A memory from Grandma Carol

Thinking of you -- I have the memorial in color I carry with me -- I vision Lev shooting arrows at the banana trees with joy, exploring the woods, riding the horse, and sulking as he liked to do at times.

Ukelele

Lev played bass, but he did not really like it. Then he discovered the ukelele. It was the only instrument he genuinely enjoyed. Something about it captivated him. Makes sense, wacky instrument for a wacky kid.

He was a very fast learner. I would show him a chord once and he had it down. The first song I taught him was "House of the Rising Sun". He played it over and over again. He had a great little voice, always in tune, and he sang loudly as he played. He learned a bunch of songs on his own. My favorite was "Apple Blossom", he sang it so nicely. I think he would have been a great musician.

Milk

Lev loved milk. When we lived in Costa Rica, the dairy was right down the road. We would bring our empty container and they would fill it up with creamy, fresh milk. When we got back to the States the milk was a bit disappointing, thin and bland. Then we discovered whole, non-homegenized milk. Lev liked that better. Then we moved up to raw and grass-fed. Now we were getting somewhere! That was his favorite, it tasted "real". I miss buying him milk.

thoughts of Lev this last weekend...from Cindy

> Dear Tony and Rebecca,

> I wanted to share something with you.
>
> ethan and i had our first session with a hypnobirth therapist (who will also be our doula, we decided to have one) on saturday. I don't know if you've heard of them but hypnotherapists are people that help you get into a calm framework about labor and delivery so that you are more in control of the situation and can visualize the next steps of labor so you're not scared and hopefully won't tense up and slow labor down.
>
> she was having me do some excercises on visualizing the contractions (or what she called "waves") and she asked me if I had ever swam in the ocean. She wanted me to think about how the waves come and how to anticipate how they grow and get stronger and how you'll either let them pass or go underneath them. I told her until a year and a half ago i had been so incredibly afraid of the ocean that ethan couldn't get me in water that came up past my knees and I NEVER had gone under a wave or swam through one in my entire life. But that our friend's 14-year old son, Lev taught me how to not be afraid of the waves. i told her how he stayed focused for hours on helping me "master" this fear until it literally became fun for me.
>
> she was so thrilled that i had an experience to use in my labor that would help me. as happy as she was i couldn't swallow away the lump in my throat that came so quickly thinking about how powerful that time in costa rica really was. I didn't know then that I would pull strength from that time in a moment like we're about to have in bringing this baby into the world. I'm humbled by it in every way.
>
> i want you both to know how truly amazing of a young man i think Lev was. i will use that strength i now have while i'm laboring and i will visualize swimming under those waves with each contraction, and ethan will support me by reminding me of when we all did this together in the ocean with Lev... and this baby will come into a world full of a lot of love.
>
> ~Cynthia
>
>
>

Lev and Grady Build a Raft but the water is cold

Every Memorial Day weekend we would camp at Panorama Point, on Baker Lake, with Craig, Sarah, and Grady. We've known Craig and Sarah since before we had kids, but Grady and Lev became friends when we moved up to Sedro-Woolley. Grady lived in Bellingham and they would get together most weekends for the last two years to go "boffing" (fighting with foam swords). On these camping trips Jaal would hang out with the adults and go hiking, kayaking, hang out, or play guitar but Grady and Lev would be off exploring. May of 2010 they spent most of the weekend on a tiny island just off the campsite, building their own fort, kayaking over supplies, making up stories. In this video, which I think is from 2009,  they built a raft (with some help, I believe) and Lev discovered the water was cold when he tried it out. Grady never minded the cold, and he waded in to pull Lev back to shore. This captures the fun they had together.
It seems like with all of Lev's best friends he would do different things. Kalyn was his local buddy, hanging out at school, after school, playing video games, or whatever, staying at each other's houses. Grady was the weekend friend, boffer, sleep overs, eating bagels, video games, movies, and camping. Zay was his buddy for long imaginary games on the phone, almost daily, bonding in a really deep, weird way.  And then of course he had other groups of friends, but those were the three he hung out with most often and I believe the kids most impacted by his being gone.

Making a bow and arrow

In this video, Lev is working on making a bow while Jaal finishes eating. They didn't like being videotaped.

Morning in Monteverde

Time for breakfast (rice pudding and a banana) and a morning chat with the boys. Lev's favorite thing in school is recess and reading. Jaal is excited about recess because he's learning to drum for the Independence Day parade and he's writing a memoir about building a raft in Puerto Rico that he says is boring.

getting ready for a bike ride in Monteverde

Jaal and Lev are getting ready for a bike ride at our house in Monteverde.

Lev tried dog food and likes to say Butt

This video captures a moment in our lives in Monteverde, when we reached the top of a mountain on a hike (the tv towers). We stopped at the top for a snack, and to rest, and Lev ate a piece of dog food. This was also the time in his life when he was obsessed with saying "butt." Also notice that he hiked up the mountain carrying a home made ax.

Lev in 6th grade: I don't feel good but I'm happy

In the spring of sixth grade, Lev came down with what the experts thought was "viral juvenile arthritis". He was really weak and tired for about three months, including going to school for half days for part of the time. Then, he just got better one day. Subsequent tests showed he was fine. We will always wonder if that weird illness weakened his system, if there was something we could have strengthened, or if he was just susceptible to really rare illnesses. Anyway, as you see in this video, he took his illness in stride. He had a spirit and love of life that not many people can duplicate.

The four of us in the car on our California trip Jan 2009

During winter break we took a road trip to California and visited friends, saw San Francisco, the giant Redwoods, Santa Cruz, etc. In the car we would often sing together, with Tony on ukelele.
Driving with just us three leaves a big hole. This video captures the moment pretty well.

caminata

I was reminded the other day of walking the Caminata with Lev.
Every year the CEC did a 100 kilometer walk to raise money for scholarships. Milton walked 100k, the rest of us did one or two of the 25k loops, or some portion of it. I think Lev was 8 the year he first decided to walk a whole loop but he may have been 7. It was a hard 25k, on dirt roads (of course) and included some large hills, in and out of the San Luis valley. The year Lev decided to walk the whole way, Jaal and Tony decided to bike it. So, Lev and I joined up with another group of people and walked. We ended up on our own at some point because we took almost eight hours to complete it. We had a really nice time, stopping for snacks, Lev making up imaginary stories as we walked - no complaints.
As we got close to the entrance to town, nearing the completion of the loop, Milton came up behind us, with Jim on the support quad. Milton was completing his second loop as we were completing our only one. Lev really liked Milton, and the feeling was mutual.
Milton was the land manager at the CEC, and he taught practical environmental Ed classes, managed the greenhouse, tree planting,etc. When Lev stayed after school he would often do stuff with Milton, including the day when Milton harvested bananas and Lev ate about 12. Milton said that when we first came to the school, he was so amused by Lev's perfect Puerto Rican accent he would seek him out and sit with him at lunch time. Milton was also quite a joker. We had these picnic tables in front of the office that staff, visitors, and kids sat on for staff meetings or to eat lunch, etc. The picture of Lev writing, age 8, was at those tables. The were tippy and if two people sat on one side they would lift up and begin to tip. Milton found this endlessly amusing. A few years in I finally had them fixed, with little supports to stop the tipping, and Milton was so disappointed. They were so funny before, and I made them safe and practical. He had a lot in common with Lev, in the silliness of his spirit. A handful of adults really connected with Lev. He was a unique kid.
Lev was getting pretty tired when Milton fast walked/jogged up beside us, but Lev started jumping and hooting. Lev began running alongside Milton, chatting excitedly and ran the whole way back to town until the supermarket. He was so excited. He felt victorious.

Rebecca

Photos from cousin Will

>

From cousin Willy

One very clear memory I have, and I'm sure you remember this (if not, then Tony will for sure) took place during Ariel's wedding dinner. I was talking with Mario and we were interrupted by Lev breathlessly asking us if we knew what a 'portmanteau word' was. I think all he needed was the furrowed brow and he was off to ask Elizabeth - I don't think I even got a chance to say 'no'. Mario and I halted our chat and watched him go to every diner at our table, asking them the same question, his patience dwindling with each quizzical look he received. I could see him keeping some sort of score on his fingers and when I saw Tony shoot him 'told ya so' smirks, I realized Lev wasn't asking the definition for his own edification, he was keeping a tally of who in his family knew it. He was pretty exasperated by the time he conceded to Tony that not everyone there knew that, as Mario's smartphone told us, Portmanteau words are two words put together put together to make a new one. It was great to see how worked up he got over the issue, repeating, "How do you NOT KNOW what a Portmanteau word is!?!? Come ON!"  

birthdays

Today would be Lev's sixteenth birthday. I was really looking forward to teaching him to drive. I have nice memories of letting Jaal drive me to school every morning, and was hoping to do so with Lev.

Lev had lots of great birthdays over the years. Since he was a summer birthday it was often hard to get together with his friends. On his fourteenth he got together with a few friends- David, Kalyn, Grady, Brandon and they ate home made pizza and a cookie cake and went to a game place.

I remember on his eighth birthday we were living in Sybil's house in Monteverde. It was one of the few homes with a bathtub. Lev had Trevor and Eduardo over and they played in the bathtub for hours.

We were often visiting family and celebrated his birthday with Zeb's birthday.
Last year, we were going to be home, in between our camping trip to Canada and his trip to visit Zay.

Birthday foods- crepes for breakfast, home made pizza, pie or ice cream and a cookie cake.

a memory from his step Grandma Linda

Our Costa Rica vacations were a great time to get to know you all and spend quality time with Jaal and Lev. One time when you all went horseback riding (I think?), Lev and I were left alone at the beach for a bit. I shared with him how I was afraid of the waves and he told me I just have to dive right in and meet them head on . He was also my translator for restaurants and shops during this visit and both he and I took great delight in his greater knowledge and generous sharing of his language skills. (This was one of our first visits there when we went to the Pacific coast so he must have been 8?)

 

Our last visit there to the Caribbean coast my memory is the gift you guys gave Ted of the Spanish version of Monopoly, "Monopolio". We all played with quite intense competition going on for a long game (as Monopoly often is). Several times sometime wanted to drop out but we persevered with Lev accumulating more and more property and becoming more and more obnoxiously gleeful as he came closer and closer to being the last one standing. When he finally dominated there was a total eruption of jubilance as if he had won the Super Bowl and World Cup combined. It is great to think of him being THAT happy.

 

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This reminds me of that New Year's eve in Playa Flamingo, where the famous Monopoly game took place. The resort we were staying in had pools, tennis courts, etc. 

The boys would get up early and play tennis with Grandpa Ted. We were there for New Year's and the hotel put on a party. At each table were about five bottles of liquor and then they had a bar that served soda and mixers. There was music, dancing, etc, but the best part for Jaal and Lev was jumping or getting thrown in the pool at midnight. 

There were several New Year's in Costa Rica where we were all partying together, with friends or family, and then jumping in the pool at midnight. It was great to be able to share those days as a family.  When they were little it was so special to stay up until midnight and get to drink soda with caffeine. 

(Our worst New Year's with Jaal was when he was two, and we were visiting Tijuana. We got the dates mixed up and slept right through it.  We were confused the next morning when there was party garbage in the streets and everything was closed.)

Rebecca

Photos from Lev's Room

As we pack, Lev's room will be one of the last. Maybe I will start on his birthday, the 19th.
Although his things are all over the house - nerf darts, shoes, school supplies and school work, books, notebooks, coats, rocks, sleeping bag, snow shoes, skis and a lock of his hair - most of his things are in his room.

Attached are some photos.

One Year Anniversary Gathering

I'm glad we had a little gathering for the one year anniversary. It seemed to honor him.
I am thinking back on some of the stories people shared, and I wanted to share snippets of them below:

Chicken Mask
Jaal was playing a game called Assassin at the high school, where people are on teams, and try to shoot each other with nerf guns, while not at school. It can go on for weeks. Jaal lasted a couple weeks, and then one of Jaal's friends offered to buy Lev a chicken mask if they would let him in the house so he could "kill" Jaal. Lev let them in at the agreed upon time, and Jaal was assassinated. He wasn't mad, as it was part of the game. Lev was thrilled, he got to turn in his brother, and got a mask. He would have done it for free.

Fireworks
Last fourth of July Jaal and Lev took off together to drive up to the Skagit Reservation in Jaal's newly restored Datsun 280z to buy fireworks. Lev got a really good deal because a friend of his was working the stand. He was so proud of his fireworks. That night, Jaal went to a friends house, and we set off our fireworks in the backyard with our neighbors. Lev had a fabulous time.

Mumbling
Lev mumbled. He was hard to understand on the phone. It got better as he got older, and he really had to learn to annunciate for Debate Club. In third grade the other non-native English speakers were confused why they couldn't understand Lev, and the teacher said it was because he was speaking Levish. He would often mumble and then get mad if we couldn't understand him.

Switzerland
He dreamed of going to Switzerland with Zay. For college, or just to go, see the largest medieval weapons museum, be in a neutral country, I'm not sure why else, but they thought it was really cool and talked about it all the time

Carving things
Lev loved to carve wood

Mustache
Lev just loved his mustache. He started to grow it at about age 6, and it slowly grew in until it was a nice little fuzzy one at age 14. He was very proud of it. I think he had one before Jaal did.
He also loved growing taller. When he outgrew someone he was so proud. I remember the day he grew taller than Tony. He was jumping around, hugging him, trying to throw him down, punching his fists in the air, totally excited.

Devil's advocate
Lev liked to hold an opposing position to any argument

Keanu Reeves
In Costa Rica, with the band, there was this game going on for a few days, trying to fit Keanu Reeves into a conversation. The game kind of died down. Lev loved that kind of silly stuff. A few days later, we were on a giant rope swing in the jungle, where you swung out like 200 feet in the air. Some people held on for dear life, others trusted the rope and harness and released their arms and stretched out when at the apex. Lev was one of the last in our group to go. When he reached the top he released his hands and legs, stretching out all fours, and screamed at the top of his lungs into the forest: Keanu Reeves
He was the clear winner of a game everyone else had forgotten about.

The Power of Levity
The last day of school in eighth grade, the Honors English teacher read a story to the class. It was his tradition to write a story each year that included each student in the class and gave them a super power that fit their personality. He said that Lev was the most complex, and he had to strongly consider what power to give him. His power appeared at climax of the story, and it was the power of Levity - to laugh loudly at inappropriate times

From Lev's friends on facebook around the one year anniversary

Melissa Wilkerson

One time Becky Higdon, Lev and I were riding bikes. We decided to go to the park by the library. Lev tried to get us girls to ride the teeter-totter, but we wouldn't since it was soaking wet. So to solve the problem Lev sat on it first, his pants soaking up all the water on the seat. When Lev stood up he shook his butt at us, exclaiming "Look at my squishy butt!"

Keith Cooper

While teaching at Moteverde Friends School my daily walk home from work down the trail that led to your back yard found Lev ready and waiting to take me down with whatever make-shift sword he could find. This frequently led to long drawn out battles which he always won.

Chrisopher black

my favorite was all the great times in digi com and how he always made people laugh.

Shannon M Finn

The time he made the worlds largest rubber band and smacked me in the face with it numerous times. Then stomped on my feet. We got on great :D

Terry Matthews

back in middle school some guy was bein a jerk to one of levs friends and lev got so mad and shoved a table with three people on it, ya know one of those big tables and later on lev tried to make nice with the guy and the guy was like im sorry im sorry, ill never do it again

Sarah Curtin

Back in middle school, he used to play pranks on Mr. Ypma and narrate everything I did with his friend. I acted annoyed but it would always make me laugh. I never really got to truly know him, but what I do know was even though he didn't know it, he was a difference maker. And he still is.

Tanner Comstock

‎"When everyone turns in the assignment, that's a good clue that you better get started on it." -Lev Mann

Lacey Fletcher

There are a lot of memories with Lev I can think of, but I do enjoy the one were he told me he sent my phone a virus and when I read the message it said AIDS I couldn't help but crack up laughing.

Derek Laird

A couple days before he passed Dave Alberto and i hung out with him. Although i don't have a whole lot of stories of him (being that him and i weren't too close) i thought that he was pretty cool. I can fondly look back on that time and smile because of him. Wish i got to know him better.

Elany Corado

In middle school me and him would always argue about who was right over every little thing. Heh. It was a lot of fun because neither of us would ever admit when we were wrong.

Tyler Christian

8th Grade- We had a "Drama" class, he was the best at the game "If you really loved me..."

From Karen Gordon

Reeling back time, I came to conjure the little boy who was my last neighbor before we bought this farm...the little boy who I used to find hanging out on my cabina hammock at any time of the morning or afternoon, the little boy who regularly visited me to drink tea next to my wood stove (especially when he smelled something baking!), the little boy who always asked  if I would give up my rocking chair "just for a little bit" so that he could sip his tea, eat a snack, and tell me a story that he'd thought about in school that day. He said rocking helped him tell the story, of course!  My memories of the many 500-colon veggie burgers we ate that year at Dona Flori's are intricately connected to Lev...95% of those burgers were eaten with Lev across the table from me.  Lev was the first person with whom I ate homemade donuts (God bless Edith on those Friday afternoons), and he dragged me over time and again (when he wasn't a self-appointed delivery service) to sample Tony's post-school afternoon snack creations, which starred papaya milkshakes.  I fondly remember gazing out my cabina windows, seeing Lev on the roof of the car, gathering the moco-fruits at our driveway's entrance and then lying down on that same warm roof, enjoying his bounty as the dappled light, or light mist,  fell down on him. 

Lev was a scowler....but do you know what?  He never scowled at me....yes, I saw him practicing scowling,  but when his brown eyes met mine of blue, they glinted and crinkled into a sweetness and playfulness that tickled an indescribable place within my heart and brain at the same time.

I truly believe that Lev was the first little boy I felt like I really knew, and truly cared about.  I remember recognizing that fact during your family's  last visit to Monteverde, when we came over for a potluck with the band.  I saw Lev talking and playing with Christopher....at 2 1/2, all he wanted was to climb up and down the stairs inside your house.  Experiencing Lev, with his peach fuzz moustache, sitting next to me at dinner and asking me earnestly how motherhood was going, made my heart melt.  He quickly said, "Nice job, because Chris is a cool little kid..."....and then he joined my little man on the stairs again, playing, goading, talking, whispering, and giggling for the next 30 minutes.  Whenever I'd get close,  Chris would panic and say "NO, mama, this is MY time with LEV, please GO" . . .I fully understood the large, pubescent, no-longer-little-boy-Lev had my little boy wrapped in a tale of fantasy and adventure that would surely spin on into Christopher's dreaming hours that night.  I remember driving home to San Luis and commenting to Fabricio how much Lev rocked my world, how Chris simply fell into and wanted to swim in the space that Lev created, and what an amazing, bright, unique being he was.  For days and weeks, Chris would ask me, "Mama, remember Lev?"

Yes, I do remember Lev.  As if he were right here, in my living room, rocking on my chair and spinning these tales just for me.