Celebrating Dad

Dear Teo,

It has been two years since the accident, and while I have found peace and a great deal of joy in my life (especially since your birth), I still find it hard to believe that Dad and your brother, Sagey are gone.  I wish I could call Dad and tell him about the funny, sweet, wonderful moments I have with you.  And I wish Sage were here, toddling and talking and being your buddy. 

My Aunt Coreen sent out an email with a list of ways to celebrate Dad's life.  My aunts Elaine and Margie and I added some more.  Here is the list:  

Ways to Celebrate Dennie's Life

(1-9 from Coreen)

1. Dig in the dirt.

2. Plant some spinach or lettuce seeds. Maybe throw in a radish seed or two.

3. Eat a HUGE slice of rhubarb pie. If that's not available, apple pie may be substituted as long as it isn't too damn sweet.

4. Eat thick slices of banana bread with just a little butter. If you don't have Mom's recipe, get it from Elaine.

5. Every morning for breakfast have a serving bowl sized serving of hot cereal. It may not taste the best, but it is filling and you'll never be constipated!

6. Work in your yard until you are sweaty and tired. Next, sit in your back yard and drink a cold beer to wash away the sweat. If one doesn't do the trick, have another.

7. Laugh out loud no matter how dumb the joke is.

8. Hug someone you love so tightly you can hear the air escape from their lungs.

9. Live each day trusting that it is your best day ever no matter how painful. Learn its lessons well, so you can move on. 

(10-16 from Jessie)

 10.  If you have the misfortune of being stuck in a hospital, break out and walk to a coffee shop for a chai (dragging your IV along with you).  When the security guard finally catches up to you, act innocent. 

11.  When gardening, pay small children to kill the cabbage moths.  Children might also be hired to change baby diapers or wash your truck.

12. Leave dirt on the carrots.  A little dirt never hurt anyone.  Why the heck would anyone wash a carrot?

13.  Laugh your ass off . . . frequently.

14.  Remember, only boring people get bored. 

15.  Love your family.  And love your kids more than you ever thought was possible.  

16.  Remember, even if the house you build is never finished, your life is your masterpiece.

(17-20 from Margie)

17.  Become who you are . . . And then let go. 

18.  Let others tell the story of your life.

 

19. When the doctors tell you you don’t have long to live, start renovating your kitchen—a ten-year job.

20. Go trout fishing; swamp the canoe and dump your passengers in the creek.

(21 from Elaine)

 21.   meditate often, as he did on:

               the existence of God

               the beauty of the sagebrush desert

               the magnificence of the coyote

               the limitations of traditional medicine

               the pitfalls of alternative medical treatments

               the connections that we make with others

               the bonds that are forged

               the possibility of second victories

 I hope this list gives you a glimpse of who your grandpa was, Teo.  When you are big enough, I'll give you a giant bear hug, and then I'll throw you over my shoulder "like a sack of potatoes" and run you around the house, which is what he did to me when he would get home after a long day at work.  

I am the person and the parent I am in part because of his example, so even though you will not meet him, he will be in your life in some indirect way.  

Loving you, and Sage, and Dad, always,

Mama

Six Months Old!

Dear Teo,

Happy six month birthday.  This has been a big month for you.  You are making lots of new sounds, including a pterodactyl screech when you are excited.  You are ticklish now, and you love when we play "Here Comes the Tickle Bug." 

Papa and I went on our first date since you were born.  Our friend, Katie, watched you.  She used to be a teacher at the Relief Nursery, and she is getting her masters in Early Childhood Intervention, so we figured she was qualified enough to watch you for a couple of hours.  

Our course, she was wonderful with you.  We went out for a nice dinner, and when we got home, you barely looked up before turning back to Katie to keep playing. 

 Last week, your first tooth finally emerged.  I think I even know the moment it happened.  You were in the carseat, and you suddenly shoved both fists in your mouth and said, "Arrrraaaaarrrraaaarrrr!"  I didn't think much of it at the time, but later, your papa noticed your bottom front tooth had come in.   

Since the arrival of your little tooth, we have started experimenting with feeding you solid foods.  The first thing you seemed to really enjoy was broccoli.

One evening while I was prepping vegetables for dinner, I handed you a piece of broccoli and you instantly started chewing on it.  You seemed pretty annoyed when I took it away, actually.  I steamed the broccoli and pureed a bit for you.  You loved it . . . as long as you were able to use the spoon yourself.  You really didn't want my help! 

I am so excited to be cooking for you and sharing delicious, organic vegetables with you.  It will be even more fun this summer when we can work in the garden and cook vegetables we grew ourselves.  

Papa has been working hard to put six raised beds in our backyard.  This will be the first time we have had a garden, and we have a lot to learn, but as with so many things in life, the process will surely be as enriching as the final product.  

Here are a few more photos from this month . . .

Our Birth to Three group, minus Papa because he had to work that night.

Visiting our friend, Lobsang, and his son, Tenzin. 

Big boy at the park.

Sage's Bench

Dear Teo,

My friend, Lupe, and her family donated a bench to the Relief Nursery with a nameplate honoring your brother, Sage.  Yesterday she stopped by the Nursery, and I got a photo of her sitting on the bench,  holding you.  What a special gift, and what special people.

Sage Sebastian Carpenter