Friday evening, Dad’s Celebration of Life was just how we would’ve wanted it. Our family gathered earlier in the day to prepare and brace ourselves for the evening, believing it was going to be so hard. But we had already done the hard part. An up and down week in the hospital was much harder than receiving the outpouring of love and well wishes from everyone who showed up Friday night. Dad would’ve been stunned at how many of you came and even more who sent notes. He was so humble he never truly understood how wide the circle of people who’s lives he had touched was. We are grateful to you all. Showing up shored us up and made a hard evening a lot easier. 

We all stayed at mom and dad’s Friday night, some of us crashing early and some of us laughing and talking too loudly well into the night. It was good to be together. Saturday we moved a little slower, resting and taking it easy but feeling like we were finally coming out of the fog. 

We finally relaxed and had one more gathering - a “sit down dinner” that Dad loved. We had Dad’s favorite food, wine, music, stories and jokes. And of course his favorite people. We missed his presence at the table deeply. But it was made tolerable by being together. Laughing through tears and raising a glass in Dad’s honor. Ending with an epic cork fight. And like any of our legendary family cork fights, Dad started it.

Thank you and love you all.