Grateful!

Today we celebrated Vito's 32nd Birthday with his favorite cake.  I'm so lucky to have had him in my life.  Love to you Vito, we miss you so very much.

Thirty one years, Happy Birthday Vito

Most of my Vito pictures are already on this blog so what 's left aren't that good.  I'm sharing them anyway and hopefully no one gets offended.

Vito on his 16th birthday 1999

Vito and Scott playing a game at the Renaissance Festival 1997.  Scott is showing off the medallion necklace he won.

Father's Day 1998 left to right Scott's Dad Lee, Vito, my Mom Linda, Scott's Aunt Chris and his Mom Sharon, my brother Michael and Scott.  Sadly we also lost Scott's Aunt Chris several years ago and Scott's Mom last year.

Vito at the Hogan reunion 1999

Happy 30th Vito

    It's so hard to believe that if my son had lived he would be thirty years old today.  There would be no denying that he was a grown man, most likely with a career and possibly with a wife and children.  Over the years I've found that imagining such scenarios is folly and it brings little satisfaction but I do it anyway.  He brought great joy to my life and I miss him deeply.

      To celebrate Scott and I will eat pineapple upside down cake (Vito's favorite) and reminesce over the photos that have been dug out.  It's so amazing how much he sprouted from May '96 to Aug. '97.  He loved life and wanted to grow up fast so he could do everything that grownups do.  He loved having fun and didn't tolerate the "shoulds" and duties of life very well.  He wanted to live his life his way.  Considering how short it was I hope he was able to do that enough.  Love you Hon.

May '96 Scott and Vito (age 12), Alex Bay

Aug. '97 Scott and Vito (age 13) at the Renaissance Faire

Aug. 16, 1997 Vito and my sister Laura at our wedding leaving the church

Vito enduring the wedding photo shoot, so handsome.

Aug. 16, 1997 Vito and my sister Laura entering our wedding reception hall all smiles

Kindergarten Silhouette

Vito's Silhouette, May 1989

     These are so cool and a very nice keepsake.

Grade School Art

It's Veteran's Day, a day we remember the sacrifices our veterans have made for us.  We are forever grateful.

It's also the eleventh anniversary of the day we lost Vito.  Here is some artwork he made in grade school that I love and still display.

Happy 29th Birthday Vito

Some days the only way I can move forward is to look back.  Pictures bring back long forgotten memories that get polished with hindsight and understanding until they shine brightly.

July 4,1995 Party, Vito age 11

Winter 1995 Lynn and Vito (age 12)

December 1995 Scott, Vito, Lynn

December 1995 Vito age 12

February 1996 Vito being tickled by Scott

April 1996 Lynn and Vito reading

Some of the best times I spent with Vito is when we would hang out...just being...together.

Random pics age 11-13

October 1994, Vito playing Nintendo

1995 7th Grade pic

1995 Vito (center)

October 1996 8th Grade pic

Age 10

Vito's Fifth grade School picture

Opening gifts on his tenth Birthday

 

1993 trip to Virginia

We went with a friend to Virginia Beach, Busch Gardens and Water World where Vito enjoyed an ice cream.

Remote controlled plane 1992

 

As you can see by the pure joy on his face Vito loved the outdoors, remote controlled toys and being around people.  Vito is on the left, his friend Kenny is in the red hat.

Spring and Summer of 1991

Vito at his Aunt and Uncle's house, May 1991

Vito and his Uncle Mike at Boldt Castle in Alex Bay

Fry family reunion July, 1991

Random pictures from 1988

Vito at a school function

Vito and friend Chris at Chuckie Cheese

Vito with his Uncle's dog

Christmas 1988

Vito opening presents on Christmas day, so cute.

Vito opening his train set.

Smokie playing with his new toy mouse.

Vito playing with Smokie.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Ten years

Vito and Scott, Christmas 2000

It's hard to believe that ten years have passed since we lost Vito.  Looking back I'm struck by the fact that Scott and I had only been married four years at the time.  From an oddly detached perspective I realized that it was a very young marriage to have to deal with such a loss.  

I wanted to write a very deep, profound poem to commemorate the date but writers block left me with only this short, basic refrain:

I miss your smile, I miss your eyes

I miss your fun loving ways.

I miss your hair sparkling in the sun,

I miss those simple days.

Love, Mom

Happy Birthday Vito

Thinking of you and missing you.  Love, Mom

Play time

Here's Vito riding a scooter at his Aunt's house in 1988.

More 1988 Pics

Vito in the dining room of my apartment in 1988

Our cat Smokie in 1988.  He passed away about a year later and Vito took it very hard.

Vito all psyched up and ready for school, Kindergarten.

Fall of 1988

Fun in the tub

Big Smile!

Crashed after a long day

  

Portraits 1986

These pictures came out really nice.

We got the 8x10 of this one, love it.