I love all of my family
very much and each of them is special in their own way and
special for a different reason.
They are all special
for not only who they are, but also for what they did for me
when I was a child and what it means to me now. Some are
special just because I now know not only what they did for me
when I was young but why and that makes them very
special.
My Aunt Jeanette was very very special. I will
try to share with you why she is one of my "My Special
Angels"
As a young child, I was not the same person as
I am now. I was destructive, not to caring, self-centered and
a little on the wild side.
I was known for destroying
the property of my cousins (especially their toys at
Christmas), being mean and sometimes cruel. My Aunt Jeanette
always had a great explanation for my behaviors. She would
always defend me.
My aunt had the kindness, gentliest
heart and soul you would ever meet. She would always ensure
that whatever the other children (all my cousins) got, my
sister and I got the same.
My grandmother would buy for
one of us and my aunt the other which was usually
me.
As time passed, and we aged, we started referring
to each other as "favorites". I would call her "My favorite
Aunt" and she would always whisper "You were always my
favorite neice".
She had two wonderful sons (Keith
and Michael), who have gone on and married wonderful women. I
know she was very very proud of them and the wonderful choices
for partners they made. She sure loved her
grandchildren.
Aunt Jeanette had a wonderful husband,
my Uncle Don, who took care of her as she aged. She had
many problems, but that never stopped her from attending all
family functions, and being the star.
The smokers (and
both of us are members) would have to smoke downstairs, but
that didn't bother us. We smokers enjoyed the relaxation of
smoking and chatting while the others were upstairs.
I
was in P.E.I. when I got the news of her death. God, I wanted
to come home right away and make sure that she was okay. I
couldn't believe that she had passed on.
I felt the
huge burden of guilt that I was away when she went to heaven.
I also never got to say good bye to her. I know she knew I
loved her, and I know she loved me, but I would have loved to
have the chance to say "Good Bye" and to tell her that I loved
her.
My Uncle sent out the Thank You Cards and he was
wonderful enough to put in it, "She always said you were her
favorite". Thank you, Uncle Don for making that wonderful
caring jesture.
I wasn't able to say goodbye to my
grandmother or to tell her that I loved her. I was able to do
that with my father, so his passing was a little easier on me
that I thought it would be. You can visit my special
dedication to him by clicking here. My
Dad
Always make sure that you tell your loved ones
that you love them. Tell them often, and tell them how you
feel about them while they are still here. The greatest
tradegy is to wait to tell them and then find out it's too
late. I know. I missed telling my grandmothers that I cared
and loved them both dearly. I'm sure that they knew it, but
that isn't good enough for me now. Now I really wish I had
told them how very much I loved them and how important they
were in my life.
So, Aunt Jeanette, here is my goodbye
and a letter telling you just how much you meant to
me.
Dear Aunt
Jeanette:
As you sit in Heaven, watching down over me,
I want you to know that that I loved you very very much and
still think of you often today. Doing this site and putting
this letter here is my Goodbye to you.
I'm sorry that I didn't
get to say "Goodbye" to you, but please know that you are in
my heart all the time.
Aunt Jeanette, I know you can
see this and I want you to know that I appreciate all that you
did for me and all that you meant to me.
You had me
babysit Michael and Keith one summer so that I could make some
money. I spent it all on goldfish that eventually died but
your thoughtfulness was not unnoticed.
You were always
there for me whenever I needed it and sometimes when I didn't
think I needed it but I did anyway.
Thank you for
loving me. I want you to know that I love you and I miss you.
I think of you often but it's harder around the holidays
because you were such a big part of my holiday ever since I
could remember.
I know you have a lot to do with
watching over Uncle Don, Michael, Keith and their
families...but please try to watch over me as well.
So
wait by the gate for me. When my turn comes, I want you there
to greet me. I love you.
I love you Aunt
Jeanette. All my love, Your
Neice,
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