Happy Birthday, Baby. This was the one that we looked forward to. As soon as you turned 62, you were planning to retire. We were finally going to have more time to spend together, more time to do the things we talked about...just MORE TIME! There was never enough time..not enough time to sleep in, not enough time for date days, not enough time to travel. Now, there is NO TIME! Remember when I told you that we needed to start being just a little miserable because being so happy, time was just going too fast? That before we knew it, time would be over? I just never dreamed it would be over before your 62nd birthday.
Tru, Gena and I met Larry (your very best friend even now) and his family at Gates Barbeque. LaFonda's was closed on Monday and Larry said you used to meet your brother at Gates all the time..the original one down in the "hood". I took my computer and showed them the video of you playing baseball last season. I just wanted to crawl into the computer so I could be where you are.
We gave Larry one of your watches. I had Tru give it to him and tell him "we'd like for you to have Popi's watch". Larry loved and misses you so very much. I know that he tries to help Tru and I in honor of your love and friendship. He took his watch off and put yours on.
After dinner, Larry went with the three of us to the cemetery . Tru ran relays for us (which was a good way to get him to work out some of that energy) and Larry had a beer and I had a glass of wine to toast you for your birthday.
As we were leaving the cemetery, Tru ran back. I started to yell at him because he wasn't minding, but before I could, he ran straight to your grave and knelt down and placed a kiss on your grave. I said "you're forgiven" and Larry said "Absolutely forgiven".
Gena, Tru and I then went to the ball park. Your brother Robert was playing. It's always so good to be with your friends and family. I feel like I've come home when I'm with them. I miss them all so much. It was a perfect night to be at the park. Everyone watched the video of you and all of them remembered your birthday.
All day I had been saying that I was going to have a birth on your birthday. I could just feel a baby coming. I knew that you would send me a birth. Sure enough, no sooner than we got to the ballpark, I got a call from a mama who wasn't even due for another week (first time moms usually go over their due date). This little boy wasn't born on your birthday, he was born on Sept 11 but mom's contractions started on your birthday. A beautiful little boy, a beautiful birth. Twenty seven hours without sleep, working hard to help mom and I left the birthing center tired, sore and missing you. I still can't get used to being at a birth without getting texts from you, without calling you for an update when I get a chance to take a break.
You loved what I do. You loved that I helped women have their baby. So, I knew that on your birthday, you would send me a birth. Thank you for that gift, Baby Boy. I miss you more every single day. Every day I want you back, but I know that this year you celebrated your earthly birth day with Jesus. I know that you had your dad and your grandpa and all those friends that have gone before you to celebrate your birthday. I imagine that there was a giant baseball game, that Buck O'Neill, Babe Ruth and all the other "greats" played in. And I know that you sent me a birth on your birthday. I know that you still love me from so far away. And I know that I'm selfish enough to wish you back here to celebrate your birthday with me.
Happy Birthday, Baby. Happy, Happy Birthday.
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