I'm David, Meara's dad. I didn't really want to do this post. I'm not big on sharing or talking about myself. I prefer my privacy, but well, apparently we all have to take a turn on this blog and this time it's mine. Thankfully, I only have to do this once.

I'm the oldest of seven kids. Two sisters and the rest are brothers. We get along just fine, although most of my brothers have families and I don't see them often. My sisters and my brother, Padriac, live with me.

I was told to pick a topic, so I decided to focus on choices. I made a big choice years ago. A choice I regretted almost from the moment I made it. At the time, I didn't think I had an alternative. Looking back, I see that I did. I was young. I was selfish. If I could go back and change it, I would. Unfortunately, I can't turn back time. Wish I could.

I'm lucky that I got the opportunity years later to come to almost the same crossroads again. This time, I made the right choice. The choice I should have made the first time. I got a taste of everything I missed, and I got more than I ever imagined.

Meara is a beautiful young woman. She's courageous, intelligent, and beautiful. I'm not just saying that because I'm her father either. She's also stubborn. I'd tell you that she gets it from her mother, but I'm sure I probably have that trait, too. Maybe.

Going back to choices, I'll end by advising you to take time to make big, life altering decisions. Think about the implications. Can you live with yourself if you follow the path you're choosing? Can you live with yourself if you don't follow that path? Is there a third or fourth option you haven't even considered? Tunnel vision might be good in certain circumstances, but in most cases, you're better viewing life through a wide angle lens. Take the time to explore all alternatives. I know I wish I did.

I get to follow Meara in this blog event. Sweet. I have no problem with that. What can I tell you about me? My name is Evan Mitchell. My mom, Lydia, was best friends with Meara's mom when they were younger. I guess they still are now. They just haven't seen each other in a while. Anyway, that's not really about me. To start, I play hockey. I'm good at it, but I have no intentions of turning it into a career. Don't tell my teammates, they won't understand.

I go to King's College in Halifax where I'm studying marine biology. I guess living by the ocean my whole life, I've picked up a love for all things aquatic. When I graduate, I plan to make a difference. For as much as we know about the earth, we still learn new things every day. That's more than true about the oceans, too. There is still so much to explore, and I'm going to do it. Anyway, I'm rambling.

I love animals, too. My parents try to reign me in, after all, they own a bed and breakfast, which doesn't exactly jive with furry critters running around. As a kid, I owned a couple of hamsters and a guinea pig. After one of the little guys got out and went missing for a few weeks, my mom decided larger animals just might be better. Now I have two dogs, Ebb and Flow. They're Springer Spaniels. You'll have no problem finding them. In fact, they'll probably find you first.

Never Forgotten is Meara's story, but I'm glad to be a part of it. The moment I met her I knew she was something special. She's amazing. I think you're going to agree with me, too.

Hi, this is Meara. I guess I'm first. After all, Never Forgotten is my story, right? So, a little about me. I like Diet Coke and classic horror films. Not classic as in Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th. Go back further. I'm talking black and white classic, Vincent Price classic. Those are the best, and I've seen them all at least a dozen times. I'm great with computers, but not so good at keeping in touch. Just ask my best friend, Kim. I hate coffee and secrets, but even more, I hate that my mom's cancer has returned.

I was told to pick a topic to talk about, and since I don't want to give my story away, I'm picking something safe, something personal. I hate my feet. Ugh. I dreaded swimming lessons as a kid. Mom insisted that I went, but as soon as the other kids saw my feet they teased me. My toes are webbed, so I had to endure years of "Hey, Duck Feet!" and "How's it going, Flipper?" It really sucked. Thankfully, swimming lessons ended, and I've been able to keep my feet relatively hidden since then. Cute sandals in the summer? Nope, not me. You'll find me in socks at almost all times, unless I'm home where no one besides Mom can see me. Yeah, my friends probably think I have athlete's foot or warts or something, but I don't care. It's better than being called out and teased for something that I can't control.

How about you? What are you most self-conscious about? C'mon you can tell me. I won't say a word. I may not like secrets, but I'm good at keeping them. ;-)