The Ratte Christmas

This is not a Christmas for the less fortunate. It is actually quite the opposite. Those who participate in this Christmas have a few things in common. One of the things that they have in common is that they are either a Ratte or are married to a Ratte. Ratte is my maiden name and my mom's maiden name (if you think about that, that is not very common). Another thing that they have in common is that they are very rich in life experiences. I can remember as a little girl going over to my uncle Jim and auntie Joan's house in Stillwater and celebrating Christmas with them and their family. We did this because by the age of 21 my mom lost both of her parents, and she was just learning to balance life without them with the new responsibility of raising a child (me). Uncle Jim kind of took us under his wings and gave us support that transcends all understanding. He would send my mom money every year to help give me a Christmas. And as I grew up, he would tell me stories of my grandpa. He would paint pictures in my mind of what kind of man he was, how I would be his little princess, and how he would have loved to take me fishing and share his love for sports with me. He helped to show me what it would be like to have a grandpa. I am truly blessed to have these fond ideas of this wonderful man that is my grandpa. It helps fill the void that I have. Below is a picture of my uncle Jim and my auntie Joan.Thank you for all the love and support throughout the years and thank you for the fond images that you have given me of my grandpa.

In addition to Uncle Jim and Auntie Joan, my mom's brother Steve and his wife Jackie along with their youngest daughter Joy, her husband Phil, and their two daughters came down from Duluth for the Ratte Christmas. It is always wonderful to see them and to catch up on pretty much a year's worth of events. Below is a picture of my uncle Steve with one of his granddaughters, and the other picture is my auntie Jackie with another one of her granddaughters.

These little girls bring so much laughter to the day. What makes one rich is not the material things in life but things that shape us and makes us who we are. Family is definitely one of those things. Merry Christmas!