Memorial Service for Dad

UPDATE ON SEPT 29: My dad's ashes will be interred tomorrow, September 30, at 11:00 am PDT. I'll be observing several minutes of silence about then, but in Central time.
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Riverside National Cemetery, near March Field, is where my dad's memorial service was held on September 17th. His ashes will be interred there soon. It was a full military service: gun salute, the playing of "Taps," and folding and presenting the flag. The cemetery's flag was at half-staff in his memory that day, too.

To my Dad -- Jan 1918 - Sept 2009

My dad passed away late Thursday afternoon, Sept 10, 2009, and I want to post a couple of really good photos that include him. One of these days, I'll find more, but these are our favorites at the moment.

In this photo, taken in Nov 2005, he sits at the left, and he has family all around him. He loved his family! And that little grin ... his own grin, as if he were sharing a secret with someone!


This is a photo of my dad and mom around Christmastime in 1984. This is one of my favorites, too, for all the obvious reasons!


And here is a poster that the neighborhood children made for my mom:


We all love you, Dad.

September 11th Remembrance

Students at Austen's school set up this display to remember and pay honor to all those who lost their lives eight years ago. This is very impressive.

Austen turns 17!!

Today is Austen's 17th birthday! After school, he had band practice, as usual, and when he went to his car to come home, his car had been thoroughly decorated by his friends! When he first saw his car, there was a big pink piece of butcher paper across most of the right side of the car with a happy birthday message and the signatures of his friends, along with red streamers and beads and other imaginative decorations!

Below are the photos of what was left after he got home.




The big pink piece of paper covered most of this (above) side of the car!

Afterward, we all went to Romano's Macaroni Grill in The Woodlands for his birthday dinner; then, birthday cake once he got home!

Happy birthday to Austen!!

Parker is 14!!

Happy Birthday, Parker!!



After dinner at Chili's, the staff had Parker stand on the seat so everyone could see him while we all sang Happy Birthday!