Ah yes, Sara's Birthday...

Halloween, what a perfect day for Sara's birthday... could there really have been a better day for someone who:

• loved to have fun
• loved to dress up, and
• was completely and utterly addicted to candy?

Halloween was always my favorite 'holiday' of the year, as I got a chance to spoil Sara and also got to witness first-hand the pure joy that she had for this day. We should all learn to live each day a little more like Sara lived her birthday!

Obviously, spending our entire adult lives together means I have a long list of great memories, and many many pictures of Sara dressed up in her Halloween outfits.... where to begin?

Well, one great memory I have was when Jim and Di, Sara's parent's, surprised Sara by coming down to California for a visit for her Birthday in 2005. I arranged to take Sara out in San Francisco to a restaurant she really liked for her birthday dinner. We showed up at 6:30pm or so for our 7pm reservations (yeah, we ate early!) While Sara went to the bar to grab us a few drinks and I went to 'check on the table' I let the restaurant know that we had a few surprise guests coming and to hold the table until they arrived. So a few drinks later, I see Jim pop his head in to the entrance of the restaurant looking for us. I distract Sara while they come in to the crowded bar area, and then she turns and sees them... I truly have never seen anybody so surprised in my life. The look of disbelief/joy on her face was something I will never forget. Of course then the tears came too! Needless to say, we had a great weekend, and Sara made sure her parents got into the Halloween spirit in style!

Another great memory of Sara's birthday was the fact that it wasn't just a single day, but an entire month long celebration of all things Sara. I would literally wake up on October 1st with a beautiful smiling face staring back at me, asking 'Guess who's birthday is soon?!?' By early October, we would have pumpkins out at our little apartment, and decorations up inside (I still have a huge box of them!). Throughout the month, I could expect constant reminders, prods, and of course sarcastic comments about this being her 'birthday month', so 'why should I have to do this?', tongue in cheek of course. As someone who doesn't celebrate a 'birthday month', Sara clearly used this to her advantage!

Sara, you were many things to many people and I can't or won't pretend to be able quantify what those things are. As you can see on this page, and as you hear when we still talk with you, others have said them better than I ever could. But I know what you were to me. You were a shining light on even the dullest of days. You were someone that I looked up to in so many ways, someone who helped me be 'me' and loved that person unconditionally. You were someone who was funny, happy and truly, truly knew how to live life. Simply, you were my best friend and I will never ever forget our love or your spirit.

Love always, Paul