Christmas is approaching as we get nearer to the end of 2009.
What a challenging year this has been…I don’t think I will miss it when it’s gone.
We lost our beloved Andrew this year. That is the hardest blow of all. We miss him. He was
such a good person, fun to be around, always willing to help, friendly, sincere, an upstanding kind of guy – Bill and I were very proud of our boy. He was his sisters’ best friend in the world. He was the one person everyone wanted to be around. He brought your spirits up. Somehow, trying to bring us all up was too big of a weight for him to carry, and he let go.
As it happens, his departure brought our family closer together again. Somehow through
all the pain and heartache, our family has managed to be a little more understanding, a little more tolerant of one another, and a little more forgiving of our faults and failings. It’s not perfect, but we appreciate how fragile we all are and reach for each other a little more often and freely.
One example is our recent move, Lee’s and Taylor’s and mine. Our landlord decided she had to sell the house we had been renting for the past 3-1/2 years and wanted it vacated in 30 days. That was at the end of October. We scrambled around and found a house to move in to just up the street and one block over and set about packing up. We spent Thanksgiving Day cleaning the cupboards in the new house, and then ate a delicious turkey dinner cooked by Jayne, her boyfriend Tyler, and Rebecca at Bill’s house. The cousins, Russell, Sean and Cody, joined us and we all toasted to Andrew.
On moving day, November 29, who should help us but Bill and Tyler, and Lee’s friend Jeff.
Taylor’s friend Nick helped, too, and T never worked so hard in his life. They got it all done on a Saturday, and Becca came over and helped me clean up on Sunday. Then, since we couldn’t occupy the new house for another week, Bill let us stay at his house for the week. Jayne got the rooms ready for us and she and Tyler made us dinner. We were so grateful for their help during this stressful and exhausting time. We were able to take up residency at the new casa on December 4.
The property managers were great, too. After all, they let us move our belongings into the house a week before we could move in, and then when I presented them with a list of things needing attention, they approved it all except for the window cleaning. No problem, I know someone in the business, and yesterday my brother Michael came and washed them all ‘til they sparkled!
The new home is beginning to feel homey now! I think we are going to be okay here. Now we just have to pray Lee’s job situation will work out…his employer is closing in January unless someone buys it and keeps it going. Otherwise, Lee may be self-employed and working out of the garage…
Lee and I both turned 50 this year; Bill too! My baby Becca turned 25 and Jayney is 29. Taylor is 16 looking at 17...still needs to get his permit and start driving. Hopefully he will get a job soon and start the permit process too! Andrew will forever be 26...
More challenges ahead, but with all of us working together, we will make it!
Merry Christmas, everyone. We love you!
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