To Celebrate Dennis

In our family, on his or her birthday, the celebrant chooses their favorite kind of cake (or pie) for their special day. Bob selects Boston creme pie, while Owen and Cearra have both requested Key Lime Pie in the past. I prefer the Carvel ice cream cakes of my youthful parties.

When asked last year, Dennis said banana creme pie. So I special ordered it from Baugher's and decked it out with candles for his birthday, July 14th.

He thoroughly enjoyed his birthday "cake", saying it was the best banana creme pie he'd ever had. I didn't find out until months later that he'd never actually had a banana creme pie before, but since he didn't know what to say yet knew he liked bananas (and I suspect because he wanted to humor me and go along with our family tradition), he chose it.

We miss you Big D.

In your honor and to mark your birthday this year, I am going to do my best to wrap up all my sadness, fears, and worries, and put them aside for the day. Instead I will just smile and remember all the many great times we've had with you, and the incredible person you are. In other words, I'm going to celebrate your life.

And next year, I'll have a fresh banana creme pie waiting for you.