Weekend Assignment... Siblings.. The Almost Perfect Christmas

I would like to say I have all these warm fuzzy memories of me and my siblings. But racking the brain and thinking on my youth I seem to come up short of them. I am the oldest of three. Next in line is my brother Tommy and then my sister Marcy or as she goes by now Marcella.  I can't say we have ever been what you call close.  It is only now that we are adults that we seem to be able to bond.  Growing up I was always told I am the example, act right because I had little eyes watching me. The oldest always has the most responsibility thrust on them. Sad because I use almost the same line with my oldest and only son.  Remembering me and my bro and sis as kids the best I can remember is us playing Voltron as kids and me being the princess (the lions not the cars.. can I get a HellYa for the 80s?!).  We had a lot of rough years and I am sure more is ahead of us. In my teens I hated my family, very embarrassed by them.  My brother would blackmail me so he could tag along on my nights of sneaking out and all my friends resented him and my baby sister would straight out tattle on us, not carrying what kind of trouble we would get in cuz of it.  I had to share a room with her and that made it all the worse to me.  She was the goodie goodie and me and Tommy was the troubled ones.  She was going to be the one to grow up and be a lawyer or something and take care of mommy forever (so she said at the time).

My best memory with my sister and (brother too) is scarred with pain and joy.  It was as we was adults and both had children of our own that me and my sis started to understand each other some.  It is easier to get along with family with distance between you but I sure do miss my family.  I miss having the Thanksgivings and Christmas dinners, and the Easter Egg hunts with all our kids together.  I wish I could be there as the Aunt my nieces need and deserve.  I beg my sister to move down here so we can help her out all that we can but she is stubborn and won't budge from Milwaukee.  I guess I can understand that.  With my brother Tommy we did our part a few years back when he needed a place to stay and helped him get into Job Corps down here, but he is a troubled young man and was caught up on the drugs.. currently he is in prison and it breaks my heart and his nieces and nephew's hearts for they so love Uncle Tommy.

We have never been the picter perfect family, more like the poser children for disfunction.  The closets we ever came was that Christmas of '01 when we all gathered for a weekend at my house for an early Christmas with all the kids around us.  This is when Tommy lived with us and was a functioning adult for the most part and worked security for a company that contracted out to the airport and local motels.  I made the mistake of allowing Tommy to arrange all the travel plans for Marcy and her two little girls Jasmine and Alysia and org. Greg the girls father was to come along.  They flew out of Chicago after getting friends to drive them down there from Milwaukee but at the last moment.. I mean as soon as Marcy got the bags out of the car, Gregg chickened out and said he could not fly (remember this is very close after 9-11 but still no excuse).  I will by no means lie and call my nieces little angels but they have their good qualities.  But seeing Mommy upset I am sure that didn't help as Marcy dragged them away from "daddy" threw the airport with tears.  Marcy is a very sweet and trusting girl, not even 21 at the time so when many ppl offered to help her threw out the airport it was much appreciated and taken.  I was sooo happy when I picked them up from Lambert and drove them to our Townhouse with a real Christmas Tree and Lights this year to show off.  I had gone nuts shopping and planning.  I got her girls and my kids matching P.J.s and each of her girls a gift that fit in our budget.  Nothing fancy but still I was able to play Antie Mary for the weekend!  Sophia wasn't even a year old yet and was just going on baby cearl and Jasmine being the baby of her family got very jelous when Marcy helped feed Sophia.  But Jaz warmed up to Josh quickly and I had very cute pics of the two of them snoozing on the couch.  Marcy came in on a Friday and was scheduled to leave Monday morning so I was going to make this an early Christmas for us all. Christmas Eve was Monday (if I am remembering right?) It was the first time I made a Turkey myself and Marcy helped with all the trimmings.  We felt like adults and all grown up and so proud of ourselves.  Our first sit down dinner as adults with kids!  You can imagine how the weekend went by too fast.  I was even tempted to hide their tickets to make them stay longer.  I had an uneasy feeling whenever it came up for them toleave and the plans that was set.  The night before I had stayed up late chatting with my sis till she was wore out and then I hopped online on my bro's laptop (before we had our puter) after she went to bed and I remember distinctly telling who ever I was chatting with on AOL that I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomic that something was going to happen tomorrow.  I shrugged it off thinking it was too much wine and me missing my sis already.  Thinking back I was not the only one who was unhappy about the plans for her return.  Josh tried also to talk her into staying two more days till Christmas was over but she was determined to spend it with the girls father and their family.  The org. Plan Tommy had come up with, he is so stupid I swear, was that she flew out of STL into just outside of Chicago to the little airport there and then taxi over to Chicago's bus station and ride back up to Milwaukee from there.  He had not thought about the crowds or how tiresome it would be for Marcy but also part of the org plan was Gregg was to be there to help.  We tried to call ppl to come down to Chicago to pick her up instead of her taking the bus.  If you have ever been to Chicago's Bus Station you will understand why we wanted to avoid her going threw there by herself.  But no one wanted to go down there on Christmas Eve and break up their own celebrations and Mom didn't have a car at the time and renting one would have coast like $200!  As Marcy was packing I looked franticly for my toddler leash that I used on Lilly from time to time when we went out on public outings but could not find the sucker till after Marcy had left, stupid thing was in the diaper bag!  Before they left I hugged and kissed on my nieces telling them I loved them so much and was crying, I told Jasmine that Jesus Loves her and sang her that song.  I was still a very new Christian at the time.  Oh how I wished I had listened to the Holy Spirit and him telling me to keep her with me!  Josh took Marcy and the girls to the airport and when they left I told Tommy again that I had a queer feeling that something bad was about to happen, thinking terrorism or something to that effect.  He laughed at me and said everything was going to be fine.  I know later Josh had said that while driving to the airport he had told Marcy not to talk to anyone or trust anyone at the bus station and he gave her advice and such. It was just as hard on him too to see her and the girls leave.  Tommy had to work that night and we had plans with Josh's family for dinner.  After dinner we went to see the Christmas lights downtown as it was becoming our own family tradition.  I had Marcy in the back of my head but was focusing on enjoying family time.  It was about a perfect weekend and Christmas was going to be good this year.  We didn't get home till almost after Midnight and almost as soon as we walked in the door Tommy was calling us.. he wouldn't even speak to me and demanded I put Josh on the phone.. and that is when the perfect Christmas turned into the perfect nightmare!

I just want my baby back!

Jasmine Anderson, Kidnapped out of Chicago Bus Station.

I fully understand this is a cliffhanger and a teaser and some may not believe all that came next considering that FAKE JOURNAL had a kidnapping story in it also.  But unlike that person's story mine is True and I have family pics to prove it.  I will have to save the rest for the next entry because I am aware that I will not have room to tell it correctly and it is still to this day very emotional to tell. Sorry.