Hello Everyone!!!
Wishing all of you the best that life has to offer in 2012.
Goodbye moments come and go.
As do the people that we hold dear
as they move in and out of our daily lives.
As the nest began to empty out we had to adjust to these changes.
The first goodbye came when John Michael moved to Oregon after graduation.
Not only did our little chicks fly away
but goodbyes came as aging parents left us also.
First to go was John's mom.
The next goodbye moment came when my daughter Christina's family
moved away due to a job transfer.
I haven't as yet mastered the art of hugging the grand kids goodbye
without a shower
of tears but I'm getting better at saying until next time.
Next sadly was a final goodbye to my dad.
I didn't get to say goodbye to him.
All of those goodbye hugs need to be in my dreams.
His death was sudden and unexpected.
My third little chick, Kathleen moved to beautiful Astoria, Oregon.
She remains in Oregon but was visiting us this Christmas with her soon
to be new husband Oliver.
Around this time, John Michael returned to California to work at Amgen.
My goodbye to my mom came in April 2010 after a steady decline due to cancer.
Her goodbye was the hardest for me.
We don't set as many places at the table as in the past
however our holidays remain special and enjoyed.
Just different.
This year
I sat around the fire playing Scrabble, Wii, Speed Monopoly
with Kathleen, Oliver, Daniel, Alexis, John Michael, Catherine, Grandpa,
and John.
What I have learned as the years pass by
is that those that we love are never far away
because it is our love for each other
that binds us and holds us close to each other.
It helps that we have planes, trains, and cars that bring us together also we have
Skype, Facebook, phones, texting,
and the memories
of the past holidays shared
with those that are no longer with us.
I am blessed.
Hello to you 2012:-)))
Hugs...
