We have been receiving gifts and HEB cards from friends. It is just amazing the support we have up here in Austin. Patton Elementary has given us $150 in HEB gift cards through Westminster Presbiteryen (SP) Church and some school board members. They also gave us a box of food and have us in the pool for families that need help with Christmas gifts this year. Wyatt's Nurseries will be delivering some gifts for the children.

My PEO club is helping us out with Christmas food and gifts as well. The last meeting they had they collected things that were shiney and brought the loot to us to enjoy. Pies, cookies in Christmas tins, silver baskets...

Cristina O'gorman's husband was diagnosed with ALS a year ago. It turned out that the MDA service coordinator had asked me to give her a call about a month ago. She had not returned my calls, but I guesss we were meant to be in touch. God really wanted this meeting to happen. So to cut to the chase, she contacted the ALS association because she wanted to help some family whose lives were touched by ALS. The ALS association thought we would be the perfect family and contacted us. When Christina called, we realized that our paths had already crossed. Christina wanted to buy the kids a gift and bought us some wine. But wait there is more. Her whole family chiped in and they gave us $300 in HEB gift cards. I said to her, "I can't believe that she did this for us when they will be needing for something too". She cried when the kids opened their gifts-they were so polite and thankful that they gave her (a complete stranger) big hugs. Cole got a scientific calculator, Hannah a huge make up set, and the boys got giant tonka dump trucks. Christina's family is in Michigan and they will move back home at some point. I am sorry about that already.

I am constantly warmed by the amount of support from the community, friends and family. It feels god to be able to help others too. I hope that I will be able to help Christina and her family live with ALS.