Hi guys,
Just wanted to close out the thread with an update and some thoughts.
This weekend, there was a wake/memorial/party for my step brother and his girlfriend in Portland, OR. The family rented out the Crystal Ballroom, and despite the severe icing (the sidewalks were almost unnavigable, not to mention the roads) between 200 and 300 people showed up.
There was a lot of music, and some montage videos of the two of them that were really excellently done. There was an incredible amount of family there, including people who had crossed the country to be there.
Thankfully, there was also an open bar, and it came in handy.
It was really special, and it really helped a lot of us realize the importance of family and how much we mean to each other.
I gotta say... if there's someone in your family who you haven't talked to in a long time, or anyone you've been feuding with, consider taking a moment to give them a call to catch up. We're all gonna die, and life doesn't usually give us a date we can use to coordinate farewells. It's easy to put off calling the people who matter to you, but it's awful hard to touch base with them after they've gone.
I've shared this thread with my family, and they send their regards and thanks for your kind wishes. Hopefully, my future threads will be more of the 'learning to fly' and 'I built a flamethrower!' variety, and not this.
Best regards,
Chairboy
