To Those Of Us Who Just Barely (And Accidentally) Made It

I read the most amazing and awe-inspiring book over the holiday - All Over But The Shoutin' by Rick Bragg. He's a true southerner, raised in the most raw of southern conditions. Conditions most of us cannot imagine....But he made it. He made it way more than he should have. And way easier than he should have. He went from destitute with absentee/alcoholic father and mother who wore old clothes just to feed her kids - To Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the New York Times....With almost no education....Just grit.

It made me think of how all 3 of us kids also "made it". (Yeah - But no Pulitzer Prizes here...) We all made it way easier than we should have. Not that here is so spectacular. But really, I should be living on food stamps. Not that there is a thing wrong with food stamps. I don't think we really tried....We just kept going through life taking the next step. And thank goodness those next steps were generally upward. Plenty of people don't have that kind of luck.

But when I think back - Me, and N,and S, even bro-law, and dear friend P have made it way past where we should have. Even K was pretty blessed with a good beginning, but made it way beyond that beginning.

This is mostly my Christmas present to P. Read it and absorb it P. It is us. We didn't really try...but we made it. We way made it. We're here. Which is further than we'd ever thought we'd be. Both our Mom's AND Dad's helped us make it here. Both with and without.

This book is to you... Cause you'll get it more than anyone. Each word will keep you in awe. The Texan in you might just make way for the Southerner.

I want to meet this man. He may be my future husband. (Again..................)

Merry Christmas, P!!!