From Ashes to Rashes We All Fall Down

On Tuesday we said good-bye to our dear pet Kramer (our first baby, really). I got him 11 years ago as a Christmas gift for Derrick, and instead of Kramer being his dog, he truly became my dog.

Kramer is now in doggy heaven running once again like a horse, going crazy for the big sprinklers, and jumping up onto everything and anything. That makes me happy. His earthly body, once full of life and vibrant, is now a pile of ashes.

We are heartbroken, but thankful, that we were able to have him in our family for so long. Each one of us is manifesting our pain and sorrow in different ways. My pain and sorrow manifested itself by starting as a huge hole in my heart and then turned into a horrible, painful rash starting on my ankles and crawling up my legs.

When asked by the doctor if there were any changes in my life to cause this, I immediately thought of the loss of my "oldest child" (Kramer). Derrick was sure it was my binge on vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting Wednesday night. The doctor assured us it was neither, but, each of us know exactly the blame. Me-Kramer, Derrick- Cupcakes.

I guess there is only one way to find out. Make another batch of cupcakes and eat away! Want one?

Christmas in the Desert

Someone once said to Derrick that a desert is beautiful from afar, but far from beautiful. Sometimes I agree with this, and other times I do not.

Tonight, I disagree. The desert is very beautiful at Christmas time. Don't you agree?

A Christmas Tree Story

This is a story about the Voss Family getting a Christmas tree for the Christmas season.

A week ago, the Voss family left early in the morning for Flagstaff to cut down a beautiful tree.

The family decided to feed some deer and have a picnic before cutting down their beautiful tree.




After the picnic, the family finished their travels to sunny, yet cold, Flagstaff to cut down a tree.

The family had a difficult time picking a tree that all would agree on.
"That tree is too tall," said the daddy.
"That tree is too ugly," said the LuLu.
"That tree is too bare at the top," said the mommy.
"I am too busy picking up sticks, pinecones, golf balls, twirling, to notice the trees," said the MyMy. (She really didn't say that because she was too busy picking up sticks, pinecones, golf balls, twirling, etc.)

Gloves were placed on trees that were possible candidates.




Finally, after some soul searching, compromising, and bargaining...... the perfect Christmas tree was found. Yea! Daddy got to use a very cool power tool to cut the tree down.




The family then loaded up the truck, shopped for coats, had some pizza, and headed for home.

A week later, the family finally had time to decorate the beautiful Christmas tree.



And, to them, it is a beautiful Christmas tree, and so are the memories.

The End