BRIAN WALTER SLIWIANY

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BRIAN WALTER SLIWIANY October 27, 2008 Dad, Thank you for giving us the gift of life and for teaching us how to live it to the fullest. Thank you for teaching us how to ride a bike, skate, kick a ball, play tennis, swim, roller skate, skateboard, and do all the things kids do as kids. Thank you for wiping our cuts and bruises and giving us hugs and kisses to make the hurt go away. Thank you for cramming us all into the station wagon and taking us on ski trips. Thank you for all the memories of Bull Moose, your special place, your heaven on earth. Thank you for driving us to school, to dance lessons, to sporting events, and all the extracurricular activities five children are involved in. Thank you for laughing with us, crying with us, talking with us, and for having the patience it would take to raise five children. Thank you for not only being our dad, but our best friend. Thank you for showing us that love and acceptance is what keeps a family together. Thank you for all you have done and for all we have forgotten you have done - for we cannot list it all. Thank you for being so concerned about the ball under my car - I cannot and will not ever forget. Thank you for being the light in our children's, your grandchildren's, eyes. Thank you for letting us know in your special way that you are happy and safe. Poppa, thank you for the tears in your eyes the first time you held us. Thank you for cuddling us. Thank you for rocking us to sleep. Thank you for coloring with us, doing puzzles with us, watching TV with us, and kicking a ball with us. Thank you for taking us to the park. Thank you for buying us ice cream and for giving us all the treats and toys mom and dad said we could not have. Thank you for getting down on your hands and knees to play cars with us, over and over and over. Thank you for chasing us and making sure we were safe. To our Dad and our Poppa - thank you most of all, for your unconditional love. We think of you everyday. We remember you everyday. We love you everyday. We miss you everyday. Everyday.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 27, 2009