Giving Thanks

Colin,

Daddy is not in a very talkative mood today, so I am not going to bore you with more useless articles regarding what SIDS is or is not or how some people shove their theories down your throat while others just speak so ignorantly that Daddy just wants to punch their lights out. Reading and thinking about all that stuff sometimes just wears Daddy out, so he is taking a break from researching anything and everything regarding SIDS for a bit. It is not like any of that research is going to bring you back, so a break is needed and welcomed.

The one thing I do want to share with you is who to give thanks to this Thanksgiving. Daddy may forget some names, so hopefully those who do not make the list will not be offended.

Daddy is thankful for...

1. Mommy and Ava - without them Daddy does not know where he would be or how he would survive any of this
2. Mr. Philip - he was there for the most horrible night of my life and kept my other most precious gift safe and sound while Mommy and Daddy had to deal with the unthinkable
3. Ms. Vicki and Mr. Chris - they shared perspectives no one else I knew could and let me ask very difficult questions that no one else I knew could help answer...and still do
4. Mr. Pat and Ms. Cathy - they were going to be your godparents and your Daddy still considers them as such
5. Mr. Roger and Ms. Ellen - they are "just there" in so many ways for us and will be missed very much as they move to Oregon
6. Ms. Kathy and Mr. Rick - they have become very good friends and offer a deep source of comfort, and when talking to them at the funeral mass, Daddy's hands finally stopped shaking in large part because they just listened
7. Walter - he lets Daddy talk about you in ways that I only share with him
8. Jonathan - he gave Daddy some of the best advice and counsel during the very early days after you died, and for that your Dad is forever grateful
9. Uncle Michael - he made me get out of the house for a baseball game that we never did get to, but turned into a night where we (and Mr. Phil, and Mr. Greg) got to be just guys for a night
10. The entire lakeside/Greenbelt community - their are just too many to name individually, but the support, the meals, the visits, the talks, the walks, the love and caring were overwhelming and we could not ask for a better community in which to live
11. All those who attended your funeral mass, again too many to name individually, but the amount of love, support, and compassion we received was tremendous and started the healing process because Daddy knew that you were and are very loved by a great many people 
12. Finally...You...Colin - you have taught Daddy more things than you know and have changed me in more ways than I can express, and you listen when Daddy feels no one else would understand...thank you!

I love you very much!
Daddy