Happy Birthday Neal

Today is the 72nd anniversary of Neal's birth.  The year he died we had a family dinner/wake to observe his birthday.  His daughters and his sisters told me they would bring everything for a spaghetti dinner, so I just set up for a buffet.  My family was arriving that evening for the funeral the next morning and we had a houseful of people.  I think 21 had dinner that night.  I can't remember for sure but I think I made Neal's favorite coconut cake as the dessert.
Some years I go to the cemetery but I didn't do that today.  I know he's not there and it was cold (I know that because we walked at 5:45 am when the temp was 32 degrees).
I put this picture on Neal's Facebook page today:

That was taken on Kauai in June 2003 when we were on our way to church.  My brother Steve and his wife were there and went to church with us.  Neal's grand kids, Megan and Isaac, didn't want to go so we left them at the condo to swim or hang out.  I think Megan was reading book 5 of Harry Potter.  A day or two later I fell off a trail at Princeville and broke my leg, and then all those stairs became a daily challenge for the last week of our trip.

Where was I?

I miss celebrating birthdays with my husband.  Today I made a memory pillow from his favorite Hawaiian shirt.  I should have practiced on a thrift store shirt but it's okay.  I'll do better the next time.  I have one other shirt I'm going to use for a second pillow.

I wish I had kept more of his shirts (all those tartan plaids!) but I only kept two that reminded me so much of him.  They will both become cuddle pillows for my bed.

Happy Birthday, sweetheart.  I will love you forever.