Welcome the New Year 2014!

Someone recently shared with me the following words: “there is always a first for everything in ones life”.

As I make preparations to head down South to celebrate the New Years Eve with my brothers and mother… I am inundated with the memories of my dad fussing to chill the champagne and put out the fresh grapes.

The first New Years Eve without my dad. How I’ll miss his joy and cheer.

It is these thoughts that humble me at the “mystery of life”. My dad may have physically left us, yet he is eternally here forever as we (his children and loved ones) share his memory… which always start like this: ” Remember when….”

…and for a minute I want to cry but then I smile, and then we smile and then we laugh, and then there is that awkward silence; and then I smile because I feel him in the room but truly he’s not there because he is in my heart, where he has always been.

Because once you have LOVED someone, no matter what happens, no matter what distance they have between you… they will remain forever in your heart. Love is amazing!

I welcome this new year and pray that I may move forward with a Humble heart; for this life is far more amazing than I can put words to and I pray for Wisdom so that I may not miss a step in my very own amazing life.

…and then there is a nasty flu running around, George decides to stay home because he was miserable and didn’t want to get anyone sick. After 22 years together it is the first New Year Eve that we are not together… after losing my dad I just wanted all of us together, I even asked him to lay in the back seat while I drove us on the 4 hour drive to Frankie’s. I knew he must have been awful because he insisted he wanted to feel better soon and really felt that not resting would make him worse. Plans continued and to Frankie’s house we drove. (This is where I mention: Geordan drove Miss Daisy).

I don’t know how my mother does it, we had no party planned. Frankie was alone with his eldest daughter Ariana while his wife Mildre was visiting her parents in the island with my other two little nieces. Mildre was going to cancel her Christmas trip, but after my dad passed away mami insisted she enjoy her parents.

The plan was just to be together. Mami asked Frankie to buy a couple of chickens for baking; Frankie, I suppose by instinct decided to pick up a bottle of wine and champagne (he threw in an assorted cheesecake) – I guess mom thought Geordan and I would be hungry after the long drive.

…it was the best meal of the year. (or, maybe I was real hungry.)

After dinner Ariana invited me to paint my nails with her… how special was that?! Being around Ariana is like walking in a magical valley of flowers and butterflies.

After dinner we were to drive over to Edwin’s house, but mami said there was a slight change of plans. It turned out that Marlene (Edwin’s wife) ALSO had family that just flew in from New York, and did I mention she is a very loved beautician? You know what it means to be a beautician during the Holidays? okay… so she’s working til 8pm, she has family coming from out of town, she has a tradition that she spends New Years visiting with a friend, plus we were also suppose to be coming over.

Moms are special; so after mami heard Marlene’s situation she suggested that no one should fuss, that there is enough chaos on it being New Years Eve and that we would just stay at Frankie’s and Marlene should not worry and entertain her family that came in from out of town and follow her yearly tradition. Edwin said he would come over and spend it with us and Jacqueline wanted to stay with us… Marlene came by with her family and then left with Melanie for her traditional visit at her friends.

Mami always says: “man creates an outline of a plan and God makes the real plan”

Amazing how God’s plan always is the BEST plan.

It’s not even 45 days since the passing of my dad. How does she do it? My mother is amazing, in her actions she shows me the way with her strength and fortitude as we flock to her side.

While I have lost my father, she has lost her best friend of 52 years… her first New Years Eve kiss always was for my dad… and this year?

…and let’s not forget HEIDI, mami’s loving dog who fills our heart with glee.

Well, there is more to seeing the old year out. Lee and Zach.

How do they fit into our lives. We’ve known Lee for over 15 years, and when ever possible we try to be together for Thanksgiving, Christmas and or New Years Eve. (Did I tell you he is Jewish? Lee is so colorful his life should be put on film – it would be one of those comedy dramas and you’d have to wear diapers). I reminded Lee that it may be a solemn gathering, and he insisted there was no other place he wanted to be. We love him for that even more.

The clock shown only 2 minutes of the old year… 2013 would soon be a memory.

I hurried to get George on the phone so we can all count down together as we gathered around the t.v. and watched New York city drop the apple on Time Square.

“3….. 2….. 1!!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!” “I love you George! (kiss kiss kiss)” I shouted over the phone.

The first kiss of the New Year. I kissed George over the phone…and I quickly looked at my mom, her eyes were glazed and filled with tears as she and I fell into each others arms.

I received my mothers New Years Kiss this year… a memory I will cherish dearly.

I use to make big goals, now I’m just happy for the days I do get to live.

Some years come with no fan fare,
some years leave an impression,

other years you just want to see leave
and then there are years… as much as you want to forget them they will for ever blaze in your mind.

Happy New Year!