Merry Christmas To All...

Hello from Pensacola, Florida!

<Insert happy dance!>

Luckily the World didn't end on Friday, so my vacation kicked off at 5PM. I came home to my Secret Santa gift from the AMAZING Kristine, and let me tell ya...it was SO worth the wait.



See those headbands? She makes those. Super cute, I know ;)
I love, love, LOVE ya guuuuurl!

I am so happy that I started packing on Wednesday because packing two people up for eleven days is ROUGH. Thank goodness I have a system and I was down to the little things on Saturday, so that we could do last minute shopping and dinner that evening.



It was aptly named My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, and it is now added to our favorites list. Everything tasted amazing and it was practically cheap. Three adults with an app, meals, drinks, and dessert for $84 + TIP is a steal for a Saturday night out.



Now that the Christmas shopping is done, the journey is over, and the family is all together, it is time for the real fun to begin. Although, I have been looking forward to Christmas for months and now that it's here, I don't want it to end! I hope that you are all having a fabulous holiday so far, and enjoying every second.

I also hope that you will take one minute to think of the soldiers that cannot be with their family.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas,

He Lived All Alone,

In A One Bedroom House

Made Of Plaster And Stone.

I Had Come Down The Chimney

With Presents To Give,

And To See Just Who

In This Home Did Live.

I Looked All About,

A Strange Sight I Did See,

No Tinsel, No Presents,

Not Even A Tree.

No Stocking By Mantle,

Just Boots Filled With Sand,

On The Wall Hung Pictures

Of Far Distant Lands.

With Medals And Badges,

Awards Of All Kinds,

A Sober Thought

Came Through My Mind.

For This House Was Different,

It Was Dark And Dreary,

I Found The Home Of A Soldier,

Once I Could See Clearly.

The Soldier Lay Sleeping,

Silent, Alone,

Curled Up On The Floor

In This One Bedroom Home.

The Face Was So Gentle,

The Room In Such Disorder,

Not How I Pictured

A United States Soldier.

Was This The Hero

Of Whom I'd Just Read?

Curled Up On A Poncho,

The Floor For A Bed?

I Realized The Families

That I Saw This Night,

Owed Their Lives To These Soldiers

Who Were Willing To Fight.

Soon Round The World,

The Children Would Play,

And Grownups Would Celebrate

A Bright Christmas Day.

They All Enjoyed Freedom

Each Month Of The Year,

Because Of The Soldiers,

Like The One Lying Here.

I Couldn't Help Wonder

How Many Lay Alone,

On A Cold Christmas Eve

In A Land Far From Home.

The Very Thought

Brought A Tear To My Eye,

I Dropped To My Knees

And Started To Cry.

The Soldier Awakened

And I Heard A Rough Voice,

"Santa Don't Cry,

This Life Is My Choice;

I Fight For Freedom,

I Don't Ask For More,

My Life Is My God,

My Country, My Corps."

The Soldier Rolled Over

And Drifted To Sleep,

I Couldn't Control It,

I Continued To Weep.

I Kept Watch For Hours,

So Silent And Still

And We Both Shivered

From The Cold Night's Chill.

I Didn't Want To Leave

On That Cold, Dark, Night,

This Guardian Of Honor

So Willing To Fight.

Then The Soldier Rolled Over,

With A Voice Soft And Pure,

Whispered, "Carry On Santa,

It's Christmas Day, All Is Secure."

One Look At My Watch,

And I Knew He Was Right.

"Merry Christmas My Friend,

And To All A Good Night."

Written by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt in 1986. Printed in Leatherneck (The Magazines for the Marines) in December 1991.

Source: snopes.com via Janna on Pinterest

To all soldiers, past, present, and future...You are not forgotten.
Merry Christmas, everyone!