My last best Christmas.

purplesofa

Christmas was huge in my house growing up. We all were Catholic. It was a huge family tradition. The last year my step-dad was alive, also the last year I was married, we had a huge family gathering....all the kids and grandkids, it was wonderful.....I will never forget it, My parents had 80 acres, a huge farmhouse that held us all comfortably. We have a video, full of memories, that is the last time our family was together intact.......We were all married to our spouses(now all divorced) and life was good.

I became a JW after this and quit going to Christmas gatherings......since I had the most kids (five) this cut things down considerably. Then I got a divorce, then my step dad committed suicide, then I was DF!!!

At Christmas my kids went to stay with their dad.

This pic, for whatever reason, I went to my moms for Christmas. And obviously I did not feel guilty, I am the one in the back with glasses.

From left to right, my sis(always glamourous) my brother, me and my youngest brother that committed suicide last year.

I remember right before my Mom snapped the pic, I said something stupid and Danny lost it and said, "Oh sis!!!"

I have very few pictures as they were all destroyed when my car was stolen years later, they were in the trunk of the car and the theives burned the car....but I found this picture today stuffed in an odd place

Haley, my grand daughter is here, we are listening to Christmas music (she is grounded from watching Hannah Montana as she got a bad note home from the teacher!)

I am so sorry for taking a beautiful family tradition away from my family. It served absolutely no purpose whatsoever. I don't think I can ever forgive the Society for their part in making that happen.

Merry Christmas and I miss you Danny.

your sis

Leslie

alt

changeling

Be gald you have such beautiful memories. No one can ever take them away from you.

changeling

momzcrazy

Thank you for sharing that touching memory.

Now that you have granbabies you have the opportunity to build their great memories. And to keep Danny alive in their minds and hearts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvM0kn-Q_7M

Much love,

momz

jaguarbass

It looks like a nice picture of a good time.

summer

Thank you for sharing...

Beautiful smiling faces...beautiful memories that no one can take away from your heart.

but I found this picture today stuffed in an odd place

...it was not a coincidence*

(((hugs)))

*summer*

momzcrazy

I agree *summer*. I think Danny was saying Merry Christmas. I am NOT joking BTW.

momz

summer

I understand momz...

I was not joking either...

*summer*

Satanus

Growing up and doing stuff w family and extended family is truly a blessing. Too bad the wt persuades people to break that. It's something my father also did, and he told me he regretted it. At least you can now do all of that kind of stuff for your little clan ;)

S

purplesofa

You know summer and momz,

maybe so, a gift from Danny, Another part of the grieving

peeled away exposing my heart.

Thank you for your replies.

purps

Sunspot

I am so sorry for taking a beautiful family tradition away from my family. It served absolutely no purpose whatsoever. I don't think I can ever forgive the Society for their part in making that happen

I can SO relate to this. When I was "studying" I went to my parents home before Christmas that year, and told them I would not be celebrating it with them this year (or ever again)....it was also the week of my father's birthday (Dec 17) so I was fighting two battles for my new WTS beliefs.....my father was a very proud and stubborn Irishman that did not like things NOT to go HIS way....

and he went ballistic that evening, blustering, turning red and spittle---the whole nine yards. I left and went back home. I had "made my stand" for the trooth that night....and things were never the same again. My parents disowned me when I actually got baptized. My kids suffered because of MY foolishness. *I* suffered because of my foolishness.

You're RIGHT! It served absolutely NO purpose! We never "pleased" God with this decision. We sure didn't please our families....and we didn't please ourselves for any selfish gain.

The BEST thing we can do NOW---is to tell everyone and anyone what a fraud this hideous cult is once it has them in it's grips....and to RUN as fast and as far away from anything Watchtower as they possibly CAN!

hugs,

Annie

My last best Christmas.

Share this