Silver Falls

We arrived in Pagosa very late Saturday night. Thanks to Dave and Iris for sharing their beautiful mountain home. It has the most amazing views.

Yesterday morning we had a big breakfast and took off for Silver Falls. Silver Falls is off East Fork Road between Pagosa Springs and Wolf Creek Pass and in the middle of the privately owned East Fork Ranch. Iris' nephew, Larry Ash, is a home builder in Pagosa and knows the owner of the ranch as he remodeled the old family cabin. Since then, he became good friends with them. He now oversees the ranch. He heard we were coming back to spread Pat's ashes at Silver Falls and offered us the use of the ranch. On the ranch are tents with a full kitchen and a tent for camping. Also included is the best trout fishing in Colorado as well as some four wheelers to ride.

The boys went fishing yesterday morning early and after the rest of us arrived we hiked up to Silver Falls. It was very steep but beautiful. It was cloudy as we climbed, but the sun appeared just as we arrived at the top of the falls.

After we all caught our breath, I read an entry from one of Pat's journals and prayed. We each shared in the spreading of his ashes in the water. 

Silver Falls

Silver Falls Cabin

It was a moment I will never forget and I felt Pat's presence the whole time. He would have loved the trout fishing the best!

Afterwards we cooked some hot dogs and went for rides on the four wheelers. The boys fished until late and our evening was finished with a huge dinner and laughter.

Pat, we miss you. Colorado isn't the same without you.

Hugs!

xoxo

Me & Angie

Me & Kelly

Me & G

The Beginning of the Final Chapter

As I write, we are driving to Pegosa Springs, Colorado to enjoy our favorite place, but most importantly to carry Pat's ashes to rest in what He called God's country. This trip is certainly going to be bitter sweet and it is hard to believe we are traveling without him. After all he is the first one to introduce me to beautiful Colorado in the summer time in July of 1983.

There are six of us riding in a black, rented Toyota Sequoia. Nice ride. Matt has been driving since we left Burleson after 10 this morning and we are arriving Amarillo. Arty and Alex are joining the four of us. Elizabeth has the prime stop in the very back!

It doesn't feel like seven months since Pat left us and over time it has gotten harder. We miss him so much.

Ready to see the mountains!

Courage

On this date I would always ask Pat, "You know what today is?" His answer was "no" most of the time. 31 years ago my future husband waltzed in to Lake Murray Lodge wearing his hirache sandals (never saw those before) and soon asked that girl behind the desk wearing her yellow britches if she could go out with one of her tenants". As you know she said "yes". 

Pat has been gone over seven months now and my heart hurts just as much or more than the day we said goodbye.  I still say to myself almost every day, "I can't believe he is gone."  Life is so different now and offers me so many challenges and many times beyond my comfort zone.  God calls that pruning and it hurts.  

Today I received a FB message that read: " God put you on my heart this AM. Seems as if he told me to pray that you would have courage to continue to stand strong. Resonate?"  As I read these words I just started to cry as I knew that God just used my friend to send me a direct message.  "Have courage, Paige".   I need a lot of that right now.  

God is faithful and I am holding onto that promise.