Today, Pat's three brother's and his son spoke at his funeral.

Mike asked us to remember him laughing and the smile that started in his eyes.

Brian, only 15, spoke with the maturity of a grown man of his dad and best friend who was now "upstairs with the Big Guy."

Kelly told us of their moving to the most "uncool place on earth" at 15 and 14, rural Idaho and finding a huge landscape to buddy up and goof off.

Paul spoke of us as gifts. All of us. He reminded us we do not race downstairs on Christmas morning to rip open the package and then hold close the cherished paper. We want the gift. He likened the earthly body to pretty wrapping paper but the gift is in our spirit.

I am thankful for the gift of Pat and his gifts to Terri, Brian, Emily and all their friends.

God speed Pat, can you paint in heaven?