Sunday,  December 27, 2009,  Nashville, TN., 4:23 p.m., C.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Heigh-ho!  Ronee' Le-Anne here!  I am now seventeen years old; turned seventeen on Christmas Day!  It was an awesome day all around!

First off, I got what I wanted the most:  a cell phone!  That was my #1 item on my Christmas wish list this year!  I also got money ($500.00 total from aunts and uncles, as well as from friends from church --I'm puttin' most of it into my savings account!-- ), new clothes, underwear, socks, and shoes, a new winter coat, cap, and gloves, new boots, the "American Idol" game for my computer, an autographed picture of Kaitlyn Maher and one of David Militello, new sheet music, some music CDs by Kelly Clarkson, Loretta Lynn, "BeauSoleil", Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and George Strait, and gift cards for Bath'n'Body Works, Barnes and Noble Booksellers, Half-Price Books, Mardel's, and Wal*Mart.  I also got gift certificates from Olive Garden, Golden Corral, and Denney's.

I made out like a bandit and then some!!  Whee!!  :D

Secondly of all, I found out my brother Anh is marrying his girlfriend, Thu, next year (they plan on getting married in the summer of 2010); also, Steffi and Tank will be getting married next year as well (in the fall).  So there will be two weddings in our family next year!  I will be gaining a new brother-in-law (Tank), and a new sister-in-law (Thu)!

Thirdly, I found out that Lightning and Darnell have decided to stay together as wife and husband.  They had been having marital issues, but they'd been going to counseling, and I think it's done the trick.  They said they are working hard to try to get along and try to work on their problems together.  I am so happy for them!

They live in Colorado.  I missed seeing them and my cousins this year!

For Christmas, we waited til maman got off work from the hospital (she got off at three); we then went to the Golden Corral, where we had a wonderful meal and just visited/talked/laughed. 

Johnny is still in Christmas overdrive: he can't stop talking about the new computer maman, daddy, and some friends from church got him.  (They all pooled some money toether and got the computer.)  It's a special computer:  it talks for him, and the settings are to where he can see the letters/numbers without added eyestrain on his poor eyes.  (He's nearly blind.)  When we saw the computer, all of us were like "WHOA!!" or "Holy cow!!"  It was awesome; Johnny, all he could do was cry!!

He turned seventeen yesterday, but he opened up his birthday presents on Christmas (my birthday).  The fact that he has lived this long has been nothing but miraculous!  (Doctors didn't think he'd make it to the age of five.  He's outlived their predictions by 12 years!!)

And Johnny is still going strong!!  No signs of slowing that kid down!  No, siree!!

We didn't have a white Christmas, although parts of the country did (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, the Upper Midwest, New England, etc.); we got some snow yesterday and again today.  Oh, well.  Better late than never, I always say!  :)  Not enough to make a snowman or go sledding, but it was pretty to watch the fat snowflakes falling down! 

Supposed to remain cold for the remainder of this week.  Good.  I can break in my new sweatshirts and sweaters!  :)  Also my new coat, cap, and gloves!

The Cantata we had last week at church was awesome!  It went as well as it could have possibly gone; no major glitches or whistles/bells/alarms going off unexpectedly, like they did during the rehearsal for "Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames"!  Boy, talk about embarrassing!  And loud!  WOW!!  My ears rang for over an hour after the bells/whistles/alarms quit!  Whee! 

Lots of people came; many visitors came as well.  The church was full during the three days we had the Cantata (Christmas Eve night, Friday night [Christmas Day], and all three services on Sunday).  I think a lot of people got the message; over 50 came up and gave their hearts to the Lord.

Speaking of church, we have church tonight, so I am going to go.  We usually have kid's or teen activities, but because of the holiday (Christmas and New Years, which is this Friday; can you believe it??), all church activities are cancelled for the week (excepting the normal services, that is).  That means no choir practice this week.

We've practiced more than enough as it is, getting ready for our Cantata!

Well,  I am going to go; gonna have hot dogs, baked beans, collard greens, and pumpkin pie for supper.  Yum!  I will write again soon; until then, this is Ronee' signing off!  Take care, and may you have a very happy, blessed, and healthy New Year!  And belated Merry Christmas; hope it was your best Christmas EVER!!

God bless you always!

~Love, your friend, Ronee' Le-Anne.  :D