It has been a while since the last update. As with many other people we have been caught up in the holidays, our jobs, our house, and the other mundane tasks of everyday day life.

Christmas has come and gone, without much of the excitement that normally surrounds the holiday. As with Thanksgiving, there was just something missing. After a 9.5 hour trip up I-95 on Thursday, December 23, we spent 2 days with my mom in Brewster. The house went undecorated for the holiday, something I would have never expected growing up, but can certainly understand this year. We went to services at St. Lawrence Christmas eve…walking into the church was more difficult then I thought it would be. Each time I looked to the alter, I would see the casket from dad’s service and there were points in the service where I would have sworn I heard dad’s voice saying the prayers like he would do when we were younger. After the service we went to dinner at Rraci’s, a small family Italian restaurant. This restaurant has become a favorite place to go when we are in Brewster for as little as a day. We shared laughs and tears over dinner. Hayden, the owner, and his sister (whom I can never remember her name) were absolutely wonderful and did everything to ensure we had a good time. When dinner was finished we headed back to the house to exchange gifts. Cindy was spoiled by mom, the daughter that she never had…I was spoiled by mom…being the 31 year old baby of the family.

Christmas morning, after a nice breakfast, we made the trip down to Cindy’s family in Tom’s River, New Jersey. We spent the day surrounded by family and drinking Goldshlogger shots and opening presents. And the next morning, after a nice breakfast with Cindy’s mom, we made the trip down to Dumfries.

So while the holiday has been difficult, the days will get brighter and we are comforted by the warmth of the memories we carry with us.