I did such a fun thing last Saturday. I went to see my oldest brother compete in a vocal competition at a local college. Now, my brother is almost twenty years older than me, a senior citizen, but here he was, competing against college kids. Let me tell you, he's still got the pipes. And he looked so handsome in his suit! I was blown away.
    Partly by his performance, yes. But mostly by his life. By the fact that he's not letting a little thing like age stop him from doing something he loves. That he's still living a full, active life. That he's so loved that the classroom where he was singing was packed with family and friends, all rooting for him.
    My brother is an amazing man. He's a real life George Bailey and boy, would Frank Capra have loved to meet him! This man not only gave up a glam music career to raise five kids but he and his wife took in countless foster children over the years. Their house at the holidays is packed, and not just with family. (My sister-in-law buys 4 turkeys at Thanksgiving for all the meals she cooks!) Anyone who's going to be alone is drawn in and made to feel welcome.
    As I watched my big brother sing I couldn't help but think, I want to be like that. He's my hero.
    Who's yours?

Due to work and travel restrictions we wound up delaying our Christmas until January this time. But it was well worth waiting for!
    I think this was one of my family's more memorable holidays. Money was tight for all the kids so we got creative and made it all about having fun together. You may be looking at the picture on the left and thinking, what kind of weird fun is that? Crazy fun would be the answer. Here you see my son and son-in-law playing a crazy game called "Are you there Moriarity?" It involves blindfolds and whacking each other with rolled up newspapers. Someone gave my son-in-law an advantage and let him have a cardboard roll that had held wrapping paper. Sadly, his advantage didn't help. He lost.
    This was part of some "jousting" in which everyone was trying to win a stuffed toy dragon I scrounged earlier in the year from my pal Jill Barnett. All those wanting to compete for the dragon also had to thumb wrestle. After all this craziness we settled down to serious business - playing the game of "Life" which I had found at Goodwill earlier in the year. I did not end up in millionaire acres but, like I told the family, this year it wasn't about things. Who needs to be a millionaire anyway? With my great family and friends I'm already rich.