January 11, 2005
Wow, how time flies.....Enjoyed the holidays!
Hello friends,
I have trouble believing it's 2005 and I haven't posted since 12/22.
Our family Christmas was good, especially with my father (soon to be divorced from Mom) absent. He always found a way to disrupt any family celebration around holidays or birthdays, even his. Well this year we didn't have to keep our guard up and it was great!
My new son, Garrett 18, was overwhelmed with the love and generousity of Frank's family and my family. Christmas eve with Frank's family: homemade Italian (sicilian) sauce, meatballs, ziti!! Yumm! The the little ones (4 nephews...2 5yrs and 2 10s) take a walk and Santa comes and the fun of watching the kids open their stuff is such fun. Then we grownups get around to exchanging small gifts to each other and all to Frank's Mom too. A wonderful time. After that we come home and open our gifts to each other, again Garrett is overwhelmed, yet I keep a secret gift in his stocking to be opened last at my Mom's Xmas morn. (I was overwhelmed too, my Frank gave me a gold bracelet with little diamonds on the links, very delicate, and a pinky ring to match with 2 links and diamonds.....caught me by surprise!) Then Xmas am we go to my mom's for Brunch (OMG it is soooo good), then we open stuff from Mom, my sis, and my Jen and vice versa. My aunt in Little Rock even sent Garrett gifts! He was blown away.... then when he got to the end of his stocking, it was my cue to tell him, 'Oh here, this got in my stocking by mistake', and gave him a ringside seat ticket to go to a WWE (wrestling) match that came to town 12/28....He was speechless!
It wasn't even the gifts that made me happy for Garrett this first Xmas with us. It was the love and acceptance and inclusion of him by all our family. I was so happy about how things went..............
Then he called his mom in WA state and she really didn't have anything to say to him and it hurt him and I could string her up if she were here. She is so unfit, it's not funny! It took us an hour to get at the cause of his distress, and when he did he sobbed in my arms. Yes I'm getting him into my counselor asap. He's been adjusting well, yet he still has such big issues that we sometimes forget in the day to day grind.
My Frank and Garrett both had colds over the holidays, in addition to whiplash from the car accident. I think everyone is 'healthy' now. Except for me having some post holiday blues. I took down the indoor Xmas decorations this weekend and boxed them away til next year. The regular decor seems barren compared to the fullness of holiday trimmings. But I'm still burning my candles and enjoy the return to 'normal'. The guys took down the outside stuff Sunday too. So glad Garrett could help Frank because I was sooooo tired from what I did. In fact I again forgot my previous post to 'space and pace' and overdid and was in bed all day Monday.
Anyway, that's the scoop and we're getting on with our lives. The horror of the Tsunami victims weighs heavily on our hearts and reminds us of what a precious gift faith, life & family are.
Wishing you and yours a happy new year.....Hugs, judy
Posted by on January 11, 2005 3:38 AM
Judy,
Hello! I was very glad to get comments from you on my diary. I had read a few of your comments on Pilgrim's previously, and had firmly formed the opinion that you were a wonderful, caring woman with TONS of compassion. Thank you so much for your kind words about my kitty. I miss her very much, and it's hard to deal with, but I am getting through. I understand about your dog, as well. You seem like you've dealt with it well, and are doing a very good job at making sure her memory lives on. It's good not to think about that day, but rather think about how happy a dog she was while in your care. :) And yes, Pilgrim is a wonderful woman. I'm so glad to have met the two of you. I hope our friendships will continue. Have a beautiful day, Judy.
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah at January 17, 2005 12:45 PM
Judy it sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas! I felt like I was looking inside a snow globe of Norman Rockwell Coziness. Sorry to hear my fellow Washingtonian can't see the true gift of her son, now yours, Garrett, but I pray that the healing will grow within his heart and hers as well. In the mean time it's nice to know that a spirit such as yours exists. -ijellorca
Posted by: ijellorca at January 18, 2005 2:23 AM