Sunday, October 10, 2021

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2008. Mattie went to visit his friend Campbell that day. Campbell was a close friend from kindergarten. I loved watching them play, because it always involved great dialogue and creativity. As you can see they both were taking a break for a Halloween themed cookie treat. 

Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.

• Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 44,334,811
• Number of people who died from the virus: 713,018

I am slowly coming out of the Fosamax frenzy. Today I am dealing with a low grade fever and occasional abdominal pains. The pains are intense, but nothing like yesterday. Even the achiness is better, but then again, I am on around the clock Advil and Tylenol. Which helps a lot. 

I was able to do some things around the house today. One of the things we focused on were boxes and things still piled up in the basement. 

Though I saw the items Mattie's school gave me in the spring, Peter actually got the chance to look at them today. Mattie's school gave us a high school diploma for Mattie and they included his name on the list of graduates. They certainly did not have to do these things, but it is nice that he is remembered in this way. Peter then went through the class yearbook. I have to admit that I did not do this for many reasons. We got to see many of the senior year photos of Mattie's friends and classmates. 

I have to say that it was a surreal experience to see children who I knew at age 6 and 7, now as young adults. For me Mattie is forever 7, and therefore in my mind so are his friends. Yet the reality of the yearbook was jarring because it confirmed what it hard to accept.... that Mattie is gone, while the other children have grown, matured, and are thriving and going to college. Naturally I wouldn't have it any other way for Mattie's classmates, but nonetheless, the yearbook is a painful and very visual reminder. Peter wanted me to throw the yearbook out. I haven't, because perhaps at a later date I will actually be able to look at it. Today was NOT that day. But I get Peter's sentiments wholeheartedly. 

Obviously unlike the other students who graduated in 2020, Mattie did not have a page devoted to himself. Actually there was no mention of Mattie in the yearbook. Again, I understand why, and it is not a fault of the School's, but the nature of the death of a classmate. In retrospect, I should have contacted the School and had a page about Mattie Miracle inserted into the yearbook. A page that could have been dedicated to the memory of Mattie, their classmate. Mattie wasn't physically there graduating with them, but his spirit will always remain within that class.