Missing Laura

Each year, it sneaks up on me. Then out of the blue, it hits me like a ton of bricks even though I'm looking straight at it. I knew it was coming, it's the reason for my parents' trip to Hawaii. They wanted to visit Laura's gravesite.

I debated writing all this here. I've so much I want to say... if only I had the words.


I've been cleaning out the garage for the last 6 weeks and for the most part it has been easy enough deciding what to keep (very little) and what to throw in the dumpster (most everything). The hard part is finding all these things that reminds me of Laura. Celia and I were digging through the "pile" and found some of Laura's old Cheerleading and Song Squad uniforms. We tried to sell them at a yard sale but there were no takers. We were trying to decide what had to be done, whether to keep, donate or throw them away... I don't remember what wat we decided. For all I know they are still in a box in the garage.

In cleaning out the garage, I've come across a few boxes of old family pictures. I smiled at a few pictures, laughed at others then found myself crying after a while. Here are a few...


This was Celia, me and Laura in front of the Tigers at the San Francisco Zoo. This was from our first year in California.


This was the whole family at Lombard Street.


Laura bringing home laundry.

I miss Laura.