This spring marks the 1 year anniversary for two things:
1.-April 20th is the 1 year marker for Jacob and I. It’s gone by so fast, but at the same time it feels like forever. More on that later.
2.-This mothers day weekend marks 1 year since Lincoln died. I go to visit Lincoln’s grave this week for the first time since his burial, and I know it’s going to continue to bring up funny memories of him.
Some of the things I look back on quite often about Lincoln (however small):
-Lincoln lived with us when I was in preschool/kindergarten. He’d often work on a motorcycle in our garage and I would help him. He gave me a white toy model porsche one day when we were watching the show Chips. When we sat down to watch, I asked, “Where’s the chips?!” He went into the kitchen, grabbed some potato chips, and we ate chips while watching Chips. We also enjoyed watching Dumb and Dumber.
-Remember his grungy van? I used to beg him to put fur on it like the van in Dumb and Dumber.
-One day we drove to his work and his tire caught on fire on the freeway. Oops.
-One night I slept over with him in Crissy’s mom’s basement where they were living, while Crissy was at work (she worked nights.) We sat for hours talking, interim eating the mystery flavored popsicle from the freezer by his bed. What was the mystery flavor? We never figured it out. That night he promised to always be supportive of me in my life, no matter what I chose to do with it.
-The Christmas he spent in Seattle with us before he proposed to Crissy was eventful. Giancarlo and my mom were attacked by a squirrel on our front porch. Lincoln went outside and chased it with a trike, various yard tools, and eventually a rock. The rock got the squirrel, and the day after, it had rained and we picked up the rock. The outline of the squirrel remained on the wet pavement. I was furious at Lincoln, being the animal enthusiast that I was. He let Hilary and I paint his leg neon orange with nail polish to make up for my sadness.
-Lincoln always had tons of kids playing at his house, laughing and pulling his finger. One of these times, Lincoln and I stayed in the kitchen and made his enchiladas. I’d eat chicken again if I could have some of those!
-Lincoln took me for rides on his bike and reminded me not to burn my leg on the exhaust pipe.
-Lincoln hung out with me at rallies, and asked me to be his crew chief. I always will be.
-Lincoln once gave me a ‘make your own slime’ kit for Christmas.
-The last time Lincoln and I spent a whole bunch of time together, we made signs for Hilary, Rennen, and I that said ‘Sisters: always there when you need them, but mostly when you don’t.’
The last time I saw Lincoln, he was walking with a cane and was bald, tired, and hurting. He struggled to talk with us all. I can’t remember if I hugged him goodbye, and unlike my mom, I had no idea I wouldn’t see him again. I regret not going to Arielle’s wedding, just because of some stupid school projects I’d had that week. I look at the wedding pictures and wonder if there ever was a picture with him and I both in it together.
My favorite color is yellow now, like his racing suit and Marach’s balloons and his casket.The memories go on forever, I guess. We’ll always be sad. I’ll always feel like he’s there with me when I feel like I can’t take it.
Sweet Amelia. I had no idea those signs came from Lincoln and you. Life goes by so fast I don’t catch a lot of the important details. I am so glad that you girls had time with such good uncle as Lincoln. Extended family fills the gaps of childhood. I love you and am glad that we are going to Utah this week together as a family. See you in a few hours at the airport!
it is so good to record these things. Seriously, as much as you love something or think you will always remember it, thoughts and memories fade. It is great that you are keeping someone so special to you fresh in your mind.