No, I haven't abandoned my blog. I was stuck for a few days unable to bring myself to write. In retrospect I think it was avoiding having to feel. It's painful and I just didn't want to go there.
I spent a couple of days preparing for my trip to Omaha. I arrived Friday and have settled in for my visit.
I don't know if I mentioned this in a prior post but friends and classmates of Justin have scheduled a Celebration of Life and a birthday party in this city where he was raised. It will take place on August 31st, a day after what would have been his 35th birthday.
I am so touched and honored by the number of people putting this together and am so appreciative of the hard work and am warmed by their drive and dedication to honor and remember my son. In addition they are going above and beyond my expectations by raising funds for Justin's two young sons. The community support has been incredible. Their donations continue to come in.
My son would not have ever anticipated any of this and would have been very humbled by it. But he would have been so very grateful by the generosity of so many.
It has driven home again how many lives he touched and made better by his calm manner, vivid sense of humor and intrinsic love of his fellow man. I love the man you turned out to be, Son and I will be forever grateful to those who are making this event come to fruition.