Portland without my directional gyro.....

     We have just returned from the Portland memorial service for my brother.  My nieces and nephew did a fantastic job of planning, he would be very, very proud of them.  It was held at Lewis & Clark college right near when Mark first lived in the dorms during his stay there - so many memories came flooding back to me as we sat and visited with the many, many people that were so nice to have attended.

      The weekend was one of many realizations or course, Mark not being there to plan and organize us and all our activities was one of the more noticiable.  Phillip needed a shirt and Steve wanted a new jacket and after driving around for almost and hour and a half we ended up where we would have been originally had we taken a left and not a right!  We had short tempers, we apologized for those - we were lost little puppies - that, I won't apologize for - I miss my brother.  It was my first time returning to Portland since Mark's death and it was the strangest feeling to land at the airport and not have him there to pick us up.  To try to drive by memories of what things looked like as I drove around with him so many times over the past 25 years, and actually get to some destination.  It was different but even in the bad times I tried to be thankful for the things that Mark taught me without even knowing.  I knew what direction things were, I could hear his voice in my head talking, alway talking as we drove the streets of Portland and surrounding areas - he was there, he always will be and I know after surviving the weekend that he will live in my heart and mind - forever.

     Rest well sweet brother, I love you.

A baby bump in the making - Baby DePriest

     Bittersweet would be a great way to describe part of the visit to Oregon for Marks memorial.     We spent one afternoon with the kids in downtown Portland, mostly looking but some shopping was done, I think a trip to the Duck store came up - it was typical Portland weather, cold and blustery, I loved it.  During a stop for lunch Ms. Elizabeth announced that she and Billy were pregnant!  Excellent news :)
     My first response was excitement and happiness for them both and then in the form of a question "was this planned, did you know it was coming?" The answer was that they had been trying for a few months, and it finally took. Although I had frequently thought they may be on the verge of getting ready for a baby, my last conversations with both Liz and Mark led me to believe that it wasn't yet in the cards for them.  I am glad it is now.  My brother would be so very happy, over the moon would be a description he might use, tickled for them for sure, as am I.
     So, in October or there about we will have a new baby in our family - the circle of life continues.  Congrats Liz and Billy!