The things life, love and R & R bring...

The recollection of driving to the airport with my dad to pick up a family friend

The shot of cold blood that flows from my spine to my outer extremities when I realize that we’re not getting this fictitious family friend from the airport, we’re getting Bernie

The word, delayed

A six inch American Flag

Locking eyes with my husband in an empty airport

Smiling

Hugging

Seeing my dad get teary eyed as Bern hugs me

Getting into a car with him

Eating at our favorite restaurant

Hearing our dog, Jenny, whine when she saw Bernie

The way his face lit up when he saw our apartment for the first time

The way he rearranged everything (for the better)

Colorado

Grocery shopping with him

Seeing our Vacation Rental

Late nights

Skiing

Hot tubs

The thought of getting tattoos

3 hours in IKEA

Seeing the expression on people’s faces as Bern danced around with a shopping cart

Buying our first bedroom set

Bernie singing Happy Birthday to me

Lit candles

16 hours in the car with him

Picturing Bernie in Home Depot trying to figure out when power tool is the best

Watching him put together our bedroom set

Cleaning our apt

Making our apt a mess

Clothes all over the bedroom floor

Half unpacked boxes

Laundry

Potato chips and French onion dip

Spooning

Measuring out 2 tablespoons of medicine for his horrible stomach flu

Getting a military haircut

Watching 2 and a third movies together in one day

Laughing so loud the whole restaurant can hear us

Eating the same food we did on our wedding night

The joy of acting like 80 year olds with our after dinner coffee and carrot cake

Making check lists of things to do before he’s home

Buying energy drinks because we’re convinced we’ll stay up all night

The feeling of him brushing my hair behind me ear

The sickening noise of the Alarm going off screaming, “It’s time for him to leave.”

The stuffing of tissues into pockets

Driving under the speed limit on our way to the airport

The nice lady at the registration desk

The ride up the escalator

The thankfully slow moving line in front of security

Tears

Our final hug and kiss

Holding tight

Tears in stranger’s eyes

The nice officer who told Bernie I was still waving at him

Our final wave and air kiss

The words, “I love you,” that quietly echo through the empty airport