Wednesday, December 7, 2011

HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU SAY THANKS?

I could think of so many titles for this post… some you would get, some would be inside jokes.
All would have been heart felt. 

If you read my blog you know I am injured. That is the only word I can think of.
 
I thought my ankle was better, now I think the injury was worse than I originally thought.
I have missed 3 houses and one today where they had light problems.
   
My ANKLE! I have iced it, kept it up, stayed off of it and all the rest.  I am good at none of the above, so my only alternative is to take a pain pill and sleep. Yesterday that is what I did.

Yesterday about 3 PM Head Elf Terri arrived…

Terri

and then Elf Liz ( who originally took me to the ER…and has been a constant encourager)

Liz


   Then Elves Robin and Sheri


robin
sheri
   
Then my sweet neighbors, Mike and Shoni( and my new ELF)
mike and Shonnie


Then my sweet friend PAM (who has to be the most giving person I know) arrived with hot soup, her special cornbread, and homemade brownies for everyone

Pam and charlie



All here to decorate my house..
This was the only year I had not decorated early that I can ever remember..
Always in October…
They were still here at midnight…get that…midnight..I slept through it all.
 
I knew if I were up I would be working.  What tree decorator can sit while someone else decorates trees.
 
I fix trees in restaurants and doctors offices as discreetly as I can.
 
The only two elves I even saw last night were Terri and Liz..
Liz needed my laptop for the Mickey display from last year and Terri and I talked for a minute when she first got here…


I could hear laughing.  It sounded like a great party I was missing (the jokes were probably dust they were finding)!


I could hear vacuuming around midnight…who stays at someone's house until midnight on the first day they have had off in a long time plus knowing they had a long tree day today and it was looking doubtful that I would be there.

My foot is swollen, its black,(I mean all of it)!
  
It is now coming up the back of my leg. NEVER again will I take an ankle for granted.

I am beginning to wonder if its broken and it was too swollen to tell the night I had it X-rayed.

I don’t consider myself a wimp. I have worked sick plenty of times over the  years, but the ankle has stopped me.

I can’t wear the boot.

I cannot find anything that stabilizes it enough for me to stand on it and you have to pretty much stand and bend to decorate trees.

Trust me I have tried to figure out a way.  And as hard as I tried I could not stand long enough to do it.


When I got up to get water about 1 AM  this morning there was not one big tree, there were trees everywhere…magazine worthy trees.


I had told the elves they could use anything in my shop…and there are trees everywhere…gorgeous trees, big trees, gorgeous mantle.

Every nook and cranny decorated.
 
From my couch I can sit and see 8 trees.(I promise pictures tomorrow)

I have been banned from getting up so I can’t really get any good shots.

My outside is not decorated this year…first time in 39 years, but if you can get past the front door, its winter wonderland..

To most people that would be nice and you would appreciate it. But that is not what it means to me.
  
To me it was the greatest gift anyone could give me. I don’t want that to come across dramatic. 

I was just so sad to leave beautiful homes everyday and come home to no trees.
 
I love Christmas lights and Christmas music.

I love Christmas cards and Christmas letters.

I love cold nights where the only light comes from trees and the fireplace.

I love trees, themed trees and old fashioned trees.
I love the smells of Christmas, children at Christmas, Christmas Eve services.

In my job many times that all blurs and this year it was getting very blurry.

Making it more special is that it was done by “tired elves” that had their own families trees to do, on a night they could have gone shopping, watched TV or done a million other things. Instead they served me. 

It was a gift I  will never forget. 

To everyone of you that helped last night a huge HUG and THANK YOU!

That friends is Christmas.

I have not bought a gift..that too is very unusual for me. I am depending on Mr. Online to help me tonight.
 
Don’t forget to comment here or on A Baby Changes Everything…My best giveaway of the year is this week!


Thanks for all the well wishes…If you have any suggestions for “speed the healing on a very ugly ankle”, please send them!!

Promise to be back with pictures tomorrow!


Must add one funny...they took all my everyday stuff up and in that was a brass urn with Annah's ashes...I keep them in a cabinet behind some books...They were gone...I panicked...Had they not known it was Annah and piled it in with a bunch of other stuff...Finally  found them with some candlesticks.  My sweet cocker spaniel of 17 years, my faithful friend, took a ride last night around the house. 

25 comments:

Mellodee said...

What a simply wonderful act of love and friendship. You, my dear, are very fortunate to have these people in your life. Having someone do something like this would reduce me to sobbing puddle!

Actually, NOT having people like these in my life threatens to reduce me to a sobbing puddle!! lol!

Now, get thee to a doctor and have that ankle re-x-rayed (that's a new word I just made up!) Turning a lot of colors is part of healing, but turning black?? That can't be good! When I was a kid I sprained my ankle badly and the doctor said it would have been better had I broken it so that it could be set! But that ankle never turned black! I'm no doctor but it might need a real cast or something. Ouchy!

Anonymous said...

Still praying! God bless you and all the "Elves" - Mary DePrang

Bacardi Mama said...

You have "the" most wonderful friends! I can't wait to see the pictures of your winter wonderland. If you send me your address, I would love to send you a Christmas card!

grammy said...

Oh my Goodness!!!
What a wonderful thing for them to do for you (o:
I can only imagine how hard it is to not DO it yourself!
I hate to say it...but you are going to have to back off...or the ankle will get worse. Sprains can be worse than a break.
Get better fast...but slow is probably better....
Can't wait for pictures.
Take care of the head Elf...YOU!

Anonymous said...

Hi Teresa! Oh, how marvelous to have all the elves who up and deck your home to the nines! You are truly loved! Can't wait to see it.
Now you might should go back to the doctor and get your foot xrayed again! Take care of yourself.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Pam said...

My part was MINOR.....you are always doing for others and have "paid it forward" many times over !!

Debbie said...

How wonderful for you!! I am truly happy!! You my friend, need to go back to the doctor. They may have missed something that time at the ER! Sprains can be bad, but yours sounds dreadful!! Maybe they can do something to help you!!
Can't wait to see pics tomorrow, but please be careful doing that!!

God Bless~
Debbie

Justabeachkat said...

Wow! So glad your friends are pampering you. You do so much for so many others. I hope you know that I would have been there last night too if I lived near you. Honest. Can't wait to see what they did.

Take care my sweet friend. Your injury sounds pretty nasty. Go back to the doctor please. I know you need to keep it elevated....that means lay down and keep it above your heart.

Christmas hugs for you,
Kat

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

What a wonderful gift from your friends.

Do stay off your ankle. I pray you will soon be on the road to recovery.

Try to relax and enjoy those 8 beautiful Christmas trees. Your Christmas season is already being filled with lots of love, and that's what the season is all about.

Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

Just a little something from Judy said...

You have been a great friend to so many that I am sure they are happy to return the favor. I can't imagine how difficult of a situation you have found yourself in and how painful your ankle must be. I am thankful for your dear friends. Hope you feel better real soon.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Oh my darlin', you have surrounded yourself with great people. What a wonderful thing they have done for you. They know your as special as I do.

These generous folks gave of themselves and that is the greatest gift of all. You are truly blessed!

I can't wait to see the pictures, it sounds incredible.

The black runnin' up your leg is a normal part of healin'. What does your doc say about it? Those tendons and ligaments can be as bad as a break when it come to healin'. I'm glad to hear your takin' care of yourself sweetie.

My prayers are with ya daily.

God bless and have a beautiful day sweetie!!! :o)

Patti @ Pandoras Box said...

You must have been a "good girl" to have all those elves help you out - nothing like friends!! Hope your ankle heals quickly!! Thanks for visiting me!

Vicki said...

You are blessed with terrific friends, Teresa! I can't wait to see the photos of your home. What a special way for them to let you know you are loved and appreciated. Stay off that ankle, girl! Sounds like God had to resort to drastic measures to get you to slow down for a while! Praying for you...

Anonymous said...

Now those are some wonderful God friends!! They put some "action" into their love for you. I've heard it said that good intentions are just our imagination. We have to act upon them for them to have meaning. After all, no one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. Your friends didn't just stop with good intentions but followed through in a great big way! Awesome!

Blessings to you and your friends! What an inspiration and Godly example you are!!!

Shellie Buckman

Wendy's World 82 said...

I'm hoping you draw my name. Stay off that foot! Maybe If God is giving you some time off this year, I know He has a good reason. Enjoy it. LY

Mammy said...

You are so blessed to have friends who love with such abundance--however the old saying about "what goes around, comes around" came to my mind when I read your post. You are one of the most giving women I know. I'm sure your friends were thrilled to have an opportunity to love on you for a change. Can't wait to see the pictures.

By the way, I'll bet they weren't laughing about the dirty house. I'll bet they were giggling because they knew if you were awake you would be trying to boss!

Go get that ankle checked out!

Tootsie said...

what wonderful friends and family!!! that is a great post girl...made my heart strings tug just a bit!

Theresa said...

What a sweet bunch of friends you have! THEY know that you would do the same thing for them AND probably have:) Hope you continue to feel better and better as the days go by! Can't wait to see pictures of ALL of your trees! HUGS and PRAYERS!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

That was the sweetest gift that was given to you. How blessed you are and how deeply loved you are.
((HUGS)) Okay now could you please send them to my house because I have nothing done yet. I will be lucky to post a picture before New Year's at the rate I'm going.
HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER SOON AND HEAL AS FAST AS YOU CAN!

Beth Herring said...

I am sorry that you hurt yourself! I will say a prayer for you my friend. Please stay off your foot and rest!!

Kristens Creations said...

What wonderful friends you have!!! I bet your house looks amazing!! I hope you do post some pics...I laughed outloud about fixing trees at drs offices. I've done that too...and arrangements. I laughed about the dust too...lol. I know they would find it here! I hope you do get your foot checked out again. That just doesn't sound good...I'm glad you are trying to stay off of it..I'm sure it's hard, especially right now.

I'm glad you found your faithful friend...oh my! I bet you were so worried! Take care, Kristen

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

Goodness!
Now I know more about your ankle. If you haven't yet, call the doctor, go see him or get back to ER. Bless you dear.

You obviously got good friend IRL and good friends here.

Blessings to you,
Laura Lane
Harvest Lane Cottage

Debbie Petras said...

So sorry to read about your ankle injury. I tore ligaments in my ankle years ago and so I know how painful it can be. And not to mention how difficult it is not to be able to move around like normal. Yes, never take an ankle for granted. But how special it must have been to have your own little elves decorate your Christmas tree. What a special blessing. But I'm not surprised you have many who care about you. You are a blessing to others.

Blessings and love,
Debbie

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

Try to keep that ankle elevated whenever you can. How precious of your elves to agther around and watch over things that need doing. I'm pretty sure you have been that 'eld' to many of them through the years too!

Merry Christmas, it will all get done, and all will be well.

xo

Steven Liles said...

There is no doubt it is a true blessing to have such wonderful friends in your life!