Kara Mauer - Random Post

 My random post is a little late unfortunately, but I'm excited to talk about the trip that I went on last week! My mom's extended family lives in a small town in Nebraska, which has led to many of the stories that my mom told me growing up. Unfortunately, her uncle passed away in his sleep last September, so we scheduled to head out to Nebraska in late June, when everyone was available for the memorial. We decided to road trip, because the scenery on the way is beautiful, and the drive was meant to be comfortable and healing. So, my family hopped in the car last week and made our way out there.

I've only been to Nebraska once in my life, and that was about 5 years ago. This time, everything felt different. The small town felt calming and peaceful, and I felt like I was finally getting a break from my busy schedule and routines. I was able to see all my family, and we reminisced about Uncle Jim, who was one of the best people I've ever known. We held the memorial at the military base, because he fought in the Air Force in Vietnam. Uncle Jim was a lover of family, God and his country which I always admired. The memorial was emotional, but in a bittersweet way. We all felt at peace. After the service we all gathered at a local restaurant and spent the rest of the night enjoying food, drinks, music and memories.

The next day we went through Uncle Jim's old things. He was an extremely talented painter who drew the people and places around him. He would send us paintings all the way in California for us to hang up in our homes. I have one of his paintings on my wall. These paintings are super special to me, because whenever I look at them, I'm reminded of him, and I feel his presence.