It's amazing what you find going through years of accumlation, safe deposit boxes and the such. Here are my parents in 1978. These are their passport pictures as they got ready for their first European trip. April 25, 1978 was their 25th anniversary and they celebrated with friends and family and then it was off to Ghent, Belgium to visit family from my Dad's side and then to Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy. My parents did some traveling after they were retired. I know there was another trip overseas to England, Scotland and Wales..I think.. 
As Dad got older, he refused to travel by air. He had traveled so much during his banking career that he was done with it. I know he was fearful about flying all the time he traveled. Back in the day when my Dad smoked and smoking was allowed on airplanes, Dad would literally have his cigarette in hand with the lighter ready to go as soon as the "no smoking" light went off. To his credit, Dad quit smoking and drinking cold turkey in 1986! WAY TO GO DAD!! Because Dad wouldn't travel by air, both Debbie and I got to go with our Mom on a cruise. In May 2002, Debbie and Mom went through the Panama Canal on a 2 week cruise that began in Ft. Lauderdale and ended in Los Angeles. In October 2002, Mom and I took a 2 week cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest on the Main, Rhine and Danube rivers. It was awesome..THANK YOU MOM!!
This Monday will be the 4 week mark since Mom died. It's going by so fast. I have 2 more weeks of work left until my "retirement." I'm going to give myself time and permission to grieve. I don't feel like I've even started. I'm apprehensive at what emotions might come up, but I know I have to walk through this. It's part of the journey.
There were so many people we met along the way in this journey. I really miss seeing them all. Anna, Tonya, Susan, Tami..just to name a few. As much as I miss my Mom, I sure don't miss having to go to the nursing home. That was always hard for me. It takes a special person to work in that profession and we are so profoundly grateful for the people we met along the way. Thank you dear ones for what you do and the impact you have on the lives of your patients and their families!
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