Happy 32nd Birthday, Danny!!

See his silver caps?  :O)

Danny would have turned 32 on Memorial Day this year.  May 30th.
Today I need to honor my brother.  On Saturday we went to Brainerd to visit the cemetery and put down some flowers.  We sang Happy Birthday to him.
So this will be a long post with lots of things in it, but it doesn't compare to having him here.  We would all just give anything to have him with us one more time.  One more time to say I love you, one more time to say "hang in there, its OK".  One more time for a lot of things.  But we don't have one more time.  All we have now are our memories that I will forever keep in my heart.

This first poem is a poem I had sent to Danny that he just loved.  We shared a love of poetry.

I did NOT write this.  I do not know who the author is....sorry.

When I am sad
I sing, remembering
the redwing blackbird's clack.

Then I want nothing
except to turn time back
to what I had
before love made me sad.

When I forget to weep,
I hear the peeping tree toads
creeping up the bark.

Love lies asleep
and dreams that everything
is in its golden net;
and I am caught there, too,
when I forget.

Now this is a poem I wrote and sent to Danny on 1/25/07 (maybe after he moved to SD??)

Super Hero Brother

Cowboy boots, Superman cape, let's not forget the curl!
Walking so proudly, like the little man you were,
cause for conversation you always could stir.

You'd smile, and pretend that you held kryptonite,
I think you truly did believe you'd turn into him at night.

G'nite, peanut butter jelly broken toast~
Ah!  These are the memories that I treasure most.

My baby brother, Daniel, then Danny, and now of course its Dan.
It's been so fun to watch you grow, and turn into a man.

You left this place that was your home, and spread your wings to fly,
your dreams were big, you followed them, how quickly time goes by.

I've seen you broken hearted, broken spirited and all,
I've felt your pain right with you, every time you'd call.

I've seen you oh so happy!  I've seen you fall in love!
I've seen your beliefs grow in our Savior up above.

I see you spread those wings, I see you touch the sky,
I am constantly amazed by you, you're not afraid to fly!

For even when the wind doth blow, and troubles come your way,
you are the special kind of man, who will always know how to make it "OK".

God has blessed you with so many things,
intelligence, drive, and more...
Always hold on to these things~ for they are your very core.

With love I send this greeting, just in case you failed to see,
that I am so very proud of you...

With love always,
ME









Husband and Wife

Graduation

Such a proud Daddy

This is the Danny I remember....wicked sense of humor.  So intelligent it was almost a curse.  He had such a tender heart, and he loved being a fireman.  He loved Sami, and he adored his little boy. 

So that poem I wrote to him when he was still with us.  After Danny died, I wrote another poem and read it at his funeral.  I think its fitting to share here too. 

Today I Choose to Remember You:

Today I choose to remember you for who you really are~Because I love each part of you, your hurt, your pain, your scars.Today I choose to remember you, instead of asking why? Because even if I knew, I'd still be sad and cry. Today I choose to remember you, for all the good you've done, marrying a special Sami, blessed with a beautiful son.Today I choose to remember you, not by getting mad, But for all the years I was blessed enough to have.  Today I choose to remember you, not in how you left, but how I know that you received, Jesus perfect gift.  Today I choose to remember you, By forgiving mistakes you've made, By preserving all the memories to all of us you gave.  Today I choose to remember you, though I hang my head and sigh, I wont forget your smile, your laugh, the tears I heard you cry.  So today I choose to honor you, I sure hope you understand, just how much I love you, you are such a special man.  I love you Danny, and I am very proud of you always and no matter what!!!

And now the memories have to stay tucked in that special spot, and all we have is a place we can go to visit and maybe put some flowers down.  But Danny always said it was important to him that he have a place like so that when he died, people would have a place to go and pay him a visit...

Flowers from Sami

Logo on the head stone

It didn't all fit....sorry...

Flowers from me, mom, and Lisa

Just another peek