Sequim

Today is Friday and I am writing from our home in Sequim. Amanda, mom and I came out on Wednesday. I was naive and thought that it would be no harder than existing in Mercer Island. Boy was I wrong. It is very hard to be in this home without Bill. This was our home where we came to retreat, to relax, and to love each other even more. This is our home where we dreamed about a future where we would be together 24 hours a day. Well, God had a different plan. I almost got back into the car and left when I first walked in, but I didn’t and I will make it. I mowed the lawn yesterday (always my job when we were out here), and trimmed some trees that were growing into my view. I will make it. We have enjoyed our beautiful sun room, my Diamond Point friends have called and come and loved me. Amanda and mom have been a tremendous help and we have started new “traditions”. I guess that is what I will need to do.

So, I should say that most of the family left on Monday. I would never have made it without the support of my family and friends. My sister Kristin kept the house tidy, meals served, and all of us on schedule. She alternated between giving me so much love and telling me what I needed to hear to keep going. I will be grateful to her forever and the best part is that I know that she is there for me when I need it in the future. She has a business trip every September and will be staying with me a few days in just a few weeks. I am really looking forward to that. My cousin Donel came with her son Adam and what Kris didn’t do Donel did. I probably shouldn’t talk about people personally because I can’t mention all of the lovely little things that everyone who was here did for me. So if I don’t mention you I do know how wonderful you were to me. I will say that Bill’s friend Jim gave me some wonderful advise about taking care of mom and I will be following up on that. Karl had to leave us on Tuesday to get back to Arizona. He has dropped all of his classes for the semester. I can’t say that I blame him. Concentrating would be tough after the September that we have had. He plans to look for a job.

On Tuesday afternoon Ron drove Amanda, me and mom to Woodinville and we went wine tasting. We tried 5 wineries and had some good wine and some so so wine. Mom only drinks white wine, but she bought the most wine. Ron and Amanda bought a great bottle to drink at Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful sunny day and although I won’t say it was fun I will say that there were fun moments, and I enjoyed celebrating with Amanda on her 30th birthday. I don’t know how I got old enough to have a 30 year old daughter. On Tuesday night some of Amanda’s friends joined us for dinner at a Mexican restaurant at Alkai Beach in West Seattle. It was very good and festive. Happy Birthday Amanda.

I am returning to work on Monday. It is definitely time to do that. Part of me thinks that if I do nothing Bill will show up, but of course I know that won’t happen. So, I will go to work and come home without him for the first time. Amanda, bless her heart, is staying Monday to be home with mom on my first day back at work and to be there when I come home. I will take her to the airport on Tuesday for a 6:00 am flight home and then mom and I and our dog Kai will be on our own.

I feel God’s presence and I fleetingly feel Bill with me. I talk to Bill and I pray a lot. I have walked Kai on all of our favorite walks. I don’t have a Bible verse, but I do find comfort in the Bible. Pray for me dear friends and family. This is so very hard. If I didn’t have to do this I sure wouldn’t, but my sweet William is gone and I will be going on. I love you all and am so grateful that all of you have been so wonderful to me. Thank you all, again. Love, Sue