Dear Mimi

One year ago we said goodbye.  You were finally at peace with Grandma, Cotty, Uncle Frank, and your parents.  I know you had often talked about how you missed them that last year, and I was thankful everyday you stayed here a bit longer to be with us, to make more memories with Little Guy and Lil' Snowboarder, to help me and my sister through the hard times, to be there for my mom.





One year, but it still feels like yesterday sometimes.  You've been missed so much this year, especially when Kate got married.  But we all knew you were there.  You were there is so many ways. Plus, there were a lot of stairs and hills at that gorgeous place, I'm not sure you would have loved that part :)  I miss you during the day when I'm driving between clients to tell you about my day, or to talk about the Giants game last night, or how the 49ers played this weekend.  I try to call mom instead when I miss you.  But I still miss you.  You'd be so proud to know I only drink a diet coke once every few days (I guess those articles you'd cut out of the paper all the time about it finally got to me) and that I'm swimming a lot.  You'd get a kick out of how stinkin' cute Little Guy is and how he can smack a baseball like you wouldn't believe.  Yes, yes, you'd go on and on about my brother teaching him that.  Little Snowboarder is such a good swimmer now!  She'd tell you all about the lake and how my mom swam with her all the way out to the dock.  I missed you a lot during the Olympics too.  Afterall, they were in London this year, a city you loved so dearly.  I know we would have talked about if you had a trip left in you.  We would have planned where we would go, what plays we would see, even though I knew you probably didn't want to make another trip. 



I miss going up to Reno to visit you.  This summer was strange in that when I wanted to just get away for the weekend, I didn't have that place to get away too....your house....where I could relax, knit, go out to dinner with you, and feel at peace. But you helped me find a way this summer....I still found places to go that seemed like the perfect getaway...Capitola, Arnold.  I still missed you.



And tonight, I remember how blessed I was to have you and Grandma and Cotty in my life.  My life is filled with loving memories of you all and I know how much I cherish my family is because of the family you all created for me and Chris and Katie.  And I had you for longer than some people have those special people in their lives.  September 11, 2011, the day you passed away, was the 10 year anniversary of a horrible, tragic day where so many people lost loved ones too soon.  To think, on that day 11 years ago, you and Grandma and Cotty were landing at SFO Airport, to an eerily quiet airport you told us, as the second tower had been struck while you were in the air flying home.



I know you are at peace and watching over us everyday.  I know how loved I was.  I miss you and love you every day.

Love,
Carrie