Strawberry blonde hair, freckles and that mischievious smile. I celebrated the fun, held on to the laughs and treasured the friend. As many childhood friends do, we parted ways, only hearing bits of information now and then, but always wishing for the best and wanting good things for you. Two memories hold strong in my mind, one 4-H fair when we camped out in my tent and spent the whole weekend just being kids and the second is the day I met your daughter. It took me all of two seconds to see the Travis in her face and know in an instant exactly who I was looking at.

Regrets do us no good, but I hold them anyway. The best thing I can do for you now and always is to remember the good-natured boy who held my hand and shared my younger years. I know you've found the light again and for that I am grateful. It is only at the end when we can truly appreciate the beginning. I remember you, the real you.

To Hope and Walker - Your dad had a light heart and an innocence not many carry,. I hope you get to hear stories of the good days and know him the way I did.