Family! What would we do without them!

From left, my brother Doug (he is the baby of the family); Rick and my brother Greg. Greg is next to me. This is from this past Thanksgiving. Doug and Donita don't always get to come home from Ohio over the winter holidays, but this past one they did because of Rick's diagnosis. They have all loved Rick since they first met him in 1984. They got me in more trouble than they could ever know telling Rick stories about our childhood. One time they asked him: "has she pulled the crying thing on you?" "you know, it's just fake tears!" Well that did it. They were right and I never really cried, just tried to make him feel sorry for me. Sometimes I wish I'd been an only child!

Have you ever been shot with a bee bee gun? I have! Have you ever had the very life scared out of you? I have! Have you ever had lie after lie told on you? I have. All by my 3 brothers!

When Rick and I first started dating, Bruce (absent from Thanksgiving this year) and his wife at the time, Lisa, would come to my place at least once a week and we'd all go out to eat and to a movie. It hurt really bad when Bruce and Lisa split up.

When Greg and Teresa split up, that hurt bad too. Teresa was my first sister in law, and she was the mother of my first nephew. That was a special place in my heart you know. We are still close, though I do know they will never be back together. They both have their own lives now.

When Doug and Kathy split up, that hurt too. They were very young and had suffered the death of their baby girl. Jessica was so tiny. She was just way too early in 1984 and they could not save her. Had she been born today, she might have been ok with no deficits. I know it happens sometimes.

I have 3 sisters-in-law now. Donita is Doug's wife, they have been together since 1987. They have Josh, Brittany and Jacob. She is like a sister to me, though I don't get to see her very often since they live in Ohio and I usually have to work when they come "home". They will be traveling to Florida in July I believe. Josh is getting married. He lives in Florida. He was 3 years old when Donita came into our lives. She is a great sister-in-law. She loves my parents and treats them well. Doug's daughter, Heather gave birth to the first great grand child in the family. Jonas Ian Miller, Jr. was born November 3 2004. He missed his papaw's birthday by hours! Doug's birthday is November 2.

Janice is Greg's wife. We are pretty close. They live here in Edmonson county. They have a home in Bee Spring. They have Adam, he is in high school. He is a quiet child. You hardly know he is around. Janice loves my parents and treats them well, too. She is very good to them. That means a lot, too. And Greg's grandson, Thomas loves her lots! She is very sweet. When we have dinners she brings banana pudding. Rick loved it! Rick was close to Janice as well. She was kind of shy when we all first met her. They bonded. His illness and death hit her hard.

Bruce's wife is Genuita. She has been around about 5 years I think. She has 2 sons and a daughter and a grand daughter. Bruce has Jessie. Jessie and Rick really bonded well. Jessie was born with many difficulties, had to be taken to Vandy when he was just an hour old. He had a stroke that would have killed an adult. Although they live just a mile or so from my parents in Pa Bird's old house, I hardly ever see them. I do see Jessie sometimes, he lives here in Wingfield. He loves tractors! And he loves big trucks. She has been good to my parents as well. When Pop had to have surgery, she was right there in the waiting room with mom and me. It has been a job trying to get close to her though.

I hope to be able to see Doug and Donita this summer. Their daughter, Brittany is taking after her mom and me, she is in school right now to be a nurses assistant, and is planning to attend nursing school, in the fall I believe. She looks so much like me when I was the age she is now. She turned 18 back in May.

Family has always been a priority of mine. And it was for Rick, especially the last 8 years. I believe in family, I believe there is strength in the family unit. I believe the family that prays together stays together. I think that is something I need to get back to. I would love to see all of us in church together. I would love for my own kids to get back into church. They have both slipped away a bit, Val more so than Nick. I love my kids, I want the very best for them.

That is all for tonight. I love you all. ♥

To be continued................