In loving memory on Easter Sunday ...

It is hard to believe that it has been 22 years since we lost our friend Mike. He was my first real love whom I had dated for five years before I had gotten married to Brett  - we were engaged for two of those five years. In short, he was tragically killed in a single engine plane (along with a former high school mate who was also a friend of ours and the pilot) which had crashed on Easter morning in March of 1997. It was a devastating accident and he was and is still missed by so many of his family and friends. 

Yesterday, one of my close friends of many years (since elementary school actually) posted a remembrance pic on her FB page and so I thought it fitting to share my own personal post as well here. I have included some special pics from my album in his loving memory ... 🙏

Me 'n' Mike at my parents house for a Fourth of July cookout - circa 1987. The first pic above was from 1985 taken the week we began dating - he was an usher in his friend's wedding and I was invited as his guest date. 

Rhiannon, my friend Dave (Deb's hubby), my friend Judy, and Mike posing for a pic at a karaoke nite back in 1996. This will always be one of my favorite photos of them all together!

Mike and I when we worked as bartenders at a local rod and gun club years back. We were both very actively involved with the club - he eventually served a couple of years as President and I was elected as Secretary.  This particular photo was taken at a Halloween Party held there one year. 👻

Mike and his family were the entire reason I was introduced to the joys of living with cats - through him and them, I learned to love and appreciate these magnificent fur babies and it has been a labor of love ever since. This is an old pic I took of Mike holding two of the kittens they rescued and brought inside as house kitties - Bummer and Brandy.

So many memories- both good (and perhaps not so good at times), but they are the one and only thing which will always remain in our hearts and our lives that no one or nothing can ever take away from us. Things said or even left unsaid no longer matter for me anymore - our love for him will continue on -  until we merry meet again someday.