Dear friends, 

We wanted to share an update, our apologies for taking so long to do so. Until today I have not been able to go onto the Caring Bridge site, needed time...I look forward to looking at the comments and pictures shared. 

Morgan, Carson and I are so appreciative of every act of kindness, support and love shown to us over the past six weeks. Texts, calls, emails, carpooling, flowers, treats, gifts and beautiful cards...have meant the world to us, truly kept us upright on some very challenging days. I did not think we would need meals delivered (my friends knew better) ..but now I could not imagine what we would have done without them, they have been delicious, thoughtful, creative and more importantly...sustaining. Words will forever be inadequate to describe how grateful we are and how much everything has meant to us. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of donations made to the kids college fund, had no idea...thank you. 

The kids have been very brave, I am proud of them...each has focused on school, sports, spending time with friends and giving me a lot of love. I have returned to work, feeling very supported with amazing colleagues and company leadership. We are trying to find our way into a new normal, while trying to keep familiar comforts and routines going. We spend time together at the end of each day to connect, sharing details of our day, cheering each other on, sometimes for what might seem to be very small successes...details have taken on a new meaning. We meet for 'couch time', to cuddle (kids do not like that word) - lol I get to hug the kids extra while watching movies/tv shows...these special moments literally give me the strength to face the next day. 

We miss Tom terribly, in everything we do, his absence is felt deeply, he touched every part of our daily life from morning to night. So the heartache is palpable. But, we know what he would want and expect from us...to move forward, to work hard, to stay on course, to stay close, to be kind to each other and to ourselves ..he would want us to laugh...so we are trying our very best to do all of the above. 

For Thanksgiving we went to Yosemite National Park, a first visit for the kids...but for me personally it is a very special place. Tom loved Yosemite, so much so that he took me there in 2003 to hike up to the top of Half Dome, with the plan to propose. He did not share that the hike was ~16 miles round trip with an elevation of 4,800 feet, and the final climb would be terrifying. The journey created some very frustrating moments, to put it mildly. While putting snow on my neck to lower my heartrate, body temperature...improve my attitude...he told me that I would never make it to the top...saying later he only said that because he knew how stubborn I was...(apparently the most he had ever met) and liked to be challenged, and he knew those skills would get me there. It worked. By the time we did make it to the top he wanted to push me off... so there was no proposal - lol But we got the picture to prove it and later a t-shirt and I made it clear that I would never do it again...he said I would. 

Returning to Yosemite with the kids felt right. Yosemite is majestic, one of those spectacular places where you are in awe of the beauty that surrounds you. It feels like a Heaven on Earth, a place that holds you and fills your soul with peace and serenity. Both kids loved the experience. I took them to the - Ahwahnee Hotel, to the location Tom proposed to me the 'day after' our epic hike. The place where our life together began... This time I returned with two great kids beside me...Tom loved them more than anything in the world. He left me with the best part of him, and knowing what I know now, I would do it all again. It feels like I am climbing Half Dome again... 

Including a few pictures of our weekend, to let you know we are all doing as well as we possibly can. Healing our hearts so we can treasure the memories and make new memories in the months and years ahead. 

Wishing everyone a beautiful holiday season, hold each other close, tell those that you care about how much you love them, enjoy each day. We are sending out hugs to all of you reading this update and so much love. 

XOXOXOX - Barbara, Morgan and Carson - XOXOXOXO