David
Friday, October 16, 2009
Pictures of Christopher Kier's Visit to Diamond Springs
Okay the next group of photos I have is when Chris went to Diamond Springs when I went to Hawaii for a week with my friend in Stickton. Chris spent a week with his grandpa and DeeDee in 1993... the first 2 photos is when I am handing him off to grandpa, and he is scared to leave me.
David
David
More Pictures From David
Sarah when she was one week old, then one year old, and an even older photo of Christmas time at Grannie and Grandpa's before Sarah was born.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Pictures from David
Here are photos when Bill arrived at our home upon his return from Mexico being a teacher in Chihuahua... His damaged Rav4, which we got fixed by my friend in Tijuana... We met Amy and her boyfriend one night. Then photos when his Toyota was all fixed (new hood and windshield, etc.) on the day he left... a last photo of him and I ... the last time I saw him, alive.
Please put in the blog with the photos that I regret he left us so soon in his life, we still had much to learn about each other. I was his oldest son, yet I was the newest, not having met until 1989. What a colorful and dynamic personality he had. I miss him very much.
David Kier
Please put in the blog with the photos that I regret he left us so soon in his life, we still had much to learn about each other. I was his oldest son, yet I was the newest, not having met until 1989. What a colorful and dynamic personality he had. I miss him very much.
David Kier
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Happy Birthday Abba
Today is Abba's birthday- the first since his death.
It's been a really hard year. I've really missed him. I broke down just before the wedding ceremony started about him not being there. Someone got Auntie Laurie to come see me. It really helped me dry my eyes and move forward. People talk about the giant Blue Heron that flew over the crowd just as we spoke our vows (I didn't see it- I only saw Mike) but when people described it, I thought about the poem Sachiko told me - talking about how the spirit becomes one with nature and is all around us (I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the bird in the trees, etc). I felt like it was a sign that Abba was there, watching over our ceremony.
Today, I was remembering him taking me to his favorite french restaurant in SF, La Folie, just before I went to Africa. He wanted to help me practice French. :) He taught me how to order food from the waiter and made me speak to the chef when he came to our table (I was feeling shy). He told everyone sitting around us about my trip and how proud he was. It was a really delicious meal, and rather expensive, but he wanted to spoil me and he made me feel very special. I wish I could take him back there and treat him now.
I was thinking about going to Angel Island to be closer to where we placed his ashes, and also to remember the trips we took with Abba, sailing out there and walking around the island when we were younger.
I love all you guys very much. We have a special family. A lot of our qualities come from what Abba gave us, taught us and showed us as our dad. I'm grateful to him for that.
Sara
It's been a really hard year. I've really missed him. I broke down just before the wedding ceremony started about him not being there. Someone got Auntie Laurie to come see me. It really helped me dry my eyes and move forward. People talk about the giant Blue Heron that flew over the crowd just as we spoke our vows (I didn't see it- I only saw Mike) but when people described it, I thought about the poem Sachiko told me - talking about how the spirit becomes one with nature and is all around us (I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the bird in the trees, etc). I felt like it was a sign that Abba was there, watching over our ceremony.
Today, I was remembering him taking me to his favorite french restaurant in SF, La Folie, just before I went to Africa. He wanted to help me practice French. :) He taught me how to order food from the waiter and made me speak to the chef when he came to our table (I was feeling shy). He told everyone sitting around us about my trip and how proud he was. It was a really delicious meal, and rather expensive, but he wanted to spoil me and he made me feel very special. I wish I could take him back there and treat him now.
I was thinking about going to Angel Island to be closer to where we placed his ashes, and also to remember the trips we took with Abba, sailing out there and walking around the island when we were younger.
I love all you guys very much. We have a special family. A lot of our qualities come from what Abba gave us, taught us and showed us as our dad. I'm grateful to him for that.
Sara
Birthday Message from Rob
Happy birthday dad. We all miss you down here. Hope granny baked you a
nice cake and grandpa is bouncing you on his knee.
We all gotta go sometime but I still can't believe you're gone.
I love you. I'm sure you know that now. Thanks for being the best dad
ever in spite of all your challenges I'm only just becoming aware of
as a dad myself. You were really amazing.
Xoxo
Rob
nice cake and grandpa is bouncing you on his knee.
We all gotta go sometime but I still can't believe you're gone.
I love you. I'm sure you know that now. Thanks for being the best dad
ever in spite of all your challenges I'm only just becoming aware of
as a dad myself. You were really amazing.
Xoxo
Rob
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Grandpa Gallagher
It's been awhile since I posted. Preoccupied with the wedding, I suppose. I've been meaning for awhile to write about a dream I had of Abba on Nov 4, where I woke up with my arms around my self, crying.
In my dream, I was at a home with stairs going up and pictures along the wall of family. Near the foot of the stairs was a place to sit and grandpa Gallagher and my dad was there. I think my dad was trying to talk to my grandpa but didn't get a response. I went up to my dad, feeling curious about him being there because I knew he was dead. And then knowing I wouldn't get the chance again, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him and hugged him. And it felt so real. I missed him so much and to get to hug him again felt so good. And I started crying in real life and my tears woke me. I felt like I had gotten a visit.
Now I'm wondering if the dream may have meant something more about grandpa. He died last night in his sleep around 4 am.
Yesterday Mike, Nate and I went to visit grandpa Gallagher with pictures of the wedding. We spent hours there as I sat on his bed holding his hand and describing the pictures we brought, hoping he could picture it in his mind. He was not responding much at all, except for a hand squeeze or an occasional eyebrow raised when I mentioned my name or my grandmother's name. I also described my childhood memories of him and held him and and prayed for him. I told him I loved him, that it was "ok" and thanked him for being a good grandpa to me.
I left his room last night, knowing I would never see him again and woke up this morning to a phone call from my brother Bill. He is with my granny now. He lived 8 years without her and missed her terribly. I hope he and my dad are finally getting along. I like to think there is a reunion of loved ones, welcoming you home to them. Maybe the dream was of my dad coming to greet him.
I am grateful it happened after my wedding. That the timing allowed my family to have a week to be together for both Christmas and the wedding, to celebrate each other, life and joy. And I'm also really grateful that I had a chance to say goodbye.
Sara
In my dream, I was at a home with stairs going up and pictures along the wall of family. Near the foot of the stairs was a place to sit and grandpa Gallagher and my dad was there. I think my dad was trying to talk to my grandpa but didn't get a response. I went up to my dad, feeling curious about him being there because I knew he was dead. And then knowing I wouldn't get the chance again, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him and hugged him. And it felt so real. I missed him so much and to get to hug him again felt so good. And I started crying in real life and my tears woke me. I felt like I had gotten a visit.
Now I'm wondering if the dream may have meant something more about grandpa. He died last night in his sleep around 4 am.
Yesterday Mike, Nate and I went to visit grandpa Gallagher with pictures of the wedding. We spent hours there as I sat on his bed holding his hand and describing the pictures we brought, hoping he could picture it in his mind. He was not responding much at all, except for a hand squeeze or an occasional eyebrow raised when I mentioned my name or my grandmother's name. I also described my childhood memories of him and held him and and prayed for him. I told him I loved him, that it was "ok" and thanked him for being a good grandpa to me.
I left his room last night, knowing I would never see him again and woke up this morning to a phone call from my brother Bill. He is with my granny now. He lived 8 years without her and missed her terribly. I hope he and my dad are finally getting along. I like to think there is a reunion of loved ones, welcoming you home to them. Maybe the dream was of my dad coming to greet him.
I am grateful it happened after my wedding. That the timing allowed my family to have a week to be together for both Christmas and the wedding, to celebrate each other, life and joy. And I'm also really grateful that I had a chance to say goodbye.
Sara
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