants a cure for her mother for Christmas.  I’m calling several hospitals and doctors trying to see if I can get her free medical care.  I sure hope so.

There is so much suffering that we are unaware of within our own community but my little Angel Tree is opening not only my eyes, but the eyes of everyone that looks at the Angels and reads the requests.  It looks so far like most of the children on my tree will have a good Christmas after all.

I just wish I could grant each and every child’s wish but some of them have to be granted by a higher power than just me alone.  I pray every night for the wishes I know I can’t fill.  Maybe God will take over and grant those wishes.  Christmas is a very special time and I believe it can happen.