One year ago today

Here we find ourselves at the end of another beach vacation, granted opposite coasts, but this was one year ago today.  We have really enjoyed ourselves, but for obvious reasons, it has been exceptionally hard for me.  I have found myself crying at night a little more than usual, just missing him and remembering what a great trip we had last year.

Always the hands-on Uncle Alex, taken 6/20/2010

For those who do not know, we had been planning that trip to Myrtle Beach for about 2 years. Honestly, I wanted to back out, because Brian could not take off work to go, and the thought of flying alone with 3 kids to the opposite end of the country did not sound like something I could do.  It was to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday.  It was April and the trip was planned for June.  I had flown to Dallas to spend a week in the hospital with Alex while he did chemo and to help take care of Lexi and Austin, and to give my mom and Danielle a little break from their hectic schedule. My kids were in Houston with my in-laws.  Sadly, I was whining about how miserable it would be to fly with 3 kids, while he sat in a hospital bed doing chemo.  Alex would not hear of me backing out and said we had to do this trip.  He told me to get to Dallas and then our two families would drive the rest of the way there, with he and Danielle helping me.  After some convincing, I agreed and we went on to have any amazing trip. The crazy long drive and the awesome week at the beach.  I am beyond thankful he talked me into it.  That trip will forever be one of the best.  Even my kids remember, because we have talked about it several times this week.  Shane said that it is so weird we are at the ocean, but it looks completely different. I had to explain the Pacific NW is quite a bit different of a coastline from the East Coast, and 2 different oceans of course.  Lots of other memories came up, and I loved that they still remembered so much of that trip and so much of Alex. I still miss him so much, probably more with each day, but wow we had an awesome last year with so many family trips.