"Man, she had that glow": That lyric from George Strait’s "I Saw God Today" applies these days to Jo Dee Messina, who’s expecting her first baby to arrive in early 2009.

Jo Dee’s pregnancy reflects an enthusiasm for life, thanks in part to her marriage to Chris Deffenbaugh, and she’s made an effort to share her good fortune during the holidays. On Thanksgiving Day, she ran the five-mile Boulevard Bolt, which raises money for the homeless. And on Christmas Eve, she sang in Nashville’s Riverfront Park for a homeless gathering in which visitors received a meal and a service from the Wildhorse Saloon and the Brentwood United Methodist Church.

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Not long before Thanksgiving, Jo Dee Messina took time out to chat with CW about her Christmas plans, new tour format in early 2009 and . . . the upcoming birth of her first child . . . a son! Here’s some of what Jo Dee had to say on that blustery November day. For more on Jo Dee Messina, check out the Dec. 29 issue of Country Weekly.

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By: Alison Bonaguro
The true meaning of Christmas can’t really be found at Walmart, but at least some meaningful music can be found there, thanks to Jo Dee Messina and her new deal with Hallmark. Walmart stores now have a whole bunch of Hallmark Cards With Sound made just for Christmas, with Messina’s takes on classic holiday tunes like “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

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