Michael

Today is our son Michael's birthday; he would have been 19 today. Michael was our first child, born when we were too young to have a clue, but we loved and cherished him for the 11 weeks that he was in our lives. He died of SIDS in April of 1989.

Jake came up and gave me a hug this morning and I thanked him for being sweet and said, "I love you too. What was that for." He told me that he loved me and that it was the 11th. I'd forgotten - I would have remembered in an hour or so, but for that moment, I'd forgotten.

My goal is to survive the day without becoming a sobbing mess. I'm going to have lunch with my friend Crystal. (the didn't-get-to-go-to-Holland friend) and we're going to drink cosmopolitan's over a long lunch at the Olive Garden - although I'd have chosen Ruby Tuesday's because their salad bar is pretty good and we could still drink.

I'm supposed to be pursuing a contract job opportunity today, but I don't think I'd have my heart in it. To explain: I had an eye appointment on Wednesday of last week and during my visit the eye doctor and I discussed his use of an accountant/CPA for bookkeeping tasks, then he offered me a job. Kind of weird, but I could make another several hundred dollars a month working a few hours a week - from home. Not a bad opportunity.

I'm adding another link to the Colorado SIDS Program. (LINK REMOVED) The money raised by these organizations - and nearly every state has one - goes not into research (the feds supply SIDS research money), but into counseling and education programs. The counseling offered helps families to cope and is invaluable. If you are a SIDS parent, you know this. This is my cause, this is what's important to me. If you support a charity or make various charitable donations, consider your state's SIDS Program.