Happy 60th Dad!

I can't believe he has been gone over 5 years now. It seems like just yesterday he was snuggling with his first grandchild. Now Fiona is in kindergarten and a born performer. Dad would be so proud. The years roll by and life moves forward, but we never forget how much we miss him.

Its been five years this week . . . .

Thoughts this week go back to five years ago . . . how could that much time have elapsed? Time does heal some things, but it never takes away missing him and all the fun he added to this family. This year our annual gathering to remember him will be in Thailand---Sarah, Rachel and I are going to meet Rebekah and Joshua there over spring break. They have been serving in the Peace Corps in Turkmenistan the past 1 1/2 years. He would love to have traveled with us, I miss having him here to do that. We will miss having Drew's family with us . . but its just a little to far to take everybody. Kent was all about adventures, I know he would approve us taking off on this journey. This fall we will be able to all be together when they return from the PC service.

Canoeing in the Boundary Waters

This picture of Dad, his brother Jerry and good friend Doc was taken on our way out to spend a week paddling around the Boundary Waters/Quateco Wilderness area in northern Minnesota. My cousins and sibling and I had a great time spending a week in the wilderness with these guys every summer while we were in high school. I will never forget what a great bonding experience those times provided. I hope to bring my own kids back there some day.

A picture is worth 1,000 words

I was looking at some old pictures of Dad today, thinking about how much I miss him. I decided that I should post a few of the ones which have interesting stories behind them. Starting today, I plan to post about a picture a week of my Dad, along with the story behind it. Please add comments about your memories of Kent that you may be reminded of.

How did 4 years go by?

It has been 4 years now since we lost Dad, but it still seems like just yesterday that he and Mom drove up to La Crosse for Fiona's first and only beauty contest. We still miss him every day, but he lives on in all of us, and I know he is keeping a close eye on his grand kids from heaven.

I thought today would be a good opportunity to post a photo album of all our memories of Kent. Please spend some time remembering the moments captured in the photos at the link below. These are the same pictures that were shown at his celebration of life service in 2005.

Photo Album

Rafting the Skykomish

In honor of Dad's Birthday this year, all of his children went rafting down the Skykomish river. My wife, Katie Jean, decided to sit this one out, but our new brother Josh was along for the ride. It was a cold, rainy day but we were prepared and and had a wonderful time. We had Dad's favorite canoe paddle strapped in as our spare and I couldn't help but smile knowing that a little piece of him was along for the ride. There were plenty of tight squeezes with the water so low and I even took an unexpected swim in the icy water for a minute or so. We miss you Dad, but we are still making memories, just like you taught us.

The anniversary

It was 3 years ago today that Kent's wife, his children and his granddaughter Fiona surrounded him as he made the journey to heaven. Many people say that children have a special connection to God and at the moment he died, Fiona looked above his bed and just giggled and smiled as if she was seeing him head for heaven. Did she see him? We will all be able to ask when we get to heaven for the family reunion.

Three years and half of it I have been in Seattle. . . Drew and Katie have a new son, Keegan. Rebekah married Joshua O'Halloran, so I have a new son. Rachel is completing her sophomore year in college, and Sarah is making a big impact in the state bureaucracy of Minnesota. He would be so proud of how they are all going M.A.D. making a difference.

Kent's mom and stepdad

They died just two weeks apart last month and have joined Kent in heaven, I can just imagine the talking, laughing and hugging that has been nonstop since Ruth headed to heaven on October 10 and our step dad Gerald on October 23. He had been in the final stages of Lou Gehrigs disease, but her death was a surprise, a sudden heart attack. It was God's blessing that it happened this way, we will miss them here on earth, but I am relieved, she can finally ask Kent all those questions about why he went to heaven first.