Today is the third day that we mark Sam’s passing. This was the day he donated his organs and saved for other peoples lives. It was the best possible thing to do at the worst possible time. You can honor Sam By having a conversation with your loved ones about your feelings around organ donation.

We spent the day working around the house getting ready for Sam’s potluck. We’ve done it every year . It’s always been a pretty fun and upbeat mix of people. Tonight we had a house full of old and new friends. It was really great. Lots of nice people, nice food, and Samstone making

We did the traditional Red Bull toast for Sam

Then we all made Sam stones

James and I even made one out of molten metal

A couple of us set up talking until about 1230…

Now it’s time for bed. We made it through another year.

Sam we miss you buddy

nite all, nite Sam

-me

Today is the day that we mark Sam’s passing.. it’s a strange day because I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. I know today I felt pretty good. We spent a lot of time talking about and thinking about Sam. It’s important to actually bring him into mind At all the stages we knew Him… The beautiful baby, the sparkling toddler, the mischievous middle Schooler… And the beautiful young man

I told lots of stories today… I just got through telling our housemate Kyle about both of Sam’s broken elbows… Both funny little painful stories.

We took our annual hike at Bolton. It was a weekday and we’ve decided to shift the potluck until tomorrow Friday… So it was a small crowd. There were five of us hiking up in the beautiful snow. It was a wonderful hike

I climbed up the fire tower on my own. I always pour a drink out for Sam up there and set off fireworks

Our friend Karen and Iain were there… They came up one at a time to check it out. It was a place Sam loved

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Diane got this great shot of the fireworks from below

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got this great shot of the fireworks from below

We got home and I was so exhausted (I hadn’t slept much the night before)… But I fell asleep for a few hours. I woke up and it was dark and I was confused about what day it was. Luckily my friend Tim came by and made me a martini… That cleared things up immediately :-)

Afterwords Diane and I took Kyle out for sushi which was really nice.

It was a good day. I feel like I spent a good part of it with Sam

What a great kid

I love you my son

Nite all, nite sam

-me

 Just got home from a busy day to a quiet house. Tonight marks the evening  13 years ago that Sam left this world. I don’t know what to say about that.. Only that our Sam is still so much in our lives. We thinking of him. talk of him.. and sometimes I still talk to him. 

I just did..   

 

here’s what I wrote on this day in 2007.. it feels so much the same today. I can’t even imagine that its been 13 years.. 

It’s just before 9PM on November 20^th.  Sam, exactly one year ago to the hour you started to cross that street with your friends and left this life. I’ve been thinking about  you every moment  since. I miss you so very much.  You always loved life and had the most wonderful gentle and generous spirit. Your spirit continues to do good in the world through us and your many friends..  We feel your presence  always.You are loved by so many people Sam.. you always will be..  Be at peace my son.

-dad

 

Here’s the message Sam left on my phone 13 years ago. I love hearing his voice.

I miss you  so much my son..  We love you forever !

-dad

 

Today marks the 2nd Jarhzeit (death day) of my cousin Leslie’s daughter Rachel. Racel died of opiod-overdose after years of struggling with addiction. Rachel left a young daughter Kennedy

I was thinking of Rachel when I got asked to help out with the my new friend Lena C’s http://allourhearts.com project.  Allourhearts is a project devoted to spreading the message about the opiod crisis and celebrating the life of its victims here in Vermont. 


2 weeks ago. Families of the victims got together to make small heart shaped clay stones. The back of the stones had the allourhearts.com website pressed in them using stamps that my freind Pike and I cut on the laser, the front of the stones had the person who died name written in it by hand. 

Today I was looking at the all our hearts site and I found a movie that our freind Eva created around the event . It’s really nice. you get a sense of the families stories.. Rachel story would fit.

There’s a nice piece towards the end where Lena describes how they  adapted the stones idea from Sam stones which they did with our blessings.. it’s so nice to see how this came out. 

Thinking of you Leslie, Bret and Rachel nite all, nite sam -me