Celebrating Dane

We did not have our traditional Toast to Dane this year. I think it was too hard for many reasons, one of them being the loss of Susie. The plan is to do a Danefest, probably a Sox game this summer, which we did the year Dane died (2005) and then again in 2009.

This year Jenny invited everyone over for lunch today. She has been cleaning out her basement (after all her hard work on Susie's house!!) and decided she wanted to share Dane's things with the family. It was a very cathartic day. 

some of Dane's things

Everyone was able to be there, except for Matt (Otto was neutered yesterday..ouch...and Matt stayed home to take care of him). Jenny had Dane's things all organized and on display. You would not believe the things that Dane saved! He was sentimental and a packrat and such a character and that was all reflected in his things. Dane even saved the letter I wrote him when Jenny and I dropped him off at Iowa for freshman year of college. Such a sweetheart. 

We also watched some old home videos including one of our family trips to Dallas to visit Tom. It was so amazing to see Dane,  my dad, my mom, Sue and Tom and to hear their voices and their laughs. Abbie and Nina loved seeing their dad as a youngster. Thank God for home videos!

And thank God for family. 

Jen and Wayne