Dad

So much has been going on I haven't really taken the time to properly say how much I really enjoyed Ann and Igor's visit to the U.S.!

Both of them seem so happy, and all of us were so happy to see them, that I guess it slipped my mind to mention it.

Tyler went swimming with the couple, I went to the Eddie Bauer warehouse with them and a few friends, and we had chocolate martini's at Club Diversity with a good bunch of friends.

We had a cookout in their honor (and previously a birthday cookout for Scott, and after that a cookout hosted at Dad's for his 65th birthday), so by the 4th of July I was cooked out.

This time, seeing Ann's friends was more enjoyable than ever, having spent a good bit of time with some of them on our trip to Ukraine. Ann and Igor's party was a resounding success, even though it stormed and we ran around like circus people taking down the food tent and bringing chairs up to the porch.

"Save the beer!" someone yelled.

We had most of the drinks and most of the chairs up on the porch when the rain began, and we had a lovely time talking and joking around. The twins were happy to see many of their friends who are Ann's friends' children, and over all, we drank, we ate, and we had a good time.

I forgot how time slips. How one date one year slips to the next day the year following. I forgot that the 19th would be on a Tuesday this year. I remember when Scott told me about Mom passing away. It was a Sunday night. He had just come into the kitchen, and I was walking out of the downstairs bathroom/laundry room. I said Oh My God. I hugged him so hard and started crying. It didn't seem real.

I realized last night, just how much I miss being able to talk with her, and being able to ask her for advice. It's been two years. And still, here I am crying about it.

We kept her memory alive by having her favorite, chocolate martinis, at Club Diversity last night. And we try to keep her memory alive every day in how we live.