Before 2010 gets here, I'd better wrap up Christmas junk.

Christmas presents...

I am one of those people (probably like most of you) that don't need squat!

I have got one of everything I need, and two of everything I don't. So, at Christmas, I always tell the kids, and The Mrs. not to get me anything. They normally oblige. But, this Christmas, I got two gifts that have really put a grin on my ugly old face. There is a story behind each, and I will try to be brief (which will take true effort on my part) in sharing them.

I love my little future daughter-in-law. She can not know (yet) just how happy it makes a parent for their children to find as "the love of their life" a doer, not a sitter...a worker, not a sloth...a giver, not a taker...etc. And, I believe that we have become "friends." She is far wiser than, and her maturity certainly eclipses, her 21 years. If you can't tell...we like her.

I hope she feels the same way.

In these last many months while Phil was away joining up with the Army, and learning to be a Medic, she and I have had many discussions about ME! I like to talk about me. And, the thrust of many of these discussions have been about the FACT that I truly struggle (and have always struggled) with keeping my mouth shut when it comes to "instructing" my sons...and really everybody else for that matter. It is very difficult for me not to jump in...give my opinion about their decisions...give unasked for advice, etc.

You see, I understand that my kids need to "make their own mistakes." And, that's fine. But, the "father" in me doesn't want them to make "my mistakes."

I have made a commitment to The Mrs., and have shared it with future daughter-in-law to just bite my tongue, offer support, and basically speak when spoken to...answer only when asked. So, she knows much of my history with the boys now, and she gave me a gift that when I opened it on Christmas morning made me truly laugh out loud.

She gave me a book (she's an English major in college, btw).

I started reading it a couple of nights ago, and have worked my way through the "B's." I highly recommend it (even though I already knew all that stuff...nyuk).

The second gift that has really made me smile came from The Mrs. For many years, we lived in an area where there was no television signal. Oh...you could catch the CBS affiliate 200 miles away when the weather was good, but for the most part, all of our television viewing was on VHS tapes. Our boys memorized John Wayne movies, Jimmy Stewart films, etc. But one of our favorite VHS tape films had vanished somewhere in the moves over the years.

On Christmas morning, I opened up a DVD of what I believe to be one of the funniest, corniest (I mean...strip the silk corny) films ever made, "No Time For Sergeants," starring Andy Griffith. Man, we broke that rascal out on Christmas night, and just hee-hawed! Each time I watch it, I will imagine the three oldest boys gathered around, eating popcorn, laughing, quoting lines ahead of the tape...

Good times...good memories...

There are dozens of clips from it on The YouTube, so it's hard to pick just one. Check 'em out for yourself. Or better yet, rent the sucker or buy one on the computer. You'll want to thank me. But don't bother...