2010 Birthday Party

Thank you so much to Peter, who got the ball rolling with Maris's birthday celebration.

Maris's annual birthday party was an event everyone looked forward to. There were a few years where it was not so well attanded...such as the year we had the party at a bowling alley on Western Ave....but most years it was a lot of fun.

It is hard NOT doing a party for Maris. Last year Ray and i felt so burned out by the time we got back from Hawaii on November 8 that we could not seem to make the mental effort required to pick up the phone or send a few emails to organize it. And it did not feel right. We realized we had let Maris down, we had let his friends down, and we had let ourselves down. It was not good. and it will not happen again.

This year, Maris's birthday celebration took place on November 14, the Sunday Before his birthday.

We ordered a stadium size pizza, bought some raw veggies to snack on, and a tiramisu birthday cake. We were not sure who would be there besides Peter, who was rounding people up, and Jeff, who said he would be there.

We were awed and amazed at everyone who came.

Sorry, guys, there will be more and better food next year.

Everyone lit a birthday candle for Maris and added it to the cake. Then we sang, made a wish or said a prayer dor Maris, and blew out the candles.

We visited for a while, and set off firecrackers.

I took pictures, which i will upload soon.

I do not want to leave anyone out, so i will not depend on my faulty memory for the names. I will check the list later, and be able to thank everyone by name. But I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for attending. It meant so much to Ray and me to continue our connection with you. You are part of Maris, and he is part of you.

Maris had faithful friends who still think of him. He was cared about. He meant a lot to people.

He still does.