FAMILY

March 1 2014 6.00pm LISTENING TO LOVE BITES BY HALESTORM

Catholic Mass was cancelled today because the priest is in Rome so what better way to celebrate then to sit down and think of my family and what they mean to me. I am thankful for many things and family is #1 on my list. Thanks to Hannah I have expanded my family by 8. 2 little sisters, 3 nephews' 1 niece' a brother in law and a step mom. I am getting to know them all and I love this. Just hearing from them is such a joy and my niece destiny' she is adorable. I wish I could mail her a kitten. My little sisters Jenn and Ann are not little, both are grown women with kids but to me, I just found them so they are my baby sisters. I have a wonderful mom who keeps me going. A very dedicated and selfless brother JJ who has been there for so long. I have my family in Italy Christine and Lisa whom I love and never wanna lose. My sister Dawn is super busy with her boys, my 3 nephews who I wish to God I could watch grow up. I still have my Aunt Cindy who has been there for me since birth. She has her own life but she doesn't forget me. I'm starting to reform my relationship with my brother Jerry and I am getting to know my little cousin Drew who is overcoming his heroin addiction. I love my family and without them, I wouldn't be alive today. While in prison so many of them have died. My Justine, my brother Eric, my Aunt Lila, my Uncle Bruce, my Grandpop and my Grandmom, my precious Nonna. My cousin Shannon, they're all dead and buried since I been in prison and that doesn't count the many people who grew tired of being there for someone in prison. I know it gets hard. I thank you's all for standing by my side. Loving me, taking care of me and for still caring. My friends, you's are all as important to me as well. My daughter doesn't want to talk to me right now but I trust Hannah, she has proved herself to me and she has my trust to do what's right and to help my little girl the best she can. Family is very important in prison. My baby sister Ann will be 27 years old in just 30 more days, Buon Compleanno (Happy Birthday) little sister. Baby Lucy will be 2 years old on March 19. How the years fly by. I'm looking at the photo of my nephews, just babies really but Isaiah (just 5) and Joshua have sent me letters and drawings. These kids, without even knowing them, have lit up my life. I thank God every day for my new family members. What a lot of people don't understand is, being forgotten. There are over 5,000 lifers in PA state prisons and I'm willing to bet that over half have been forgotten by the people they cared about. When you're here for too long. Away from those you love, it's outta sight-outta mind and no one on earth wants to be forgotten. I'll leave you with that. If you have a friend, family or loved one that you haven't seen or spoken to in awhile, drop 'em a line. Deann was a woman who I thought was my friend, we used to be close and she got outta prison last Summer and since Summer 2013 she hasn't had 10 minutes for me. So being forgotten hurts. Being forgotten is kinda like being abandoned so I understand how my daughter feels. Well I pray that 2014 is a better year for us all. I also want to wish my aunt Cindy a very Happy Birthday. And last but never least, my Justine, our anniversary would have been in 7 days. Riposa in pace amore mio. (I have long since forgotten the Italian I once knew but she would love it when I would whisper it in her ear). I love you's all and I wish you's all a wonderful and Happy Birthday. Take Care and God Bless. CIAO