As many of you know I had to drop out of the finals of Mike Greenspires' 1st Annual Blogger Comp. I want you all to know how very much it killed me to do that. It was a tough decision, one that i struggled with for quite some time. But clearly KSP113, or Kev as I call him, did a fantastic job and was most deserving of being crowned winner!  

Just to briefly let y'all know why things ended that way, I will explain....  

This year has been the worst year my family has ever faced. On February 1st, my Nanny passed away unexpectedly. She was the matriarch of our family. Two days later I came home from buying a picture frame befitting my beautiful Grandmother to find that my oldest yellow lab was dying. We had to take him to the Vet to be put down.

Devastated was not even a word close to what I, my husband and my children were feeling. Little did we know it was far from over....  

Five days later was the funeral for my Nanny, and we noticed that my Grandfather (Poppy) was not acting himself. And of course we all assumed it was because he had just lost his wife of over 50 years....  

One day later my Poppy was rushed to the hospital due to hallucinations and pain. It was there at the hospital we found out that he had stage four cancer. We were told that he would not last more than six months. It had already spread to his brain and other areas. This was difficult, because my Pop was such a great man. He  retired as Navy Chief in 1971 and twenty years later retired as a Civil Servant. But that was not the only thing that made him special....  

 Back in the 50's he met my Nanny and fell madly in love with her and her three young daughters, my Mom being one of them.  They married in '56 and he adopted my Mom and her two sisters, and never one time in his life did he say these were his adopted daughters. No, these were HIS GIRLS! My Mom and her two sisters never speak of their biological father and have never looked for him, because they had a true Daddy, as they called him.

Now here is where I have to tell you the hardest blow too all of us. My Nanny and Poppy had two sons in the '60's, Jimmy and Jay. Jay loved his parents and our family home. He stayed with them and always cared for both of them, especially in these past ten years.   

 When my Nanny passed away he was crushed as we all were, but more so because she was not there at home where she was supposed to be. Then he found out his Father too would not be with us much longer.  

Now I have to say that back in February when my Poppy was in the hospital, Jay caught my eye, as he was walking along the hallway looking lost. You see Jay and I were only eight years apart, and he and I were more like Brother and Sister than Uncle and Niece. Well while he was walking I called out to him, and he turned around and shuffled his way back to me. I walked to him and we hugged each other so tight and I looked him in the eye and told him how much I loved him. He told me the same, both of us crying....  

My friends that would be the last time I would see my beloved Jay Bird alive. On February 22nd he was found on the couch in the room where my Poppy was sleeping in his recliner not breathing.. He could not be revived . 

At the young age of forty-two he went home to be with Jesus and my Nanny. John (Jay) Patrick Byrne was laid to rest beside his Mom three weeks to the day she was laid to rest. He is now my "Free Bird" which was one of our favorite songs.  

 My poor Poppy had to be told he lost his baby, as Jay was the youngest on top of losing Nanny and knowing he too was not long for this world. Every ones focus shifted to my Poppy, and God love him he fought as hard as he could, and at one point he was putting on weight and seemed to be gaining strength. But on Fathers Day he took a turn for the worse and finally on July 17Th he too went home. All three of them had passed away in the house that we have all called home for more years than I have been on this earth.  

I have to also say that in between those loved ones passing away, we lost a cousin on my Mom's side, and my Dad lost his oldest brother. My Mom's cousin and my Uncle were the same age and both passed away from their hearts being too large.  

Now on top of all of this, the home that has been a family member as much as any single one of us is being made ready to sell, because my Poppy wanted my Mom and her siblings to have some money to make their lives more comfortable, though I truly believe had he known that they would have rather kept the house....it would not have ended up this way.

 This weekend my Mom was rushed to the ER and she was told she is very sick with COPD and Emphysema as well as Bronchitis. Now they are testing her for numerous other things. She also has Lupus.I am so scared. I cannot lose her as well. She is my best friend! If you think I am a Redskins fan, boy can she teach me a few things!  

I wanted you to know why I had to back out here at the end. Having to get my Grandparents home cleaned out, which was something I hope no one ever has to go through, though I am sure many of you have and will at some point.

  But,

I want to leave you all with this....My family was blessed because we had each other for many years. The only death that had occurred in my family up until now was my Great Grandfather passed away back in 1980. I was able to have my Nanny and Poppy until I was thirty-five years old, but my oldest Son Ben, who was the first Grandson and Great Grandson was able to have his Great Grandparents until he was seventeen.  

Like I said, we were blessed. Just remember that tomorrow can change everything in your world, so please love your family and MAKE SURE they know how much you need and love them!  

I will be back soon my friends, and thank you all for the support I received from all of you through the competition and on all of my posts!   This is for you Uncle Jay.....HAIL TO THE REDSKINS! HAIL VICTORY......BRAVES ON THE WARPATH! FIGHT FOR OLE DC!

My Best wishes and Love to you all,

~Ang