Greetings and Holiday Wishes! First of all would like to take a moment to wish all my Job(e) cousins a Merry Christmas! Know we've all been busy with the 'hustle and bustle' of the season, but let's take a moment and remember what Christmas is all about. Each of us have that special Christmas 'long ago' or the one that our parents or grandparents told us about. And Christmas is about family, loving, caring and sharing! And for some, with extended families and great distance involved and many deployed overseas in the military, loved ones are not always near by and it can be a lonely time. Let's remember those less fortunate and reach out to 'someone'. Our church put on a Christmas Cantata called 'The Christmas Shoes' and it really showed what 'giving to someone else' - the real joy that it can bring. For the next few days, please take a moment to tell us about a Christmas tradition that you might have today which has been passed down (especially one that preserves the family history/legends, etc), a Christmas you remember as a child, one that your grandparents told you about (especially if a Jobe descendant), or a special gift that you remember giving or receiving. As most of you know I grew up in Texas and have now lived in Ontario, Canada for the past 31 years. Christmas is very different from what I remember as a child. For one thing, we actually have a white Christmas here. You really don't plan travelling long distances, as you could be stranded in a blizzard. Here we have 'Boxing Day' and before I came to Canada, I had never heard of it. And here in Sudbury, the stores are closed on December 26th. Also, here one will see Christmas lights appearing the day after Halloween. Our Thanksgiving is in early October. In fact, many leave their lights up all year long. One doesn't go stringing lights in December as could be way below zero and a foot and a half of snow. We usually get together with my daughter and grandsons the Sunday before Christmas (which was yesterday). They always go to his parents for 3-4 days during Christmas. So far, we've been lucky to have my son, who is in the military, home for the holidays. But many families with sons, husbands, etc in the military, don't have this blessing. In fact 2000 from the base where my son is stationed, are now in Afghanistan on a peacekeeping mission with the United Nations. Last night we watched on TV a show that was filmed over in Kabul. To see the families sending greetings and the soldier's faces, many who were speechless and who my son knew, was really something. As we also know, there are still many serving in the Persian Gulf and over in Iraq and elsewhere from the states. Let's remember these young men and women and 'their loneliness', and their families back 'home'. And as you can guess having him home 'safe' had to be my greatest Christmas gift. He also brought his uniform home and went and had pictures made and these will soon appear on my personal page. And this year, seeing the grandsons (age 15 months and almost 4) opening their gifts is really something. Remember to treasure the children. We all need to remember to be 'childlike'. Even though they both had colds, it didn't take away from their enjoyment. Even though things are so different today and new memories are being created, I still treasure the Christmas past when every Christmas eve we would go to my Granny's house and eat the greatest pie and cake that I've ever tasted. Then every Christmas day we would go to Weatherford to visit Grandma Jobe. Today you can make that trip from where we lived in Fort Worth/Grand Prairie in about 1/2-1 hour, but at that time, (late 1950's-early 1960's), it took closer to 2 hours each way. There we always had peach cobbler from the home-grown peaches. Don't ever remember seeing any snow - though (for some reason, I really don't know why - considering where I live now) - we always had on big winter coats. Quite often some of Daddy's brothers and their families would pop in inexpertly and to see Grandma Jobe's fact (she was around 90 at this time) was really something. She never cared if they brought her any presents - just seeing them was radiance enough! This Christmas Day, we're going to do something different. My husband, son, and I are picking up my husband's father and his wife and we're all going out for supper. We finally got a restaurant in town that is open on Christmas Day. As some of you know, my father-in-law has been quite sick and in and out the hospital recently. A couple of times, they had tried to visit other relatives and got a few miles and had to turn around and come back due to Winter storms. Plus now, he is driving only very short distances. And the biggest thing is - well others, like my daughter, has other family commitments for Christmas Day. Bless you ALL and take it slow on those highways! Enjoy the children and those that you're blessed to be with. Keep those afar and our military in your prayers! God bless! P.S. - When sending your letter of Christmas traditions, past Christmas (yours,parents,grandparents), greetings, please delete my letter or the previous ones. Also would be nice, if you list how you're connected to the Job(e) family - so we can get to know anyone who might be new or who also descends from our group Ann (Jobe) Brown -d/o Earl F. Jobe -gd/o Jesse William Jobe and Minnie Leamer Mears -gt gd/o Caleb Jobe and Martha Emily Brewer -gt gt gd/o Jesse Jobe and Susan Ann McIntire of Oregon Co., MO -3rd gt gd/o Eli B. Job(e) and Prudence ? -4th gt gd/o Isaac Job(e) and Unknown -5th gt gd/o Samuel Job and Dorcas MacKay/McKay -6th gt gd/o Caleb Job and Barbary ? -7th gt gd/o Andrew Job Jr and Elizabeth Vernon -8th gt gd/o Andrew Job Sr.