Decided to give myself the gift of family this year. Had such a wonderful time last year when Josh, Megan and Angelina visited that I wanted to have them again. Fortunately, they must have had a good time too. They actually wanted to come back. Ha. Can’t believe how fast they’re growing up. Joshua is now 15 and Megan is 12, uh sorry, “almost 13″ she would correct.
Of course I had a bunch of lofty ideas about how we’d spend our time…museums…a play…um yeah, no. Ultimately, I wanted to spend our limited time doing things they wanted to do. Last year it was ice skating, shopping and lots of laser tag. This year we went bowling, played lots more laser tag, and got memberships to American Indoor Karting.
Josh and Megan are such amazing young people. They’re competitive too. Josh ended up with the fastest lap time for the juniors for the month of December. He’s starting QB -Go Blue Streaks! He’s also taken up bowling and is, quite possibly, obsessed with it. LOL. He’s so athletic. If he couldn’t play the sport, then he was watching it. I don’t think ESPN has been on my tv as much EVER as in the week he’s been here. If there wasn’t a football game on, then he was watching bowling videos on youtube. He has an incredible sense of humor. He would make an outstanding stand-up comedian. I could definitely see him on SNL someday before going the way of so many SNL greats a la Adam Sandler.
Perhaps one of the most amazing and humbling things I discovered about my nephew was his compassion. He’s endured so much, too much, in his young age. It would be easy for a young teenage boy’s heart to grow hard and become self-centered. I’m so relieved this isn’t the case for Josh. He may tease and occasionally downright antagonize his siblings, but when he thinks nobody is looking…he does the right thing by them and THAT shows tremendous character. He often reminds me of daddy -his grandpa that he loved so much, and my sister Mary -his mom. I see the work ethic and loyalty in him that my dad had. I see the loving heart and crazy sense of humor his mom has. I also see traces of Mike -my sister’s fiance in him as well and that is a good thing. Mike is a good guy and a wonderful male role-model for my nephew. I’m glad Josh has Mike in his life, especially now that his father and my father aren’t able to be there now.
Megan is just the coolest. She’s a beautiful girl with a great sense of personal style and I just hope Jamie and Mike are ready to beat those boys off with a stick. LOL. Cuz little Megpie is a killer combination of her mom, her aunt Jamie, and her aunt Michelle. I see the wonderful humor and loving heart of my sister Mary in her. I see the desire to succeed of my sister Jamie in her. I see the intensely sentimental side and hot temper of my sister Michelle in her. Most of all, I see that wild rebellious hellion streak ALL THREE of my sisters have. LOL. So…hold on tight, cuz it’s gonna be one helluva ride.
All that said, I was very happy to have the chance to see beyond the parts of Megan that remind me of my sisters and see her as her own person. She is amazing in her own right and I can’t wait to see how she takes the world by storm. I have no doubt Megan will accomplish any goal she sets. I’m so glad she has her aunt Jamie in her life. Jamie beat one in a million odds to come out as sane and sucessful as she did in our crazy family. She is a great role-model for not just her young nieces and nephews, but me as well.
This Christmas present I gave myself this year was the best present I have ever received. Love you Josh! Love you Megan!
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