Uncle Christmas-06

"May the new year be blessed
With good tidings
til the next time I see you again
If we must say goodbye
Let the spirit go with you
til the season comes round again

One night holy and bright
Shining with love from our hearts
By a warm fire,
Lets lift our heads high
And be thankful we're here
til this time next year"
~various artists


One day a year we all manage to come together and enjoying being with each other. Due to locations and jobs and a million other different things, we aren't ever *all* together. Someone always seems to be missing, and while mostly I'm OK with it, sometimes it makes me sad. I'm closest with brother number 2, followed by brother number 3. I had always hoped that when we got older we'd all be closer, but it doesn't always work out that way. My dad took this photo of us all today, as part of a gift my youngest brother was making for my mom. It was the cutest little Merry Christmas pillow that had a spot for a photo. She'll cry. I know she will. Deep in her heart she has a misguided idea that somehow she failed as a mother... but we all turned out pretty OK I think.

I was looking at this photo tonight, and while it's not a great photo.. it's the only one I have of all of us together since the last wedding. That was quite a bunch of years ago. I was struck by how tall my son has gotten. He will be 12 in a few weeks and that just blows me away. He also looks a lot like his dad. I laughed when I realized almost all my brothers have the same thinning/receding hairline. They all shave their heads to hide it. That cracks me up. My youngest brother is the tallest in the family.. and as the oldest.. I am the shortest. Ironic? Perhaps. I also noticed the dark hair in the sig/others.. but then remembered the missing girlfriend is a blonde. She's sort of new to the picture, so it's slightly fitting that she wasn't in the photo this year.

We ate. We laughed. We laughed some more. Stories were told and gifts where exchanged. And in the midst of all the noise and hustle, we were a family.

*me, my brothers, our sig. others and my kids (and the dog just had to get in on the action too!) ** one sig other missing