Some of Everything and More

Wow. Very emotional last couple of weeks due to some unforeseen situations and some that were planned. In order from two weeks ago today:

*Dustin’s father recently found out about Dustin’s death and contacted me after 16-17 years.

*I had a confrontation with a pet owner on Eagle Creek while hiking and proved my craziness to several people including my daughter and my sister who probably wondered who the heck the stranger was they’d been hiking with.  

*I met with Ashawntae, the young man who killed Dustin.

*Someone I love told me that they were arrested for DUII just minutes before the one year anniversary of Dustin’s death.

*We remembered Dustin’s birthday (he would have been 30!).

9 lb, 9 oz Dustin. 20.5 inches long. 11/11/82.

*Glenn and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in beautiful Port Townsend and Coupeville, Washington. 

*I spoke at my second Clackamas DUII class.

*I met with a group of people to brainstorm and support each other in making our dreams come true (hosted by Tyler Presnell, a young motivational speaker traveling the US telling of his experiences with traumatic brain injury due to a bad car crash when he was 14).

Talk about ups and downs. All of it has just made me even more determined to make a difference. And to make something more of myself. And to do what I like and what I want and what I believe is right. Maybe it’s finally sinking in that I really do need to make the most of life. For my own happiness but also because it is really what I want for my children, and maybe if I role model that it will be easier for them. I will forever be grateful to Dustin for being the first to show us how to live by being true to himself and by pursuing what he believed in so whole-heartedly.

I am so appreciative and grateful for all I have learned from my children - not only Dustin - and from Glenn and for learning what is really important in life.  Dustin, Colin, Sean, Tom, Logan, Eryn, and Jenna, thank you!  And thanks for bringing Lisa, Justin, and Cruz into our lives, too. 

July 4, 2011. Logan, Jenna, Dustin, me, Glenn.

November 2011. Lisa, Colin, Sean, Tom, Logan, me, Glenn.

 And Glenn, I am so happy to be your wife.