Today was a special day for a bunch of reasons:

• It brought welcome relief.  My Mom died September 7 and we buried her September 12 (on Emma’s birthday).   So having a FUN, HAPPY thing to do 11days later was fantastic news. I couldn’t wait.
• It brought us together, all 13 of us, which is always so much fun.  We had crackers and dip, fruit and drinks and a grand old time.
• It was the first time we’ve ever taken a boat ride from our dock after 11 years of living at 44 Waterloo Circle. Grammy and I don’t own a boat, so we were excited about actually leaving our house from the water.
•  It gave us a cool new view.  We’ve been looking at the beautiful Piscataqua River from one perspective, but today we went East, up the river, and had a chance to see the beautiful inland waterways of Dover and Durham waterfront.  We went under three bridges over Little Bay, the one they’re using now, the new bridge they’re building and the rusty old one.   You loved walking (sometimes running) up and down and around the boat and crawling along the seating area.  Everyone visited the inside area where they sold candy which I, of course, bought for you guys!
• It gave us an awesome boat.  “The Heritage” is a famous and frequent sight in Portsmouth Harbor.  It brings tourists up and down the river all summer long, into the Fall.  People also use it to visit the Isles of Shoals.  It’s a beautiful wooden boat, a “Deltaville Deadrise” built in 1963.  It was used in Chesapeake Bay (around Washington, D.C.) for oystering and crabbing.
• It gave you souvenirs. Grammy and I bought you comfy sweatshirts and t-shirts that say “Portsmouth Harbor Cruises.” You love ’em.
•  It gave me an awesome ‘total family’ photo which will become my 2012 Christmas card! (see first photo below).
• It gave us great memories.  All of us will remember it – except for Madigan and Jack. Maybe we’ll do it again!

Losing someone you love deeply is one of the hardest things we face as human beings.  One minute they’re physically alive and in our world; the next, they’ve taken their last breath and moved on to a new place in the universe.

When it’s happening, you struggle to deal with it, the experience is emotional, confusing, disturbing, intense – and yes, very sad.

And so it goes with my Mom (your paternal great grandmother) who died Sept. 7 at the age of 89.  She was buried Sept. 12 in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Somersworth, NH, the city my (childhood) family lived in most of our lives.  She was 89 years old.

Despite living a long life, it’s never easy to say goodbye forever. I was there when she died with my sister and a few relatives and friends. We held hands together and stood around her bed at Bellamy Fields Assisted Living in Dover. She died peacefully on a bright, unusually warm September day.

The past week were hard to get through.  Fortunately the lights of my life – Grammy, your Mom’s and Dad’s and my grandchildren -were close by. You made tough days better, just by being who you are. While you couldn’t understand the concept of dying, you instinctively sensed sadness, things being different and people you love hurting inside.

Rita Blais Beaupre – my Mom – was born in 1923, went to school in Berlin, NH and married my Dad  (Donald J. Beaupre) – your great grandfather – in January 1951. They became parents in 1952 when my sister Francine was born; I came along a year later in 1953.

Mom was an outgoing person who loved life.  When she was younger, she’d drive to Hampton Beach in the summer (over 100 miles away) with her friends to enjoy the largest beach in NH.  She went to New York City with her best friend when she was single, attending Broadway shows and concerts.  She saw Frank Sinatra in the 1940’s when he was at his peak – Sinatra is one of the most famous singers of all time

Mom helped run my Dad’s photography business, BEAU STUDIOS, when they were first married and later worked in the Human Resources department of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for most of her adult life (my Dad also worked at the Navy Yard).  She had many friends, was a great Mom, and will be missed forever.  My blog about being 10 years old has a lot of insight about what my young life was like.

You’re  so young!  Ben, while you’re the oldest of the “Samurai Seven,” you’re the oldest at 9 years old.  Emma 7; Camden almost 7; Ainsley 5; Jack, almost 2 and Madigan, a mere one year old.  While words weren’t there, kindness was ever present.  You hugged me, were gentle, loving and created special drawings I’ll keep forever (see below).

You made a very hard time, much, much better. Thank you.  I love you to Pluto and back and am so incredibly lucky you’re in my life.

Today was a special day because it was Emma’s seventh birthday. Happy birthday Emma!

It was also the day I had to say goodbye to my Mom – your Great Grammy – at her funeral. And the day I had to go to the cemetery for her burial.  She was 89 years old, lived a good, long life and left many wonderful memories behind for the hundreds of people she touched.

Last Saturday, the day after my Mom died, you were sitting next to me on the field watching Emma play softball.  You put your hand on my arm and said several times how you wanted to be with me that day.  You were reaching out to me in an incredible way… not yet able to fully grasp the meaning of death, but also understanding in your soul that something had changed and your Papa was hurting inside. You were trying to make it better.

And you did.

I’ll never forget that moment.

When Grammy and I came to your house after the funeral today, you, Emma and Molly ran out the door, arms open wide, big smiles on your faces.  The hugs and kisses I stole from you never felt better.

You gave me a special drawing, one I will always treasure, saying “I made this for you  because I know you like the Beatles.” It was an amazing sketch of the yellow submarine, a drawing you did from your head.

I love you Ben. Thanks for making me feel so much better.

Summer’s over!

Well, maybe not officially yet, but once Labor Day arrives, everyone is re-focusing on Fall, school, work, cooler days and nights and football.

It’s just the way it always is.

On Labor Day, when you rounded the corner into our kitchen, Grammy and I saw an intriguing piece of art on a big piece of cardboard.

As a thank you for a great summer and many fun beach days, you created “the beach,” a colorful and creative expression that included a jellyfish, crab, bright sun and seaweed made out of green leaves.

We love it!

We sure had a blast with you this summer and hate to see it end.

But while the beach is my favorite place to be, I would trade it in a nanosecond just to be wherever you are.

Happy Fall!