Remembering Wo On Her Birthday

Hi Everyone,

Well, we made it past another difficult day and we are doing ok. Yesterday was Mark and Lauren's birthday. I was getting ready for work and Mark called and said he was coming home from work because he just couldn't do it. He has had a birthday with Wo for 27 years and it just was too difficult for him. So, I followed suit and called off too. Mark worked out for a long time and I took a long nap. That is what I do to escape, sleep!!!

Mark woke me up and said he wanted to go for a drive. So we got in the car and drove and drove. We ended up in Columbiana County and were seeing names of towns we had never heard of. Mark said we would stop at the next small restaurant we saw and eat lunch. We did stop at the next place we saw, walked in, and turned around and walked back out. Ok, we'll stop at the next place we see!! We found a small bar and grille and were about the only customers in there. Mark had a big burger and fries and I had two sliders and fries. I felt better because I had been really hungry which makes me grumpy and I was woken up from a nap, which anyone that knows me knows that is a major no-no unless you want your head bitten off!! I had been trying my best to be nice because it was Mark's birthday.

We stopped in Alliance and got an ice cream cone for dessert. Butter pecan, Yumm!! We had to drive down to where I work and Mark had to go in and pick up his birthday cake. I sat hunkered down in the car so nobody would see me!! I'm so bad.

I kept asking Mark if he wanted to celebrate his birthday and he said he would rather celebrate it on Friday and let the 6th be Lauren's day. So we are having his birthday today. He wants barbecued chicken thighs on the grill, potatoes and onions in foil on the grill, whatever veggie I make, and birthday cake (white cake and white buttercream frosting). He will also get to open presents.

We wanted to do something special for Wo's 28th birthday. I remember seeing big paper lanterns that had a flame underneath them on tv once. I looked on the internet and found some so I ordered 10 of them. I wrote Happy Birthday on one of them and Mark, Ryan, and I went to the cemetery last night. I was kind of afraid we would get in trouble, number one because the cemetery closes at dusk, but we break that rule all the time to go see Wo, and number two because the lantern has a big flame and I was afraid it would land on a nearby house and burn it down!! You wouldn't want to light one of those in the summer when it was dry. It went straight up and got wobbly a few times, but just kept going until it was out of sight. It was so cool. It was nice to have Ryan with us. We had a group hug that was so great. I wish Sis could have been there too. And of course, Bruce and Steph.

I don't know what has happened to me, but I am doing much better. I got a little teary yesterday a few times, but nothing compared to the non stop crying I used to have. I think I am finally coming to terms with the idea Lauren is in heaven and not coming back. But, I am lucky in the fact that she is always with me now!! I feel her around me and get little signs from her often. I tell her that I love her and miss her probably 100 times a day. It made me feel good that so many people liked and commented about her on Facebook. I know she is not forgotten and she affected many people's lives. I will do my best to keep her memory alive.

 Thank you for all of your precious comments. I read every one of them and keep them in my heart. Ok, picture time. For those of you that didn't see what I put on Facebook, here you go plus a few other special ones.

Love,
-Pam

 

Wo always looked up to her big sister.

And always looked out for her little brother.