birds of a feather: Son...

Seems like yesterday you were playing at one of your favorite parks with your sisters, rappelling out trees, fishing in the river with your stick and string, riding bikes with your friends, catching frogs, playing in the mud with your trucks, and incubating chicken eggs.

I loved being your cub scout leader... making birdhouses and derby cars and cooking with tuna cans in the back yard. Oh... you were such a delight!

It was not uncommon to come home from school to find you in the kitchen with my apron on cooking up a batch of brownies. You loved to cook!

You had the ability to entertain yourself for hours... whether it was building extraordinary things out of legos, playing with matchbox cars, swimming in the river, or riding the LTD bus.

The innocent years of your youth went by way too fast. You grew into a young man before I knew it.

I watched you enter adulthood when you got your first job and bought a jeep with your own money. I watched, with pride, the way you took care of things and people.

Making a family of your own brought a newfound joy all its own. I loved watching you be a father and see the love and concern you had for your children.

You always had an adventure going on in your head it seemed. I loved all our family trips together. You were just one of the kids when it came to snowball fights, sledding, exploring gardens and other places of nature. You never outgrew the "fun" of doing. All the kids... nieces and nephews, often thought of you as their favorite uncle.

Thirty two short years on earth wasn't long enough, but I don't think about how or why you left us. There was too much good about you. Labor Day will be forever changed. Today we will celebrate your life... forever.

I will always think about your soft, calming voice. Your laughter. Your funny personality and the hilarious way you had with words. Your phone calls that could last for hours, but only seemed like minutes. The unique droop of your lip when you smiled or cried. Your love of nature, gardening, and animals. Your kindness. Your gentleness. Just you... you as a glorious and worthy son.