View Top Shelf Todd Story

Heidi Coretz

Top Shelf Todd Stories 1. When you came home from being born, I got to stay up late and hold you by myself when it was your first night feeding. I was 5 and I probably got to stay up until 10pm since I was such a big girl, a big sister to my baby brother. 2. I got to have a volunteer job in your Little League Baseball team. I would be in the dugout, keeping score and getting all of you in order, on deck when you were about to bat. Even when I wasn’t doing that, as you and Michael got older, I went to all of your games. 3. I was so impressed with your BBYO/AZA leadership in high school, and then you joining the Jewish fraternity at Florida. I do love that we are both Gators! 4. When I was in Rabbinical School and had to have surgery, you drove up the black Celica for me with Mom. Somehow, we got locked out of the condo where we were staying. You had to climb up and break in through an upstairs window, I think. You hated seeing Cincinnati in the fall then because it was so dreary and ugly. You asked why everyone didn’t live in Boca! 5. When I was a rabbi in Tulsa, and then I was moving to Lubbock, you asked why I kept moving to these crazy places. Good question. But you came to Lubbock to visit and spend time with Baby Hannah. You got off the plane and asked about all those people dressed up in Cowboy costumes! You got to fly back in first class because Alan worked for American Airlines. You told us the story of the flight attendants treating you really well and giving you a bottle of wine to take home. You wondered if you were supposed to tip them. 6. When we moved to Dallas, you had to come here for a training. We had some nice times, but I most remember you went to the closing night of a strip club where they served free alcohol. The police came to close it down and you got pushed out in the shuffle and lost your glasses. We had to go and get you new ones. That was such a funny story. 7. I loved that night we went to the Orange Bowl to see the Gators play and win and hearing that story of you and Michael in the bathroom when some guy wanted to beat him up and you acted all crazy to scare him off. 8. You were so good with Hannah as a toddler and little kid. We felt so lucky about you being her guardian if anything were to happen to us. One time you were watching Hannah and took her to Chuck E Cheese in Boca. You called me and told me she felt sick to her stomach, and you didn’t know what you should do. I asked you what she ate, and you told me ice cream and candy. I told you that you needed to feed her real food and you responded that you had asked her if she wanted any of that and she didn’t. haha 9. I remember you bringing us Beloved Deb to Dallas, right after we adopted Ariella and Samuel. I remember Deb teaching the kids to play the recorder and taking your picture up in the big live oak tree. 10. I absolutely loved making your special wedding album after having the honor of officiating your wedding. 11. I remember you and Deb coming to take care of the three kids right after Craig’s death when we needed to fly to Russia to adopt Daniel. 12. I remember that you worked so hard and used all of your American Airlines miles and even had to buy more to get a first-class ticket for Daniel to come home from Russia with me. 13. After we adopted Daniel, I loved having that Passover Seder on you back porch. And I think you arranged for us to all stay at a hotel on the beach. What I remember is that you and I made tons of Matzah pizza on an ironing board. 14. I loved that you introduced me to Total wine and the fun tasting night when Deb and I had to walk each other to the bathroom so we could come back and taste more wine. And then we went to Capital Grille to eat while the alcohol wore off. And you and Deb introduced me to Generous Pour that I’ve enjoyed for over ten years. 15. OMG – that time you won a stay in a charity auction to Club Med and then treated us all to the most special vacation. That was too fun!!! 16. That time we did that Amazing Race game together and won the night at the Ritz, and then we got to stay there. So cool! Probably my only time ever in a Ritz Carleton, which I know you love. 17. I loved doing Deb’s two maternity shoots. One of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken is the one of you and Deb facing each other at sunrise. I know you didn’t love it because your shirt was blowing and you didn’t look your thin self, but I will treasure it always. 18. I loved when I came in for New Year’s when we did baby Sarah’s naming. I stayed for New Year’s Eve and had so many drinks, fun dancing and celebrating at your house. 19. I remember after Hannah’s Bat Mitzvah that you arranged for us to go to Orlando together. I watched Baby Sarah while you took Hannah to an unforgettable first visit to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World. You had to get her out of the store, but buying her some extra things. You always loved spoiling everyone, and your generosity knows no bounds. 20. I remember staying at the Omphoy and you, Deb and Sarah coming out to play at the pool. You ordered us food and we got to have a really special hangout. 21. I got to celebrate my 50th and 51st birthday celebrations at your house with Paella parties, and we got to have two wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations with that incredible catering from the Polo Club. 22. I loved that day we spent at brunch at the Polo Club and got to go onto the field and toast with the pink champagne. I remember they made me my own special sushi plate that wasn’t made around any shellfish. 23. I was so scared after you and I spent a good bit of time making and sharing drinks, that you found out the next day you had Strep throat. But you were still able to go to Portugal, and I never did get sick, though I was paranoid I would. Making those drinks together with the bourbon and cherries was a lot of fun. 24. I have been so in awe of you through these years of challenge, how you have taken extreme treatment, including an amputation, and bounced back, kept your sense of humor and your zest for enjoying every possible minute. That night you came home from the amputation, will always be so special to me. You handled the situation with so much grace and made us all feel so comfortable. Lilah’s toasts to you were the best. You aren’t just Superman, you are my hero. 25. The home you bought and remodeled for your family is incredible and you are in it in every way, as it reflects the very best of your entertaining/hospitality oriented spirit. And every part of it is Top Shelf Todd amazing! 26. I so proud of you for leading so many volunteer and fundraising projects including Boys and Girls Club, Symphony, Auctioneering, and most especially, all of the incredible work you’ve done for your Temple. I loved seeing you honored at the Halloween event when you dressed as Superman and I came in and surprised you, and dressed like an astronaut. Seeing you honored by the Temple and the Sarcoma Foundation recently was so special. 27. I loved working with you on schedule, menu and t-shirt/bag graphics for the Beach House trip, the t-shirts for the cruise, and your iMordechai showing, as well as Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah save the date cards. You are the best planner of vacations and I love hearing all of the details of you many special trips. You for sure planned the most incredibly unforgettable trip at that beach house. It was just insane. Top Shelf Todd Stories

1. When you came home from being born, I got to stay up late and hold you by myself when it was your first night feeding. I was 5 and I probably got to stay up until 10pm since I was such a big girl, a big sister to my baby brother.
2. I got to have a volunteer job in your Little League Baseball team. I would be in the dugout, keeping score and getting all of you in order, on deck when you were about to bat. Even when I wasn’t doing that, as you and Michael got older, I went to all of your games.
3. I was so impressed with your BBYO/AZA leadership in high school, and then you joining the Jewish fraternity at Florida. I do love that we are both Gators!
4. When I was in Rabbinical School and had to have surgery, you drove up the black Celica for me with Mom. Somehow, we got locked out of the condo where we were staying. You had to climb up and break in through an upstairs window, I think. You hated seeing Cincinnati in the fall then because it was so dreary and ugly. You asked why everyone didn’t live in Boca!
5. When I was a rabbi in Tulsa, and then I was moving to Lubbock, you asked why I kept moving to these crazy places. Good question. But you came to Lubbock to visit and spend time with Baby Hannah. You got off the plane and asked about all those people dressed up in Cowboy costumes! You got to fly back in first class because Alan worked for American Airlines. You told us the story of the flight attendants treating you really well and giving you a bottle of wine to take home. You wondered if you were supposed to tip them.
6. When we moved to Dallas, you had to come here for a training. We had some nice times, but I most remember you went to the closing night of a strip club where they served free alcohol. The police came to close it down and you got pushed out in the shuffle and lost your glasses. We had to go and get you new ones. That was such a funny story.
7. I loved that night we went to the Orange Bowl to see the Gators play and win and hearing that story of you and Michael in the bathroom when some guy wanted to beat him up and you acted all crazy to scare him off.
8. You were so good with Hannah as a toddler and little kid. We felt so lucky about you being her guardian if anything were to happen to us. One time you were watching Hannah and took her to Chuck E Cheese in Boca. You called me and told me she felt sick to her stomach, and you didn’t know what you should do. I asked you what she ate, and you told me ice cream and candy. I told you that you needed to feed her real food and you responded that you had asked her if she wanted any of that and she didn’t. haha
9. I remember you bringing us Beloved Deb to Dallas, right after we adopted Ariella and Samuel. I remember Deb teaching the kids to play the recorder and taking your picture up in the big live oak tree.
10. I absolutely loved making your special wedding album after having the honor of officiating your wedding.
11. I remember you and Deb coming to take care of the three kids right after Craig’s death when we needed to fly to Russia to adopt Daniel.
12. I remember that you worked so hard and used all of your American Airlines miles and even had to buy more to get a first-class ticket for Daniel to come home from Russia with me.
13. After we adopted Daniel, I loved having that Passover Seder on you back porch. And I think you arranged for us to all stay at a hotel on the beach. What I remember is that you and I made tons of Matzah pizza on an ironing board.
14. I loved that you introduced me to Total wine and the fun tasting night when Deb and I had to walk each other to the bathroom so we could come back and taste more wine. And then we went to Capital Grille to eat while the alcohol wore off. And you and Deb introduced me to Generous Pour that I’ve enjoyed for over ten years.
15. OMG – that time you won a stay in a charity auction to Club Med and then treated us all to the most special vacation. That was too fun!!!
16. That time we did that Amazing Race game together and won the night at the Ritz, and then we got to stay there. So cool! Probably my only time ever in a Ritz Carleton, which I know you love.
17. I loved doing Deb’s two maternity shoots. One of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken is the one of you and Deb facing each other at sunrise. I know you didn’t love it because your shirt was blowing and you didn’t look your thin self, but I will treasure it always.
18. I loved when I came in for New Year’s when we did baby Sarah’s naming. I stayed for New Year’s Eve and had so many drinks, fun dancing and celebrating at your house.
19. I remember after Hannah’s Bat Mitzvah that you arranged for us to go to Orlando together. I watched Baby Sarah while you took Hannah to an unforgettable first visit to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World. You had to get her out of the store, but buying her some extra things. You always loved spoiling everyone, and your generosity knows no bounds.
20. I remember staying at the Omphoy and you, Deb and Sarah coming out to play at the pool. You ordered us food and we got to have a really special hangout.
21. I got to celebrate my 50th and 51st birthday celebrations at your house with Paella parties, and we got to have two wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations with that incredible catering from the Polo Club.
22. I loved that day we spent at brunch at the Polo Club and got to go onto the field and toast with the pink champagne. I remember they made me my own special sushi plate that wasn’t made around any shellfish.
23. I was so scared after you and I spent a good bit of time making and sharing drinks, that you found out the next day you had Strep throat. But you were still able to go to Portugal, and I never did get sick, though I was paranoid I would. Making those drinks together with the bourbon and cherries was a lot of fun.
24. I have been so in awe of you through these years of challenge, how you have taken extreme treatment, including an amputation, and bounced back, kept your sense of humor and your zest for enjoying every possible minute. That night you came home from the amputation, will always be so special to me. You handled the situation with so much grace and made us all feel so comfortable. Lilah’s toasts to you were the best. You aren’t just Superman, you are my hero.
25. The home you bought and remodeled for your family is incredible and you are in it in every way, as it reflects the very best of your entertaining/hospitality oriented spirit. And every part of it is Top Shelf Todd amazing!
26. I so proud of you for leading so many volunteer and fundraising projects including Boys and Girls Club, Symphony, Auctioneering, and most especially, all of the incredible work you’ve done for your Temple. I loved seeing you honored at the Halloween event when you dressed as Superman and I came in and surprised you, and dressed like an astronaut. Seeing you honored by the Temple and the Sarcoma Foundation recently was so special.
27. I loved working with you on schedule, menu and t-shirt/bag graphics for the Beach House trip, the t-shirts for the cruise, and your iMordechai showing, as well as Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah save the date cards. You are the best planner of vacations and I love hearing all of the details of you many special trips. You for sure planned the most incredibly unforgettable trip at that beach house. It was just insane.