With Christmas approaching I find I am looking more and more for unique gifts. I have blogged in the past about our family's desires to make this Christmas a handmade Christmas. So shopping for handmade gifts for my immediate family has been fairly easy. Shopping for my siblings and my parents not so easy. They require unique gifts as different and colorful as they are. I am the oldest of 8 children. There are 5 boys and 3 girls. We are all so different from each other. I have a brother who is very creative artistic and musical. He has a gift with the piano and a voice that makes angels weep. I have a sister who is a gifted hairdresser with the most loving open heart. She was a lifeguard and is a remakable athlete in her own right. I have another brother who is very intelligent and driven. He reminds me of what I was like when I was younger. He will succeed. By sheer force of will if necessary. My other sister the youngest girl is a dental hygenist by day gifted painter by night. She does amazing things on canvas. She hasn't begun to sell her work professionally yet but I'm sure she will in the future. My youngest brother who is the baby of the family is 17 years younger than I am. He is loving and sweet, though he tried to hide it, and shows promise on the basketball court. I have another brother who is dynamic and full of life. He has an aptitude for drama and the arts, a lovely voice and a beautiful soul. He has yet to realize himself all that he can do if he only applies all of his talents. When he does the world will be his oyster. My brother closest to me in age was my confidant as a child, fellow mischief maker ( along with a beloved cousin), and dearest friend. He is a kind a loving soul. His courage and determination to take care of his son is humbling. Add to this mix my Father, an exceptional teacher whose ability to touch lives continues to be far reaching. He can build houses and mend a broken heart with equal skill and love. He is a rock for the whole family. My mother is a fireball of energy. She will giggle with you into the wee hours of the morning and still be up at the crack of dawn ready for a new adventure. She will laugh or cry with you and always be just a phone call away. This is my remarkable family. Now I have to find unique gifts for them for Christmas. This is a daunting task but an adventure too.
Stay tuned for the rest of the saga.....