First, some background. I had to put down my baby boy Burke in March this year. I had adopted him in college. He went through three moves with me. He loved car rides, tug-of-war, and snuggling on the couch. He stood guard if I fell and let me know if someone was at the door. He was always happy to see me with his little nub of a tail wagging. I got to have in my life for eight years. I miss my Burkie Boy.

Now that you have some background, you will understand why my first gift meant so much to me. When I realized what my first gift was, I started bawling. It was a blanket with pictures of my Burkie all over it. It is like I can snuggle with him again. It is soft, beautiful, and a terrific memorial to him.

Before I end up in downtown Tears Falls, I am going to talk about my other gifts. That's right, my Santa got me even more! To stop crying and start laughing, I got a Screaming Banshee toy. It has a built-in slingshot and screams like a monkey while flying through the air. Cracks me up and confuses the cat. Also, I got a salt lamp! (I have wanted one of these since I was a kid!) It helped calm me back down with its glow. It is just so cool looking and now has a home in my office.

A big, big thank you to my Santa! I was so lucky to have you this year.