Christmas 2006

In the fall of 2006 we found out that my dad had later stage lung cancer and that he only had about 7-8 months to live. The holidays were very bittersweet that year. On the one hand I remember feeling so thankful that we'd have him with us for another Christmas. On the other hand I felt so sad that it would be the last Christmas I'd ever spend with him. I remember going over to the house on Stevens to visit shortly before Christmas. He was in the basement working on putting together some photo albums. Another project involved assembling collections of the state editions of the U.S. quarters to give to the grandchildren. My partner Dale remembers that the two of us spent Christmas Eve with my Mom, Dad, and Uncle Dale. We did fondue and opened presents. One little present that Mom got Dad was a booklet about tying knots. Dad laughed when he opened it and joked that tying knots would give him something to pass the time after he passed away. We actually interred him with it. It was placed in his shirt pocket.

This Christmas is notable because it was the first Christmas for Cashel (Sam and Becky's second child), and Abby (Pete and Stephanie's, first child). Both were born in 2006.