Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Celebrating Mom

 Just over a week ago, on Mom’s 78th birthday weekend, we celebrated her life. 

Family and friends, from near and far, came together and it was all that we’d hoped it would be. 

We met at the Edmond’s Waterfront Center. A beautiful setting to gather in our shared desire to honor Mom and the full and meaningful life she lived.


Mom’s good friend, Ruby, generously made and gifted these bookmarks.

Erin did the beautiful flowers with such thoughtfulness and care.


Eric and Shawn took on the majority of the planning for this event and did a great job!



I made a special slideshow for Mom.
To view it, click here: In Celebration




It was so wonderful to have so many people she loved-and who loved her- all gathered together in one room. Those who got up to speak moved us all. Each person shared something so special. It was such a heartfelt tribute and one we will never forget. Later, even the staff at the event, 
who had never met mom told us they were moved to tears. 


Han had the great idea of hanging a rope (77 feet long to symbolize each year of Mom’s life) and having everyone tie a piece of fabric (lots of which was my grandmother’s) to the rope to make a garland. As we tied the fabric on he suggested we do it with a wish, an intention, or a prayer. We will hang this garland in her garden at the Mill and it will symbolize how she connected all of us.
We will also tie some more on, to symbolize all who love her but couldn’t be here in person.

What a wonderful symbol of of one of her superpowers: connection!




Our cousin, Dana, brought this special piece of fabric she made (!) to tie on the rope. So beautiful!



We so appreciate everyone who joined us on this special day and could feel all the love coming our way from those who would’ve liked to be there but couldn’t. 

(I wasn’t able to take many photos but appreciate those who did and am including some I’ve been sent here so those who couldn’t make it can get a feeling for the day. There are many people who were there who aren’t captured here. I’d love to add photos to this album if anyone has any they took and want to share.).

I will close with a quote that Mom’s childhood friend of over 70 years,
 Charlotte, shared when she spoke. 

It is a big comfort.

One of my favorite photos of Mom on a whale watching trip in Maui.
❤️

 I will keep adding to over time, 
as I come across great photos of Mom.
 

Sunday, August 1, 2021

4 Months

It has been four months since we last hugged Mom. 

I know we're all doing as well as can be...and at the same time, for me, there is a rapid river of grief raging right below the surface.

~~~~

Since my last update (just a few weeks ago)...so much has happened.

Mom's house went on the market.



I left for Holland on the 16th. 

Zack joined us for his two week vacation a day later.

Downtown Alkmaar

On the 21st, we went to Amsterdam to make my Dutch residency official. (It felt remarkable that the day I picked up my residency card happened to land on my Dad's birthday. He immigrated from Europe when he was in his late teens. Such a full circle moment.)


Celebration lunch with our friend, Annette, from Germany joining us.

We filled the two weeks with Zack here full as could be, 
sharing the beauty of this area--that he first introduced me to. 
He is a natural Nederlander!

So hard to choose which photos to share but here is a sampling:















~~~~

He left just a couple days ago. A few hours later, we accepted an offer on Mom's house from  a couple who wrote a beautiful letter about how much they love it. Just what we were hoping for. I'll spend another week here before heading back to Seattle to take care of loose ends. Han will join me soon after. We look forward to celebrating Mom's life with family and friends and will continue our celebration as a family with a trip to Kauai--a place that Mom loved and where we had a beautiful time together (just!) four years ago.

Upon our return, Han and I are planning on taking a road trip down the California coast to visit Zack and Aidan in San Francisco....and Isabel down in Long Beach (where I was born!). Another full circle feeling. If all goes smoothly, we will fly from California to Amsterdam at the end of September and I will feel officially "moved".

Whew!

~~~~

It is a real comfort to me to think of life as a series of chapters. Each one so important. So when you turn a page, it's not really an ending but just a continuation of the story. And you can look back at the richness of each chapter, knowing that they are fundamental to this present moment...and all that lies ahead. 

That's it for now. Hope to see many of you soon.

❤️