A Downpour of Details, a Flood of Memories

On Wednesday, we woke to wind and rain. We again spent the whole morning messaging on Sister Chat about the funeral service and flower arrangements for the casket. The siblings at home went to the funeral home to pick out a casket for Dad’s body, but when they arrived they were pleased to discover Mom and Dad had already chosen their caskets. (Hint: the more you can do in advance for your children, the better!)

By around 2:00, even though the rain had stopped and the sun had come out, all of the girls piled in the car and headed for Bemidji, something we had planned earlier. We shopped in the downtown area gift shops, boutiques, and thrift stores. Elise found a prom dress and the rest of us found a few other treasures. Next, we went to Kohl’s so Beth and I could pick out a few choices of pants and tops for Mom to wear at the visitation and funeral.

Tom met us downtown for supper at Bar 209. They had closed off the street in order to add outdoor seating, so we were able to socially distance in the fresh air once again. Everyone agreed their menu choices (and drinks) were exceptionally good.

Back at Birch Villa, the kids all got together for another jump shot with all of the cousins. I hadn’t really had a chance to talk to Deb or Melissa since Dad’s death, so it was nice to finally have time for a chat.

The evening was spent with even more funeral planning and messaging. I was blown away with the number of details involved. I also spent time going through all of the photos on my computer, finding all that I had of Dad. I sorted and ordered them before sharing with my niece, Alecia, who was putting together a slide show for during the visitation. The photos brought back memories of Dad that brought a smile to my face, despite the empty space in my heart.