From: "Marilyn Gramma"
To: <dhowie@ohzone.net>
Subject: Re: Merry Christmas & Pass The Handcuffs
Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 11:53 AM

DORIS LET ME SHARE JUST SOME OF THE BLESSINGS THAT HAVE COME OUR WAY IN
THE PAST WEEK SO YOU
CAN SEE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

I HAVE A 36 YEAR OLD DISABLED DAUGHTER,BARB, WHO HAS A SON,
TJ WHO WILL BE 10 ON FRIDAY. THERE HAS BEEN A CUSTODY BATTLE GOING ON
FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS WITH TJ'S FATHER WHO STOPPED PAYING CHILD SUPPORT AND
TOOK CUSTODY WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS IN ICU FOR 32 DAYS IN 2002 AND IN
TOTAL, IN HOSPITAL AND INTENSE REHAB FOR 4 MONTHS. THE JUDGE ORDERED HIM
TO PAY AGAIN PLUS BACK SUPPORT BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THINGS HAD GOTTEN
BEHIND AND HER CREDIT WAS RUINED.

WHEN HE TOOK CUSTODY OF TJ, HE ALSO PUT HIM IN A SCHOOL NEAR HIM INSTEAD
OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL WHERE HE HAD GONE FOR 3 YEARS.

WELL THIS SCHOOL ADOPTS FAMILIES AT CHRISTMAS AND SINCE THE 5 1/2 YEAR
OLD I BABYSIT FOR IS IN KINDERGARTEN THERE, BOTH BARB AND I VOLUNTEER FOR
MANY EVENTS. NOW EVEN THOUGH TJ DOESN'T ATTEND THIS SCHOOL ANYMORE, THEY
ADOPTED US AS ONE
OF THE 24 FAMILIES THIS YEAR.

NOT ONLY THIS BUT BARB AND TJ VOLUNTEERED WITH THE SALVATION ARMY'S
ANGEL TREE PROGRAM AT THE MALL (BARB HAS AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR) FOR 2 WEEKENDS
AND UNKNOWN TO US, THEY PUT TJ'S NAME ON THE ANGEL TREE. HIS NAME PLUS MY
2 GRANDAUGHTERS
NAMES, WERE PUT ON OUR CHURCH'S ANGEL TREE AS WELL.
THE GIFTS THEY RECIEVED WERE THE BEST AND TRUST ME,IF THERE WERE
DUPLICATES,TJ BLESSED ANOTHER CHILD WITH IT.

BARB WAS GIVEN A VAN WITH A LIFT FOR HER W/C--YES GIVEN: )

SHE HAS HAD A HOSPITAL BED FOR 1 1/2 YEARS BUT DOESN'T NEED IT ANYMORE
SO WE SENT IT BACK BUT NOW SHE NEEDS A FULL SIZE OR QUEEN SIZE BED SO
SHE PUT A MATTRESS AND BOXSPRING ON LAY-A-WAY. SHE ECEIVED A CALL FROM
HER FORMER PHYSICAL THERAPIST WHO IS MOVING OUT OF STATE AND HAS A QUEEN
SIZED BED ROOM SET AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WANT TO GIVE IT TO HER. THEY
PAID OVER 6000 DOLLARS FOR THIS SET!!!!!

BARB IS TEACHING TJ TO GIVE AS MUCH OF HIMSELF AS HE CAN AS THERE IS
ALWAYS SOMEONE THAT HAS LESS THEN HE DOES.
WE HAVE NEVER EXPECTED ANYTHING IN RETURN BUT THE BIBLE SAYS WE REAP
WHAT WE SOW AND
GOD HAS OPENED THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND GREATLY BLESSED ALL OF US.

SORRY IF I AM RAMBLING BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF WHAT GOD IS
DOING.

I PRAY THAT YOU HAVE A VERY BLESSED 2006 AND THAT YOU ARE AS BLESSED AS WE ARE: )

MARILYN