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