Christmas is about family and sharing. I was always told that when I reached my fifties, it would be my "Golden Years". Not so for me. When I turned fifty, my mother passed away, the following month we found out my sister had cancer. My sister was 12 years older then I, and because my mom took care of her invalid mother all of my childhood life; my sister raised me!

My memories are of Christmases Past; my sister really put on a perfect Christmas, every year, no matter if celebrated at her house or my house. My sister passed in 2006 to lung cancer, my dad also of lung cancer, he was 95!!! He just left this earth last September here in my home, although he had lived with my brother. I took care of him in his illness for about 2 months.

My brother and I are not close…We used to be, I don’t know what happened? My sister’s children, all three are wonderful. My brother’s children, grown now and starting their own lives, and families. I am only close to one of my nieces, who just had a baby; well now, already 1 year old…I am very close to my sisters youngest girl, but she is of a different faith now.

I try to recreate memories, as best as I can. I do have a wonderful husband, daughter and step daughter; though the later daughter lives very far. Times have changed, I adapt, I try and yet every year at this time it all reminds me of my sister JoAnn. To her I am grateful, she asked me to stop smoking on April 2nd 2003, I threw away my ciggarettes. She lived about an hour from me, I was only working 4 days per week, while she went through lung surgery, and then brain surgery – it matastisized. I was up at her house with her from Fridays until Mondays!!!

I miss her, I miss them all. Its different, I know life goes on.

So, to all of my family, and my friends that have passed this year I toast all of you. I would not be who I have become without you!!! THANK YOU ALL!!! GOD BLESS.