This year has hosted the most wonderful and terrible moments of my life.Sadly there are three special people we have lost. Sean's Grandpa Ted, who passed the night before our wedding reception, the months have been difficult for Sean's family and his sweet Grandma LaVerne, it doesn't seem that it should be easy. My dear dear friend "Van", who taught me what it is to be positive about everything, to be excited about the small things, to do what you can to make others smile, to talk to strangers, and most importantly... to put a splash of brandy in your morning cup of coffee. I will miss her stories of making wine as a young girl, seeing the picture of her former husband in her wallet, her cookie recipes, the romance novels she would bring me, her promotions for Omaha steak, her beaded sweatshirts, her pink sunglasses, her laughter, and her ability to bring joy.
And lastly Don, who took his own life, and has left a hole in my everyday. How he could go on being so upbeat, positive, goal-oriented, funny, outgoing, friendly and creative is so strange to me. He has taught me a lot in his life and now in his death. Now every word of advice about love, investing, retiring early, loving life, being passionate, being a good friend is regurgitating, perhaps from anger, sorrow, or disbelief. I miss him, but am not sure if what i'm missing was ever real. He played his part well. Don and Van knew eachother, and I used to think they were so similar, each radiating a rare zest for life. I cannot understand how one clang to life and the other forfeited it.
Our holidays were busy. The week has been a fantastical blur of strings-of-lights-butterpecan fudge-scintillatingly-effervescent-beverages-tinsel-ribbon-bobbles-stars-snow-wrapping-paper-mountains-satsumas-and-naps.
My two favorites Marys
The wee Raccoon
The family
Christmas Eve at our house
Donna likes Raccoons also
...so much she got this one for Christmas from Dad
Nana said the Taxodermist did a perfect Job
Christmas Day at Sean's parents house 
our first Christmas Tree
Buck Lake Tree Farm behind our house!!
sisters
4 comments:
I love all these pictures. They make me want to see you and your new little life on the other side!
Oh and also, I'm sorry for your losses. Why is it that the good and bad always seem to come in pairs?? Ce'st la vie.
Love and loss are difficult things, especially when joy and sorrow are mixed together with the holidays. I sympathize with you, as I lost two grandparents soon after we got married. It's sad not to have them around this Christmas...I'm currently coping by baking Grandma's old recipes and tipping servers heavily, as Gramps always said it was 'giving to the poor'. I'm here if you ever want to talk about the dear people you miss so much.
And thanks for posting all the fun photos - it's refreshing to have you back on the blogs. I've missed how lovely you write things.
It appears you've had yourself a very merry Christmas. And you still have a gift from Cari for pickup here at my house - do come over Red Rover!
I have the feeling my grandchildren will be gifting coffee and cigarettes to me when I'm nana's age. :o)
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