This past weekend was an interesting one for me. It was Memorial Day weekend last year when I made the last minute decision to travel to IL to be with family and do anything I could. Not only was it apparent that Leigh was slowly declining, but Grandma Eaton had fallen and broken her hip just a week or so before my arrival. Grandma Eaton is Matt's Grandma, but she's Grandma none the less.
After I arrived in Illinois I spent a night with Chris and Leigh before heading down to Wyoming, IL, a small town in central IL. Leigh debated joining me on my trip, and as much as I wanted her to come, to get out of the house she spent so much time in, we knew it was probably not the best idea. At this point she was really struggling with her strength, or lack of it. Travel would wipe her out. So she stayed in Chicago while I went to Wyoming.
Wyoming was such a peaceful place to be. It was like life slowed down all of a sudden. There was nowhere to plug in a computer and get internet access. Not even the town coffee shop had internet service, so I didn't even turn on my laptop. Those of you who know me realize what a feat that is! Even my cell phone didn't work, so I was back to having only a land line as my form of communication with the outside world. It was a nice escape for those few days. 
beautiful day, and the first Memorial Day that I attended any such event, so very memorable. Jenna had flown in a few days prior with her daughter, Zofia, and my Mother-in-law, Janet, was there too. So we all visited Grandpa Eaton's grave, and then drove to another cemetery a town away where more of Janet's family was. The picture here is of Janet and Grandma Eaton.
On Monday, May 29th, 2006 we all got up and went to a Memorial Day event at the local Wyoming cemetery. It was where Matt's Grandpa, Orville Eaton, was buried just 4 years prior. It was such a
I'm not someone who wants to be buried. I'd like to be cremated, but this day made me realize how neat it was to be able to visit a place where old relatives were all together. Now, I still want to be cremated, but I'd like half my ashes spread in the mountains and the other half put in a mausoleum. Then, I want the same for my husband, and all my immediate family that approves of the decision. So someday, my great, great grandkids can go and visit us all together.
I thought about last year a lot this weekend while hiking up Bear Mountain in Boulder, CO. A hike that is still leaving my legs so sore I can barely walk, but being up at the top of a mountain with the view of the plains in one direction and the massive peaks in the other is wondrous feeling. A spiritual feeling in my case. It brings close to all the things that matter. It makes me remember the good times, the bad times, the times that have developed the person I am today. What better day to think about all those things than the anniversary of a life changing time period.
After I got back to Chicago that Tuesday, I spent another week with Chris and Leigh. I'll dive more into that week and the weeks that followed soon, but for now, I just know that taking off to IL in a day's decision last year, was one of the best decisions of my life.
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