The New Year

Well, I'm so glad so many of you shared your resolutions. NOT! Anyhow, I hope you all had the chance to celebrate the New Year in your own way. I accidentally fell asleep on the couch at 20 minutes 'til midnight. Oops! The local ball drop bored me to tears! Oh well. Supposedly Joe woke me at midnight and gave me a peck, so that's all that matters, I suppose.

New Year's Day we ate our lucky blackeyed peas, cabbage and cornbread at a buffet following my Uncle Tim's very touching and beautiful memorial service. It wasn't the ideal way to ring in the New Year, but I must admit it felt good to see family that I haven't seen in years. It was also nice to learn things about my Uncle Tim that I never really knew. I guess I never had the chance to really get to know him at all. As much as I dread attending funerals, I do enjoy getting to learn about the deceased. You know, seeing them through their beloveds' eyes. This one left me feeling especially saddened by the fact that I didn't know him very well. He was a great man and is and always will be missed by many.

As I said, the memorial service was wonderful. It was as enjoyable as something like that can be. I loved hearing his nearest and dearest family members and friends get up and share their treasured memories of him. It was everything I think a memorial service should be. There were lots of tears, plenty of them were sad ones, but I felt more than that were happy ones. They celebrated his life!

My aunt and cousins, as well as the rest of his close family and friends seem to be doing very well given the circumstances and are finding great peace in knowing that he's now watching over them from above. Their Christmas Eve Angel, as he was so lovingly referred to. That phrase really choked me up. I hope Tim's family will do just as the lady who coined him their Christmas Eve Angel suggested. She urged them to forever celebrate Christmas Eve in an even bigger way and hold it as a very special day rather than dreading it, for that is the day he went to heaven and became their Christmas Eve Angel. Beautiful. What a beautiful way to look at it.

Hana Grace was also in attendance for the service and I think she did pretty well. She did not sit quietly through the entire thing, but she lasted longer than we thought she would. Thankfully she did not have to be excused due to bad behavior, she was just way too happy and squeaky and I found that a relief. I mean, wouldn't you rather hear a happy, cackling child leave a memorial service instead of a very upset one? I was glad she was finally able to meet her Great Aunt Joy and her second cousins Joe and Jessica. I wish it would have been under better circumstances, but I think she was able to at least put a smile on a few faces.

I know it's a few days late, but Happy 2010!