I recall this day last year.

We spoke to Andrew a few times during the day. His hand was hurting him for he had broken it on Friday and had it set on Saturday. He was going to get some books today for school then relax for the day. School started tomorrow.

He was looking forward to starting his senior year – his last year of school. He worked so hard for the past three years and he was glad to be finishing up. Although he knew he probably needed his masters degree, he was about to complete college. Graduating was something he was looking forward to so much. We talked to him taking just the four classes, a little less stress for him, a little easier…and then just completing his degree over the summer with a couple of electives. He was happy that we were not pushing him to finish in May, but rather over the summer.

We talked about his job. He had a full time permanent job with a software company in Denver starting when he graduated. It was his dream job, making great money, living in Boulder, easy hours and and he got it before he even started his senior year. That took so much pressure of him.

We talked about Jovi. She was with her mom for the weekend and he missed her – although she was gone only a few days. He was very happy with her, and we know that they loved each other unconditionally. He loved her youthfulness and the fact that she accepted him for whatever he was. He loved to buy her little gifts – like candles, or Hello Kitty notebooks and bags. Whatever he bought her, she was so happy with. And she would bring him food when he was studying, and they would hang out and hold hands for a little while until he had to go back. It was their special time together.

He asked about Buttercup – our new cat. We got her a week before he got home from college in June and he spent a lot of time with her over the summer, along with Daphne. He hinted at getting a cat out there for the two of them, for his apartment allowed them, but he wasn’t sure the two of them could care for one – they were not that responsible.

He reminded me to drive his car every few weeks to keep it in working order and make sure it didn’t freeze up. But I had to drive it slowly and had to be careful – I wasn’t allowed to drive it like he enjoyed driving his little sports car. The fact is I could barely fit into the car so performance driving it was pretty much not an option.

We talked about some other stuff as well, but it seemed insignificant. When I was there just two days before, we bought some sushi salmon for dinner. He made some white rice, cut up the fish, made his own rolls. He used the little soy sauce bowls we had bought last week. He was very particular about his soy sauce. He liked a couple of brands and would only use them. He told us that he was going to eat dinner now, then relax, watch some TV and head off to bed. He would talk to us Monday and tell us how school went on the first day.

We were so happy that he was happy. We were happy that he was in such a good place mentally and emotionally. Everything was good.

Then he went to sleep.
Forever.

There was so much more for him to do, but it was not to be.
There was so much for him to experience, but he never would.
There was so much more for him to tell the world, but we will never know.

We miss you and love you so much.
Today is going to be so hard.
And I don’t want to go to sleep tonight at all.