October 13 - Thursday

 

I survived the two year anniversary.  I flew up to Minnesota to spend it with Joel's family and friends in his home town.  It was a very good trip, but being up there made me miss Joel even worse than I usually do.  I made my annual trek to our honeymoon spot in Stillwater (thanks for going with me Tash!) and it was beautiful, sad and nostalgic.  Spent Friday night with the gang from Joel's high school class.  It was great to see everybody...wish we lived closer so these get togethers were more frequent!  They are all very special to me.

Saturday was October 1, so I spent the morning out at the cemetery just writing in my journal and listening to some of Joel's favorite music.  It was the first time I'd seen the monument since I ordered it last July.  It's really pretty.  I wrote Joel a long letter and after a couple hours, I ran out of kleenex, so the only remedy I could think of was some power shopping in town at Tasha's boutique.  That seemed to cheer me up fairly quickly.  The rest of Saturday was spent out at Joel's sister's place in the country.  I was doing ok until I saw Joel's younger sister...we always cry when we first see eachother.  I think she still hurts about as much as I do.  But, the kids plopped 5 baby kittens in my lap that they had been raising by hand and of course my spirits were lifted right away.  That and a hay ride around the farm with the kids put me back into a cheery mood.  

Sunday was church with Joel's folks, lunch with auntie Florence and the evening out at Joel's younger sister's house.  I got bounced all over their trampoline by her kids...the little jack rabbits!

Monday, I went into town with Joel's mom to see the track and field record board dedicated to Joel's memory and funded by friends and family.  It's great!  Joel's record in the 800 still holds from 1984...what a stud!  The athletic director told me that the record board really gives the kids today a huge incentive to break the old records so they can get their names on the board.

Then I  drove back to the airport and flew home.  I sat next to a lady on the plane who had been a widow for 11 years...she was traveling with her sister and another woman. both widows as well.  We had a nice chat, but she told me she still misses her husband every minute of every day!

 

All in all, this anniversary was much harder than the one year.  Probably because I was in Joel's home town.  He and I had been traveling there together since before we were married and in a way it's familiar enough to me now that it feels like my home too.  I even rented a car this time and drove myself around.  Never thought I'd be driving around Minnesota by myself.  I have some photos...I'll load them up this weekend.  Pictures are much more interesting than my rambling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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