Somehow a year and a day have passed since our mom died. How a day can feel so long and a year can feel so short I'll never understand. Last year seems all at once so far away and like it just happened. We took refuge again in Michigan leading up to this anniversary; a last minute decision to drive up to spend the weekend with the Toomeys. Just like we did afterwards last year. Megan and I are thinking we might make this an annual tradition. Way better to spend this time on the beach drinking beer and eating good food then holed up in our separate homes.
Losing both parents in the summertime is lousy on many levels. Other then the obvious lousiness of losing your parents at all - the fact that mother's day, father's day, and both of the anniversarys of their deaths are so close together is a bit much. Mom actually died on Father's day last year which was, of course, not the gift we had in mind for him. Megan and I discussed combining all of these special dates into one huge shitty day. We'll see.
We did, however, spend sometime together yesterday, Megan and I. We took a late afternoon drive into Lincoln Park. We bought ourselves lovely things, we had a beer on the corner and finished it off with a great dinner at a cozy french bistro. Our waiter was cute and the food and wine were delicious.
I left with a buzz and enjoyed the drive home with my sister. If this becomes a tradition as well - I'd be okay with that.
Maureen Toomey mentioned what a blessing it has been to be around Emmett during all of these difficult times these past 2 years. And that we will need to tell him again and again how much his cute smile, silliness and wonderful cuddliness gave all of us many breaks from sadness. 
::Emmett at the Sawyer beach (again)Getting buried in the sand
I hope this face brightens your day today as well.
love,
e
