December 26, 2008, Nashville, TN., 3:20 a.m., C.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Howdy!  This is your (sick) friend, Ronee' Le-Anne Reaux, writing!  Hope this finds you well; as for me, I'd rather not have this cold.  I feel miserable!!

Yeah, I got a cold for my birthday/Christmas.  BAH the humbug!!  I feel worse than year-old fruitcake!!  Bleah!!  Nose all stopped up (or running; it takes turns), head all clogged up, coughing my lungs out, chest all congested:  not the best way to spend your birthday (or Christmas), folks!

Christmas itself was nice:  I got lots of nice things:  clothes, money ($200; putting half of that into my savings account), shoes, bath stuff (Bath and Body Works; I got the evergreen scented soap, room spray, body wash, perfume), new ear buds for my Ipod, new CDs by Faith Hill, Bianca Ryan, Loretta Lynn, Jay-Z, "BeauSoleil", and Miley Cyrus, new art supplies (paper, ink pens, colored pencils, crayons), perfume (Rare Gold, Peak, and walnut), and new earrings.  I also got makeup and gift certificates for Barnes&Noble, Half Price Books, Olive Garden, and Golden Corral. 

I made out like a bandit! :)

The family went to the local Salvation Army yesterday to help feed the homeless; meanwhile, I stayed home, listened to my new music, had "Cajun", my cat, act as my blanket.  She keeps me warm; when I am sick, it feels especially nice! :)  I didn't want to be sneezing/snotting everywhere, so I stayed in my bed, where I remained most of the day after we'd opened presents.

Sixteen years old now.  Me.  Wow, it doesn't seem possible; it seems like only yesterday when I was six.  Eight.  Ten.  Now I'm a teenager, even driving!  It won't be long before I have a boyfriend, think about college or getting married, starting a family!  Where does all the time go??  That I'd like to know!!  What I'd give to be a little girl again; I miss those happy, carefree days of playing!!

The Cantata at church went well; I'm just glad I didn't wake up with this cold on Christmas; that REALLY would have made me all grinchified inside!  I didn't sing on Christmas Eve; that was when I started coming down with my cold, and I thought, "Oh, no!  It can't be!!  Not on Christmas!  I can't be sick on Christmas!"  But alas, I am; I got a coooooooooooold for Christmaaaaaaaaas!  *BAH the humbug!!*

The other day when we went to Golden Corral for lunch, a lady came up to me, complimented me on my singing at the Cantata.  That made me feel good.  I absolutely LOVE to sing!!  It's one of my passions!! 

As you know, my brother Anh, and my sisters Dianna, Dwerlina, Lightning, Melizza, and Steffi are home visiting.  It's great to see them again, and it is nice to meet Anh's girlfriend, Thu (since engaged; yesterday he popped the question, and of course, Thu cried buckets; so did maman!).  It's also great seeing my cousins again, playing with them; I absolutely aDORE my cousins!!

Well, it's early, way too early for even the birds, and so I am going to go back to sleep.  'Sides, I'm sick; I need to get all the rest I possibly can, so I can be over this darned cold by the time school resumes on the sixth of January!  Take care; I will write in here again soon!  Be good, and may God bless you abundantly!  And above all, MERRY CHRISTMAS ( a day late, but better than not at all!) from me!!

(((HUGZ))) and much love, your gal pal, Ronee' Le-Anne.  :P

P.S.:  An' everybody sing:  "Ohhh, I got a cooollllld for Christmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!"