It has been a couple of years since I actually wrote our annual Christmas letter, the letter notorious for sometimes being received in March the following year. Each year, I believe it is important that we strive to find meaning in our holiday season. Christmas is sentimental, nostalgic, and sometimes a time to reflect on renewal of life. We can’t help but think of those we have loved over the years and who are no longer with us. This year I thought of my friends’ sons who have passed away. Last year, Joey Lafferty passed away at the age of 20, shortly before the holidays. His parents have been guidance for our family and have also faithfully sent us their Christmas letter each year. However, last year, they were unable to send their letter. That year I made an ornament with Joey’s name on it, for our tree, ‘Remembering Joey Christmas 2007’. This year, I was warmed by their Christmas letter, once again part of their family tradition. We all try to find meaning in the season even though our lives change from year to year. Maybe this is why tradition is so important.  So the focus of our letter will be family tradition.
                     Now we have no real tradition except to fill our lives with family and friends. I haven’t always had it in my heart to enjoy the Christmas season.. I decided this year to try to be more like my husband with his Christmas Spirit. He has a jolly time shopping and picking out special things showing his thoughtfulness. He is always very thoughtful of me. I would call him my Santa. My mom is also a Christmas elf. She always enjoyed watching every one of my siblings open our gifts from her and dad. Both my husband and I have memories of spending Christmas with family, grandparents and cousins. When the newest family additions arrive, sometimes the older generations pass away. They would want us to keep these family traditions, filling our homes with love and sustenance.
 We have been enjoying watching our sons grow into adults. J.T. is quite a young man, working part time, helping his brother and juggling school at Southern Maine Community College. JT is studying Culinary Arts but may change his major. He is also assistant coach for Bonny Eagle Middle School Boys Ice Hockey. He is now level three certified. I am sure he has learned so much this year and will continue to strive to be the best person he can. He is enjoying writing and also is teaching himself to play guitar. He is at home presently and we hope he chooses to stay until he finishes school as this would be more economical for him. JT has always been a bit of a free bird. I respect his fierce independence. It takes discipline to live at home while you finish school. All things take time in the name of progress.
                     Mike is also a student at Southern Maine Community College. He also lives at home, partly due to complications for him to live on his own, as he would require round the clock care. It is not impossible, just a major challenge. He is like any other young man his age, in a hurry for life to happen. He has a very funny sense of humor. He has a video blog on youtube and also another account with a great deal of his brother’s skateboarding. Some of this is comical and some is a little racy. He is going to school to study multimedia communications. Presently he is taking one class at a time, math and then another math class. We transport him each week to school. He is doing pretty well. Presently he is working on a documentary of his life…. I am sure laced with some humor.
                     This year we put down our 14 year old dog Schultzie, the dog who didn’t “think” he was a dog. Once we took him camping and he wouldn’t lie down on the dirt. He was happy when we brought a little scatter rug for him to sleep on. We loved him to pieces, but he had suffered a stroke and never got over it, finally succumbing to cancer in the end. Just like our dog Dukie, both Terry and I were with our dogs when we put them down. They were part of our family. Daisy recently underwent surgery to have 2 growths removed and several teeth extracted. She is doing fine now. If anyone is unaware, all of our dogs have been miniature schnauzers.
                     This year, I decided to start a garden which started out excellent but failed miserably like most gardens due to the excessive rain. I will try again next year. There is nothing like having your own harvest. Even the food we buy at the supermarket is not always trustworthy, so why not try growing your own harvest? I even made raspberry jam the first time from my crop.
 Another family tradition was to hold a yard sale this year. If the economy is failing, a yard sale can be an excellent indicator. We had a huge 5 family yard sale in an excellent location for 2 days. I was lucky to make 40 dollars, and my sister who sold the most made about 60 dollars. It was hardly worth our time, and showed us that people are hanging onto their dollars. These times are uncertain. 
                     Terry is busy working many hours for the hospital, driving a truck. He just bought a truck for himself, a Toyota Tacoma, pyrite mica which is a bronze color. It is nice looking, and rides extremely well in a snowstorm. He came home one day a few months ago to find Mike leaning against the wall in the hallway. Mike had fallen forward and was trying to push himself back in an upward position. He had been like this for almost 3 hours. Terry called an ambulance. Mike couldn’t feel his arm and had a dent in his head. The ambulance drivers kept saying that Mike had MS and Terry became agitated after the 4th incident. Mike has MD. Terry was ready to take Mike himself to the hospital but the ambulance driver talked him out of it. Since the incident, we now have Lifeline for Mike. It gives us both peace of mind. 
                     We had a great vacation at Lake Pemaquid. My sisters and their families attended as well as my parents. We had a few visitors that week. There was lots of music and storytelling and laughter around the campfire. Terry started his own tradition and made his famous margaritas for the second year in a row, which everyone had no problem consuming during the week. Lake Pemaquid…. here we come for August 2009!
                     Last of all, we send you many blessings this Holiday Season. Know in our hearts that you are very special to our family. Should times get tougher for all of us, we all need to stick together and remember that we are not alone.  Much love to all you for the 12 days of Christmas. Oh Holy Night.