YOUR HOLIDAY LETTER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sending a yearly "wrap-up" letter to your family, friends and relatives is a great way to save time and money. Instead of buying expensive Hallmark cards and writing individual letters to everyone on your list, why not design your own holiday letter? When writing a "wrap-up" letter, remember this is perfect time to inform friends and relatives what's been happening in your family's life over past year. Even if something important happened in your life back in February or March, some of your acquaintances might not have heard about it, so let them know. After writing a rough draft, use your computer (or a friends) to help produce an attractive letter. You'll find programs such as Microsoft Word or Publisher with wonderful "wizards" that will walk you step by step through process so you will have a beautifully designed letter in about an hour or two. SIMPLE GIFT IDEAS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sit down and take time to think about what each person on your list would like to receive. Of course everyone would love to get tickets for a seven day Caribbean cruise, but very few of us can afford to spend that kind of money on a present. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking of all possible gifts that can be easily put together without need to spend much money. Know of anyone entering college? Put together a "care package". Fill it with all basic necessities a college student might need (or want). Cookies, snacks, toiletries, wool socks, a new college student "manual", etc... Anything you think a young 18-21 year old student could use while away at school. Do one of your relatives work in an office? Put together an "office pack". The key is in presentation. Find a suitable container and pack it with office supplies, personalized pens or coffee mugs, magazines, far side calendar, crossword puzzle book, etc. CREATE A BASKET ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, I learned to be: The Chameleon Girl, ready to change to conform to anyone's mood, to leap to conclusions at a single bound, to become fearful faster then a rational thought. I yearned to be something..anything special. I searched for meaning of me..who am I..what do I believe. I did not know..could not know...was never given freedom to learn how to explore world, my opinions, my desires. To do that would be terrifying to my mother, father; it would have been seen as a denial of them, abandonment of them.

It was through me that my mother lived her life, and through me that my father found his comfort. I was confused and fearful. The only place I felt loved and cared for was at school and during Mass. It was there that I longed to become what I loved: A priest. I was crush when I could not become a priest, a woman preist. I felt lost.

In search of myself, my need to service God's people, I went to college to become a Social Worker. I married my college sweetheart, we created four wonderful children: two boys and twin girls.

During my early years of marriage, and being a mother, I worked part time dealing with Family in Crisis. It was demanding exhausting work with little reward. I discovered that many of troubles that were present were from how families saw themselves and each other: It was atmosphere that was created.

My own experiences as a child, my work as a social worker, and my disenchantment with STEP as a parenting technique; I came to learn how important it was for me to be fully human and more positive, and "proactive", not just letting fate decide how I was to act about any situation, or let fear lead me as a parent.