I remember when you went to Germany and Austria while I was in 4th grade. You and Dad brought back one of the best gifts I’d ever received—a marionette.
I was fascinated by it, spending hours learning its movements and figuring out every detail. I loved it so much that I took it to school for show and tell, and I'm excited to share it with the class. But after my presentation, I realized my zipper had been down, the entire time. 😥
Embarrassed, I called you to come pick me up. You comforted me, reminding me that what others think doesn’t matter, and assured me that everyone was likely more interested in the marionette anyway. "Who Cares?" 🫢 (I live by this creed to a point where it's almost too much for Lindsey 😇 )
And remember when you first met Lindsey? We flew into Sacramento, and as we waited for you to pick us up, I spotted the van approaching from a distance. 🚗
Lindsey and I were excited to see you, but as the van got closer, my excitement turned to panic. The van was covered with Oreos stuck all over the outside, and the windows and doors were scribbled with celebratory messages—a leftover souvenir from a sporting event weeks earlier. 🔱
True to Toolson tradition, the decorations had been left intact and displayed with pride. 💰
I quickly grabbed our suitcases, hoping to toss us both into the van and speed off before anyone realized what they were witnessing.
Maybe, just maybe, they’d assume we were being kidnapped and that we had noth ing to do with this spectacle. But when I opened the door, the chaos continued—Dad’s tools spilled out onto the asphalt, forcing me to drop the suitcases and scramble under the van to gather them 😱
Finally, when I climbed into the van, you were laughing hysterically 😂
These memories capture so much of what I loved and miss about you—your sense of humor, your support, and the way you’ve always embraced life fully. Thank you for these moments.
❤️
Jake