Bereavement Days

I took 3 days Bereavement for Grandpa's funeral. Mark took me to Packwood to have a few days just to think and talk through my grandfather's passing. The mountain and time with Mark is just what I needed to process the whole month. I can't believe my grandpa is gone. He was such a wonderful man and absolutely loved everyone he met. He never met a stranger ever!  Mark and I spent our days geocaching more finds near Packwood and Milton, sight seeing Paradise and Boxed Canyon, eating a yummy meal at the Blue Spruce, and making Mark's favorite recipe that I thought I had lost and hadn't made in 10 years (just suddenly showed up). The views up at Boxed Canyon were amazing. Mark had to use the restroom at Boxed Canyon so I snuck down a path that was off the marked trail to a beautiful rock cliff that overlooked the canyons. I was pretty nervous to get near the ledge but I did for a quick picture! The view was incredible!!  Probably could've told Mark where I went.....so he didn't worry so much! We took the trail on the opposite side of the street and got to see the water rushing off the mountain 115-165 feet down. The way the water had cut a path through the rocks, demonstrated the beauty and fierceness of nature. We also saw plenty of trees that had fallen, and one large tree that was ripped off the earth at it's roots. We stopped at Reflection Lake, which was my favorite by far. Reflection Lake was still covered mostly with snow from last winter, but on one side it had cleared and you could briefly see the Reflection of the mountain off the water. A sight that I will always remember!! Reflecting on my grandpa's life, my life, and our future is what it inspired me to do. I remember Grandpa saying last time I saw him, that he'd had "a long and good life and that he lived it the best he could, and that is all a person could do, and be expected to do." He wasn't a perfect man by far. I don't believe anyone truly is, but he tried his best. I remember Arline telling me about her mom and how she never showed love to the three girls, and that physical touch wasn't something she could do, but she did what she could. People allow memories or past stressors to shape them into who they are and breaking free from that takes an act of God to accomplish. So Grandpa showed loved however he could. Maybe it was by writing in his diary every single day that you dropped by, or by allowing you to pick his raspberries, or by giving you money, or by calling you on your birthday without fail, or by riding you around in his Model T, or by having/hosting family get togethers, or by buying you your first cup of coffee, or by having breakfast with you. All those things shouted "I love you, and I'm proud of who you are," even though the words were never spoken. He loved how he could love.

Paradise was filled with people, so it wasn't my favorite place that day, but we had a wonderful lunch at the top of Paradise, and toured Paradise Inn at Mt. Ranier. I would not want to be there if the mountain ever blew but the beauty of the inn and its surroundings is well worth the stay if he didn't.

We also used the firepit at the cabin, which we have only done one other time. We were inspired by Marci and Megan Huggler after stopping in on them at their cabin. They were outside in 90 degree heat cooking smores and chatting! CraZy kids! Back at the cabin, We must've stayed out by the fire for a good two hours, chatting, reading a Ghost story by the fire, picking out constellations with the help of Mark's star app, and of course, eating smores. It was THE best time. Until I got scared!