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This year we are alone :-( By this time of the year, James would be so "keyed up" he didn't want to hear Christmas music or even talk about Christmas. It got worse as he got older and last year was really bad for him since he wasn't in good health and very nervous. We had no idea it would be his last Christmas with us.
Our extended family of cousins here in Elba have made sure we keep busy and we've been invited to all of their Christmas celebrations.
I invited them to a Christmas luncheon last Friday (Dec 18) and we've been going to other dinners and parties ever since. Last night we went to Chip and Linda's family gathering for soup and sandwiches (and lots of other goodies) and homemade desserts. It was such a nice time, singing carols, eating, meeting our cousin Stan's fiancee' and her 3 young children for the first time. Her husband was killed in an auto accident 3 years ago and her children are now 5,7, and 10. She is an elem. school teacher in Enterprise and Stan is a coach and teacher in Enterprise High School. They are getting married in April at the beach. Stan's parents, Betty and Bo, are so excited about getting granddaughters - finally. They already have 2 grandsons.
Tomorrow we are invited to have Christmas dinner (1 pm) with cousin Tom and Sharon and their family (Janet & Ed, and Jimmy from Orlando).
We will get up in the morning at our regular time, have breakfast, and then open our presents. I'm sure by that time we will be getting phone calls from the granddaughters in SC and TX. James is gone but he will be here with us in spirit tomorrow, as he was today. And we will have made it through our first Christmas without him. Christmas will never be the same without his "Ho, Ho, Ho's" echoing throughout the house.James is pictured here opening his gifts on Christmas morning, Dec. 2008, wearing his new shirt with "Best Pals Forever" and Santa on his shirt.
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