Dear Paul
All I can think to say on what would have been your 18th Birthday is “Thank You”. It has been 2+ years since you left and I still occasionally lose track of time and find myself staring into space wondering why, and what is life all about, anyway. It still hurts a lot, and quite often that is all I can handle, to know you are gone. But at times, I can’t help but think about what life would have been without you for those 15 years, and I am grateful for what we had. We would have missed so much if you had not been a part of us, and our family is incredibly blessed by having you in it. We experienced life on a different plane because of the challenges and circumstances that you brought with you.
On the day of your birth they announced your flaws to us, and every day after that we worked together, all four of us, to make the most of things. When you were born, I couldn’t have imagined how much you brought into our lives, until you did. We made a full life for you and a ton of memories for us. Those memories are the source of joy and pain each time one pops into my brain. I wouldn’t trade places with any other Dad in the world, I only wish we would have had a little more time together. Love you Buddy, good night.