love letters in books

My mom and Leo have a lot of a few things:  cats, coffee mugs, wine glasses, scores/music, and books.  Lots of books.

Recently, I have been discovering the deep love and passion my mom and Leo had for one another.  They were so tuned in to one another - they would finish each other sentences or start the same story at the exact same moment, etc.  It was freaky - however - Leo would always say "Get your own brain" or "use your own brain" when it would happen.  It always made me laugh :).

For years, I have said I want a relationship to mimic theirs.  More than anything, the love he had for her was so evident.  I just know - that if I get to marry a man half like Leo - I'd be lucky.

After I meet Randall Williams - he simply wrote "Dude, Kathryn is cool.  We hung out some in Nashville." on Leo's facebook page.  Of course, I "liked" this comment - so I've been notified of comments since.  One of Mom's and Leo's friend posted a comment about finding a book from Leo - and how his note inside the book was so fitting for that moment in her life.  My mom responded with this:

"I have shelves of books that we have given each other over the years that we felt compelled to inscribe to each other.  My most favorite is a book of photographs of cats called, "City Cats."  He had spent his life being told that he was highly allergic to cats and shouldn't be around them.  When he got me, he also got a couple of cats.  In the book he gave me he wrote, "So many things I have learned to love through you...even cats...even myself.  With endless love, Leo"

Love that note.  I think I'm probably going to have to incorporate that note into my talk at the memorial service.

Speaking of the service - I asked my dad to bring up some of my pictures from the house in Marietta.  I have found a lot of Leo, mom, Andrew and I.  I even found the picture that I took of Leo's car at the time...when I started attending UT...he put a 'power T' on the back of his car.  It might have hurt his soul - but I loved it!

The pictures are making me realize how many adventures he took me on.  I miss those adventures and hate that we won't have any more.

Good lord - I miss him dearly.

-Kathryn-