May, I always remember

I have been focused on how very different the last two Mays were.

Last year at this time I was packing and repacking, getting ready to visit Deborah and David in Salekhard, Siberia for 4 weeks with Andrew and Bre. I experienced things I never imagined I would experience.

Andrew, Bre and I on our way!

Snow on the mountains
in Yamal-Nenetski Siberia.

My May snowman.

Sleds reindeer pull.

Sunglasses at 10 PM are a necessity.

Andrew, Bre and me at the
Arctic Circle monumant.

These are the people I ate
reindeer stew and
reindeer fat with.

Deborah, Selah, Bre, Abigail and me in the back seat
David and Andrew in the front on our way to church.

Final goodbye at the airport.

Two years ago I was packing and getting ready to go on vacation here.

with this man

 Our first vacation alone in years. We experienced a lot of new things. Sitting on the beach or on our balcony for hours, doing only what we wanted to do. If I wasn't totally convinced that Bill is in a better place and at rest I would definitely be wishing we we were packing to go back here.

As I was searching for pictures from the last two Mays I went back a year too far. I had forgotten about May 2013. I had recently exchanged my casts for a wrist splint and a boot. Abigail and Selah helped me plant flowers.

May seems to be a big month for memory making.

Here's to having 

open eyes,

open ears

and an open heart 

to continue making memories that bring smiles.