Carrying On

Katie and Tommy standing in front of a blue lake. Katie is on the left wearing a UCD sweatshirt with her hands on her hips. Tommy is on the left wearing an As baseball cap and a North Face sweatshirt

Approaching the one year anniversary of Tommy’s death on August 5, 2017

We took a nine day trip to Oregon and Washington — camping, hiking, sightseeing and visiting Tommy’s baseball team, the Wenatchee Applesox.

What a wonderful trip at the right time. We really needed this getaway. So many memories to treasure. We reconnected with an old friend, had a blast with our special friends, posted hundreds(!) of pictures to share with those who couldn’t be with us. We met an amazing group of people who knew and loved Tommy.

Tommy at a baseball game wearing an As jersey and a backwards baseball cap

We carried Tommy and Ed (Steve’s dad who passed away on June 29, 2018) in our hearts and shared our adventures with them along the way. Tommy got a permanent home at some beautiful waterfalls, went for a ride down a river, has a wonderful view of Mount Rainier, got to play again at Lake Chelan and can pitch again for the Wenatchee Applesox.

But it wasn’t all fun and wildflowers! On Day one, I smashed my head into an overhead branch. On Day 2, I got stung by a wasp and then hiked four miles with needle like pain the whole way and turned 57 with no injuries or drama. The next day, I dropped my phone and completely cracked my screen. Initially, it wouldn’t work, but luckily, we had Tommy’s phone as back up to continue the photo production. I had so many painful achy muscles from hiking on vertical paths that it required a day of rest to let my legs recuperate a little. And yes, we had a few spats, and the word “shut up” came out of mouth on one occasion, but I can happily say that I didn’t let any of this stop my enthusiasm or energy for exploring.

Tommy, Steve and Cindy in front of a waterfall. Tommy is wearing a Wenatchee baseball cap and a red shirt, carrying a backpack. Steve is wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. Cindy is wearing a khaki hat, glasses and a purple print tank top

We had lovely signs that Ed and Tommy were here with us — feathers, butterflies, heart rocks, baby egg shells and absolutely beautiful weather. I loved being out here with friends and Steve and our spirit family.

As we head home, we can’t wait to see Katie, our dear friends, the cats. Reality sets in — how many weeds grew? Is the pool green? How is the house? What are we going to do for Tommy’s 21st birthday? The need to plan for his one year anniversary. But this trip refreshed me and revived my spirits to carry on.

I laughed. I joked. I cried. I loved. I lived.

And I believe that makes Tommy happy.

Tommy wearing his Wenatchee baseball hat, a maroon shirt and black shorts standing in front of a sign for the Paul Thomas senior baseball stadium