The Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis a week and a half ago was the first of three important events in remembering BreAnna. The second was a return to Mt. Hood and Lost Lake for Carmen, Brandon, Owen and myself. I felt that it was important to return to the “beautiful places” that our family enjoyed with BreAnna. The third and probably most significant was Bre’s favorite place, Seaside.
In the last ten days, we did the Great Strides walk, made a day trip to Lost Lake on Mt. Hood and this past weekend, returned for the first time to Seaside since Bre passed.
Last Sunday, we packed a picnic lunch, grabbed our fishing poles and headed up to Lost Lake. We always took “the loop” route, around Mt. Hood. Highway 26 from the west, up the southeast flank of Hood, then onto Highway 35 around the south and east side of the mountain.
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Then a series of back roads on the north side of Mt. Hood to Lost Lake. The snow had just been cleared from the road, but quite a bit remained! We went as far as we could on the road then parked by the snow and walked from there.
Our family enjoyed the short walk along the north side of the lake through the old growth forest to a bench and viewpoint where we liked to spend time. I have many pictures from this spot of all of us. Bre even captured a salamander here, played with it, then let it go. One of my favorite pictures of BreAnna and myself was taken here.
It was a wonderful day. We saw a ladybug by the lake. Bre loved them. We released them in our garden the last couple of springs. To have so many of them brought her such joy. I feel this was her way of letting us know she was right there, with us.
To make this trip was important. Significant. We will honor BreAnna by returning to the places that brought her so much happiness in her short time here. She would have been the first one in the truck… Ready to go.
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