Your Angel on Earth by Gabby

First I have to say, *I did not write this! It’s something that is beautiful to share though and it needs shared. How did this story come to be in my possession? That’s a very nice story in itself, about 15 or so years ago…Our Dad found it and made copies for all of us 6 daughters. I think that was such a beautiful thought and a loving thing to do, a living tribute to our Mom. That’s the way Dad was…He loved our Mom very much. Even though we honored and loved Mom, Dad wanted us all to have this special reminder. Since our Dad is in Heaven now, all I keep thinking is how proud he is of us 6 daughters. We all look after our Mom when she lets us, (She can be a bit stubborn) we all love her to pieces. It isn’t always easy for her and I despise evil cancer for taking our Dad away. Dad and Mom were joined at the soul, a feeling I understand all too well. One of the saddest things Mom said to me 8 years ago, after we lost both Dad and Dave (my husband). Mom said never did she ever think her and I would end up widows, losing them both to the same evil cancer & 40 days apart. I digressed a bit, but I wanted to get it all said. So, here  is the beautiful story  now to share with all of you kind readers. Some of you maybe already have read this story. To us it was magic because “La Famiglia e tutto”, that’s in Italian, in English it means “Family is Everything”. So please do enjoy this story and let Autumn and I know your thoughts if you would like to share. 🙂 The title is of course “Your Angel on Earth“. The author is unknown.

A child preparing to be born asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?” God answered, “Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”
The child paused and again addressed God, “But tell me, here in Heaven, I don’t do anything else but sing and smile, that’s enough for me to be happy.” Your angel will sing to you and also smile for you everyday, and you will feel your angel’s love and be happy.” “Oh,” the child said “and how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t understand the language that men speak?” And then glancing at God the child asked, “What am I going to do when I want to talk to you?” God softly touched the child on the head and said, “Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.” The child then asked.”I have heard that on earth there is evil. Who will protect me?” “Ah,” God answered, “your angel will defend you even if it means risking her own life.”

The child said to God, “But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.” “Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you,” God explained. At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly, “God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.” Sweetly God looked at the child and whispered, Your angel’s name is of no importance. You will simply call her MOM.”

Happy Birthday… ~By Gabby Angel

I just had to write this one and dedicate it to youngest little sister and Dad. Having talked this over with Autumn, we both agreed we needed to acknowledge this special date. Which would be December 7th, first our beloved Dad’s birthday and also our youngest little sister.

They loved sharing the same birthday. Dad always teased M. by saying she was the best birthday gift he could have asked for. When we lost Dad to cancer 8 years ago it was so sad to hear littlest sister M. say she hated her birthday now. Thankfully the last couple years has been better and she seems to be able to enjoy her birthday.

M. is the sweetest and so loving, gentle, spunky and she has the best sense of humor. Yes, she is the baby sister of the bunch, but she truly still looks so much like a little girl. It’s easy to want to shelter her from hurting, she is so gentle and loving. M. was born when Autumn and I were almost 13 years old. So, she did grow up with the both of us always wanting to protect her and look after her.

There are way more positives than negatives I could ever say about M. She is happily married now and has two adorable little boys, the cutest and most amusing nephews they are, too. Anyway, M. was so used to sharing her birthday for years with our Dad so of course things are very different. But like I said she is doing OK, although it’s difficult not worrying about her.

Mom would make Dad his favorite cake, German Chocolate and M her favorite chocolate cake with peanut butter icing each and every year. M. loved it when they each got to blow out their birthday candles. She always insisted they blew out those candles and made their own wish at the same time. They opened birthday gifts together, again because M. insisted it was the way. Dad was such a sweetheart always going along with her wishes, because he was just that kind of awesome type Dad. He is so very missed and always will be…He loved Mom all six of us darling daughters and we all loved him back.

Dad was the kind of man who everyone liked immediately, he had a sense of joy and magic around him. His love and zest for life, making sure each day was lived to the fullest. Always encouraging, gently nuding and so good at helping others. He was a blessing to all of us and any life he touched, we all hold those memories close.

Dad would encourage M. to have a wonderful birthday…He will be watching from heaven to make sure she does have a beautifull day. I know M. knows this, so we will all make sure little baby sister has the most Happy Birthday…After all, Dad is watching and we don’t want to disappoint him.

The Twinnies and the Angel Tree Topper… ~by Gabby Angel

This is a one of those memories you just have, that somehow never goes away. In sharing this one, I hope someone gets a smile. Autumn and  I sure always had a lot to say…It started young and has never gone away.

Our Dad and Mom, so blessed to start out with us twinnies and have four more darling daughters after us. Very brave, our Dad and Mom! If nothing else we got them geared up to deal with anything. Always full of questions, opinions and what if’s…That was Autumn and I.

This memory concerns the Angel Tree Topper that graced our family’s Christmas tree for years. It was quite lovely, as angels go…Our only problem with it? Well, the angel had blond hair! It was fine, until both Autumn and I at almost  6 years old insisted the angel should have dark hair, like us! Asking all kind of questions…Weren’t there dark haired angels? After all all not everyone was blond and what about the red haired angels…Were there any of those around? Did God only make blond haired angels, if so why…It didn’t seem right!

One good thing for our parents sake, little sister was only a bit under 2 years old. Too young to get her on the bandwagon with us twinnies.So, on our non stop questions went … Our Dad was quite helpful, trying to humor us nosy , relentless twinnies.He came up with what he thought would perhaps stop the questions. Yes, he told us…Angels came with all colors of hair, but our Angel happened to arrive with blond hair. She was a special tree topper angel just for our family…She had her own magic. Wow, she was magic…Autumn and I bought into that for a couple weeks. We twinnies were chatting among ourselves, still wishing the angel had dark brown hair, after all that might bring her a bit more magic to our thinking.

We were just so bugged by the whole hair color thing, I know we were some wacky young twinnies, weren’t we? Dad and Mom overheard that little conversation…Well, what do you think we saw by the time Christmas morning dawned? Yes, you may have guessed… Tree Topper Angel had turned into a brunnette! Now that was some heavy duty magic! Autumn and I danced around in delight, clapping our hands and all smiles. All was right in our little world…It was a happy day.

The things parents do for their kids sometimes is touching, giving  and the the loving  things that make some beautiful memories. Most especially appreciated by this set of twins! 🙂

Dad’s HomeMade Ice Cream~ BY Gabby Angel

I was having a scoop of my favorite ice cream tonight, it was good. I do love ice cream and do indulgence from time to time. But, what I was remembering was Dad’s homemade ice cream. Oh my, no brand has ever come close to how good Dad’s was.He started making this delicious ice cream when Autumn and I were so young. We kind of grew up with this, so all other brands did kind of pale in comparison.

Of course we had store bought ice cream, too. Dad just couldn’t be making it all the time! Dad really did have a magic touch with home made ice cream though, he experimented with so many different flavors. They were all outstanding, I remember one time in early fall he made pumpkin. That was one of my favorites, I still search for a pumpkin flavored that comes close, I have again found one that comes close!

Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, yes Dad made those. Sticking with the basics at first, but he was quickly branching out since everyone had an idea of what might be tasty. Back in the early days, it was so much fun taking turns cranking the handle on the ice cream maker. It was kind of an adventure all by itself, or maybe it was just Dad making it exciting and an adventure somehow! I was thinking of how it was just Autumn and I when we started, then all the little sisters came along to share in the fun.

Dad along with Mom really did come up with such awesome happenings when I really think about it. We were all quite blessed having them as parents, I do need to say. One of Autumn’s and my favorites was chocolate malt, it still is actually. We did find one brand in our area that is pretty good! What an excuse for taste testing ice cream, trying to find one as good as Dad’s homemade! Mom had a couple flavors she remembers fondly, chocolate mint was one and a peach one. Of course you can buy these two flavors, but I swear Dad’s were still the best!

 We were talking about this and it is funny when we reflect on the many different flavors  Dad made. We used to tease him from time to time that he should market his ice cream, obviously he never did. That would have been a pretty cool family business though, wouldn’t it?

So many childhood things were so special at our house, I am sure any of you reading this can remember your own, I sure do hope so. As I always seem to be saying, aren’t family memories so nice and comforting, too? But they are, they are some of  the best times of our lives. For Autumn, my sisters and I anyway. I hope the same goes for all of you reading this one, too.

Hopefully this all made you smile and perhaps sent you racing to your freezers or favorite ice cream store as well. Let me know please! 😉 🙂

The Twins Get A New Little Sister~BY Gabrielle Angel

Autumn & I were a little bit over 4 yrs old, our parents had been preparing us for months of the arrival of a new little sibling. Back then, no ultrasounds were done so we weren’t sure if it was going to be a girl or boy sibling & of course we were routing for a boy baby! This particular memory came rolling back when I was again looking at old pictures.

Picture this, there we were for over 4 yrs the twin princesses having both sets of granparents to ourselves, not to mention countless aunts & uncles! OK, I admit it Autumn & I were perhaps a “tiny bit “spoiled by all this attention. 😉

We were blessed with very kind & thoughtful parents, they just wanted a big old family & were going to try their best to make it a positive & joyous event. Mom was in the hospital with a C section & Dad had 5 days to get us geared up to happily 😉 be welcoming home a sibling. First disappoint…Dad tells us it’s a new little sister, we were secretly wanting a brother as to not steal our thunder so to speak.

I must interrupt myself…When you are 4 yrs old, you can’t comprehend pregnancy, C sections & all the rest of it. You all knew this of course I’m sure, also the quetion…How does she remember this at such a young age? My blessing, I remember vividly & clearly things back to 18 mths of age. Anyway, back to the story. Little sister was born in early March, we live in PA & luckily Dad pulled this next adventure off, it was late winter time & no snow was on the ground, tempertaures weren’t too cold. Clearly some divine intervention I believe. 🙂

Dad packed a nice little lunch in his lunchbox he carried to work everyday, this lunchbox was special to us because more times than not he would be bringing us home little surprises…Did I mention we were somewhat spoiled? 😉 Dad bundled us both up nice & warm…”we are off for our very own adventure girls!” said with big smile & humming a happy tune & off we went!

Headed to one of our most favorite spots Pine Creek, maybe 10 miles away where we had lunch at a picnic table…while sitting & chatting Dad told us of the news…Tomorrow your Mom will be home with our baby sister. Well, he made it sound happy & all important…You will be big sisters now!

Many sniffles, tears & “We dont want her Daddy, send her back!” That is shameful  what we put our Dad through that day…He hung in there, so patiently & gently until finally he had us agreeing it would be much joy, happiness & fun. Dad has a bit of magic about him to pull this off…Maybe it was all the singing, laughing & Autumn & I having our Daddy alone one last time before the baby sister rolled in

So, there you have it…We really were quite pleased the next day to see our Mom & the nice little sister, Dad had pulled off a miracle! Yay for Dad! Can’t say it was all smooth sailing, but thankfully we accepted her because 3 more little sisters would be rolling in after her…My ever so brave parents. 🙂 Autumn & I took delight in “the big sister role” & the bossing around worked! Might I say We all lived happily ever after?! 🙂 😉

The Twins and the Tigers~Written by Gabrielle Angel

I was admiring my white snow leopard stuffed animal a little earlier today. This was a gift from Autumn, she got it for me last Christmas. I just simply love this stuffed animal, it’s by WowWee and called an Alive Pet. It’s so adorable, it purrs and makes cute little animal sounds and I love it.

The reason Autumn got this for me, I lost my little 17 year old siamese cat Sapphire a few years ago. So far I have not had the heart to get another kitten. I know, that might sound weird to some people but I just haven’t been able to make that step quite yet. That’s a whole other blog perhaps, Sapphire and me and not wanting any more losses in my life.

Anyway, I digress as usual…The cute snow leopard and what it reminds me of. I was talking to Mom and saying how much the little snow leopard reminds me of Autumn’s and my beloved childhood stuffed tigers. Well, except our tigers didn’t make noises and all. We were given them we were about 4 years old by our Nana, they were so special to us twinnies. The amusing part is when we first set eyes on our tigers we were scared. I know, doesn’t that sound silly? These tigers were pretty large and for whatever reason, we had a 5 or 10 minutes of not being sure if we liked them. It’s strange, because after those short minutes…Those stuffed tigers went everywhere with us. It’s such a warm and kind of comforting memory, Autumn and I were just so in love with our tigers we thought they deserved special attention from family, friends and anyone visiting our home.

We were just semi-annoying to everyone I’m sure, thinking back to our behavior. It makes me laugh at our young twinnie selves, we named those tigers, too by the way. Autumn’s tiger was named Max and mine was Jax, yes we named them ourselves! Who knows where we came up with those names, that part I honestly don’t recall. Pictures of Autumn and I with those tigers, as well as plenty of home movies is hilarious. The different little collars and bows that we decked those tigers out in was just wacky. I don’t know where we came up with such ideas, but as Mom says we insisted those tigers be dressed for every occassion.

Anyway, these tigers stayed our favorites of all stuffed animals for many years. I was thinking back to how they had to be at our sides especially when we were sick. Dad and Mom used to humor us and chat with the stuffed tigers and “pretend” so well, too. Dad especially was silly with us, he used to sing to the tigers when we asked him to! It just cracks me up thinking back to some of those kind of memories…We were blessed twinnies for sure.

I don’t know how many Dads would actually sing to their kids stuffed animals, do any of you? That was my fond litlle twin memory for the day, I just had to share it. Now you all know how crazy and unusual we twinnies were even as young kids! 😉 🙂

Dad, His Love of Birds and the Collection That Kept Growing…~By Gabrielle Angel

It all started so long ago and quite innocently. Dad loved birds, he really did but did that ever kick off quite the collection. When Autumn and I were maybe 7 or 8 years old we took his love for birds to a whole other level.

We decided he would simply love and cherish a bird statue for his birthday. Mom took us shopping, that’s what we picked out for him as his gift. It was a beautiful little bluebird, he was going to just love it!

Well, of course he did because Dad loved anything us twinnies could pick out. That’s the sign of a wonderful Dad, isn’t it? No matter how weird, wacky, or wonderful…They just love the gift their kids present them with.

Dad was always quite amusing how he used to guess what his gifts were, while they were still wrapped I mean. That made it kind of more fun for Autumn and I, then the little sisters that followed us.

Back to this bird collection…It got totally out of hand! With each Birthday, Christmas and Father’s Day that followed the original bluebird statue he kept receiving more bird statues. Some of us searched endlessly for the one of a kind and most unusal bird we could find. From robin, dove, owl, penguin, cardinal, yellow canary, blue jay, pheasant, love birds, swan, finch and a wren. Oh my goodness, that’s only twelve I’ve listed. But trust me this list could just keep going on and on and on. I am not kidding, there are tons of birds in Dad’s collection.

Even though he has sadly been gone for these eight years the collection still resides in our childhood home. Mom still lives there, she keeps the bird statues company. 🙂 She may not think that was so funny, the collection is literally well over 100. What one sister didn’t find for Dad, another one would. We would all try to outdo each other in the unusual or different bird, how embarassing that is to admit, but it’s true. It was just almost too much for the rest of us the year one sister actually found a very unusual and very colorful macaw! We were of course all secretly envious in wishing we had been the one to find it.

Dad kept smiling and gracefully accepting all the bird statues, bless his heart. After awhile he resorted to building shelves over each picture window, the one shelf is the size of a whole wall. He also made assorted cabinets, somehow all the bird statues found a home and spot of it’s own.

I would have to be at our childhood home to count the birds actually. I just know there are many, many, many birds and all given to him by us 6 daughters and the grandchildren, too.

It all started with a bluebird that Autumn and I just knew Dad would love, it makes me smile. The twinnies started the whole thing rolling!

I remember having a chat with Dad about the birds and he was amazing how he could still remember who got him what. I also had to ask if he really wanted a bird collection, he laughed that contagious and joyful laugh of his. “of course I did, how could you ask such a thing?”

I miss you so much Dad, don’t worry your bird collection will stay safe! Well, of course you know that already Dad, you are watching over all of us (and your birds) from Heaven, after all.

Dad’s HomeMade Ice Cream~Written by Gabby Angel

I was having a scoop of my favorite ice cream tonight, it was good. I do love ice cream and do give in to this indulgence from time to time. But, what I was remembering was Dad’s homemade ice cream. Oh my, no brand has ever come close to how good Dad’s was.

He started making this delicious ice cream when Autumn and I were so young. We kind of grew up with this, so all other brands did kind of pale in comparison. Of course we had store bought ice cream, too. Dad just couldn’t be making it all the time! Dad really did have a magic touch with home made ice cream though, he experimented with so many different flavors.

They were all outstanding, I remember one time in early fall he made pumpkin. That was one of my favorites, I still search for a pumpkin flavored that comes close, I have again found one that comes close! Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, yes Dad made those. Sticking with the basics at first, but he was quickly branching out since everyone had an idea of what might be tasty.

Back in the early days, it was so much fun taking turns cranking the handle on the ice cream maker. It was kind of an adventure all by itself, or maybe it was just Dad making it exciting and an adventure somehow!

I was thinking of how it was just Autumn and I when we started, then all the little sisters came along to share in the fun. Dad along with Mom really did come up with such awesome happenings when I really think about it. We were all quite blessed having them as parents, I do need to say.

One of Autumn’s and my favorites was chocolate malt, it still is actually. We did find one brand in our area that is pretty good! What an excuse for taste testing ice cream, trying to find one as good as Dad’s homemade! Mom had a couple flavors she remembers fondly, chocolate mint was one and a peach one. Of course you can buy these two flavors, but I swear Dad’s were still the best!  We were talking about this and it is funny when we reflect on the many different flavors  Dad made.

We used to tease him from time to time that he should market his ice cream, obviously he never did. That would have been a pretty cool family business though, wouldn’t it? So many childhood things were so special at our house, I am sure any of you reading this can remember your own, I sure do hope so.

As I always seem to be saying, aren’t family memories so nice and comforting, too? But they are, they are some of  the best times of our lives. For Autumn, my sisters and I anyway. I hope the same goes for all of you reading this one, too.

Hopefully this all made you smile and perhaps sent you racing to your freezers or favorite ice cream store as well. Let me know please! 😉 🙂

Goodbye doesn’t mean Forever

Never say never

You never know so don’t say goodbye, it’s not always forever.  I like to say “later”… even if someone dies it doesn’t have to be that they are gone from us for always. We have memories, we have “the great hereafter” we have or we should have hope.

So it’s how I live these days.  I hold on to the hope that it’s not a forever goodbye.

I guess you could say I have lost many people I have loved, quite a few to death, my Dad, my late fiance, Craig he died from a brain aneurysm and that was sudden.  I think losing a loved one or “the love of your life” to death is not final, it’s just not! I refuse to believe it’s final.

Not forever

Keeping  a positive attitude helps 🙂 which is soooo easy to say, but it’s not easy, it’s really very difficult.  So I just think of it as another challenge. Hmmm… I know, that makes is sound better 😉

I remember a line from a song, “nothing lasts forever but the Earth and Sky… a song by Kansas, the song is called “Dust in the Wind“.

The Other song

Here are the lyrics for the other song, it’s Called “The Goodbye Girl”  I am not the goodbye girl, I won’t say goodbye, never, ever!!!!

Goodbye Girl

All your life you’ve waited for love to come and stay And now that I have found you, you must not slip away I know it’s hard believin’ the words you’ve heard before But darlin’ you must trust them just once more… ’cause baby Goodbye doesn’t mean forever Let me tell you goodbye doesn’t mean We’ll never be together again If you wake up and I’m not there, I won’t be long away ’cause the things you do my goodbye girl Will bring me back toyou.I know you’ve been taken, afraid to hurt again You fight the love you feel for me instead of givin’ in But I can wait forever, a-helpin’ you to see That I was meant for you and you for me…so rememberGoodbye doesn’t mean forever Let me tell you goodbye doesn’t mean We’ll never be together again Though we may be so far apart you still will have my heart So forget your past my goodbye girl ’cause now you’re home at last.

Later

Never goodbye … just try and switch to saying “Later”… it’s easy 🙂

Pumpkin Patches~Written by Gabby Angel

Pretty Pumpkins

This time of year my thoughts turn to all the good memories of those younger years during this fall season.  All the exciting things that we used to do as kids, those wonderful memories. When young, we looked forward to leaves falling and jumping into the piles.  Helping 😉  Dad rake them up after all the fun was over. Autumn and I always did love to help, our Dad was patient.

We loved the approach of this time of year, it also meant cider, getting pumpkins and also plenty of apples! Autumn and I simply loved cider, especially while eating popcorn. We twinnies always did have some unusal tastes.

The Pumpkin Patch

The pumpkin patch, was so exciting…We got to walk around the pumpkin patch and pick our very own! We used some for decoration and some to carve as Jack O Lanterns. Every holiday at our house was special.

We were so big on decorating and making our house as festive as could be. The pumpkin patch, that was just plain magicial to us! It just made Autumn and I more than ready for the outing and the sooner the better.

This one particular day in early fall our parents took us to do our “pumpkin shopping”, we were close to 7 years old at this particular time.

Youngest little sister was only 21/2 years old and she was coming along, too. Well, Autumn and I knew Mom and Dad would keep a good eye so she wouldn’t cause trouble. 😉

Baby Pumpkins

We arrived at the Pumpkin Patch and off we went, walking around and looking for the best pumpkins we could find. So many pumpkins, big small and in between sizes, how would we decide? We picked out some bigger ones, we did a fine job. We were all smiles as Mom assured us we made some darn good choices. Dad carried them to put aside and paid for after Autumn and I decided on the few little “baby pumpkins” as we liked to call them. Autumn and I had very particular thoughts and ideas. We got so giddy just looking at all those baby pumpkin choices, we got a little too silly for own good.

Don’t dance with Pumpkins

We each had picked up a smaller one, and started doing a little dance. Never dance with pumpkins, I am telling you all for your own good. A few minutes later, we bumped into to each other and down we toppled. Those poor little two pumpkins went flying, and splat. Autumn and I looked at each other, we started laughing like crazy.

I know, not the reaction everyone would have, but please remember we were quite young. 😉 Wrong thing to do, Dad was at our sides in record time and not with a smile on his face either. He got us under control and the giggles stopped in short order. He quickly picked out a couple baby pumpkins, not letting us choose and told us we were homeword bound.

Well Autumn and I were sad, so much sniffling and many tears later we were all back in the station wagon and back home before we knew it.. Quite the lecture we twinnies got, it happened a lot and we should have been used to it. We really had been quite the embarassment for Mom and Dad, also a bad example to our little sister. Autumn and I basically were good little twinnies, most of the time anyway. 😉