You became part of our family when
you were seven years old. You carried on your back the kind of load that
no child should have had to bear. You had already dealt with more in
your first few years than most adults ever face in their entire
lifetime. It
was difficult for you at first to understand or accept that your future
did not have to be as bleak as your past had been.
Your
ultimate roads took you through high school, through college, sailed you
on a student-run tall ship to Hawaii, gave you the legs and endurance to
run a marathon, gave you the hands to build worlds made of wood and
models made of bits of cardboard, gave you an ear to appreciate music,
and the creativity to build a beautiful garden. But the one significant
signpost you read and followed was the one in your heart that led to
your beautiful wife, Dana.
I carry in my wallet a tattered, discoloured
piece of cardboard you gave me for Mother's Day when you were nine years old.
You
called me 'Mom' for the first time.
Thank you, Darren, for
the privilege of being your 'Mom'.
Dana and Darren were married in July of '97
here in Vancouver for Dana's family, and then again in October in Ontario for our own
extended family. Darren's interests turned to photography and
computers.
Darren
originally came from Quebec and brought with him Cree and
French Canadian heritages. Through his growing-up years we made a point of keeping track of his older, natural brother
knowing that as Darren grew up, he would eventually need that
special connection to his sibling. The boys now keep in
touch (both are married) and get together for a visit when
they can.
That road Darren was forced to take
when just a child turned out to be the right road after all. I believe
he knows that now.
Darren and Dana are the extremely proud parents of a baby girl, Hannah
Lulu, born in March, 2003. Click to meet
Hannah.
Your
ultimate roads took you through high school, through college, sailed you
on a student-run tall ship to Hawaii, gave you the legs and endurance to
run a marathon, gave you the hands to build worlds made of wood and
models made of bits of cardboard, gave you an ear to appreciate music,
and the creativity to build a beautiful garden. But the one significant
signpost you read and followed was the one in your heart that led to
your beautiful wife, Dana.
Dana and Darren were married in July of '97
here in Vancouver for Dana's family, and then again in October in Ontario for our own
extended family. Darren's interests turned to photography and
computers.