Let the Celebration begin!

As I sit here on the eve of Dad's funeral, I'm torn between sadness and joy.  The reality of Dad's passing hasn't quite set in just yet.  Probably because I haven't really had time to sit and reflect on the wonder that is Dad.  We've been busy making the preparations, which has been a multi-day process.  Thank goodness we have the fabulous Beck's Funeral Home and Holy Rosary Parish.  They are taking on the colossal project of celebrating Dad's life, and doing it with great compassion and patience.  I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed and I don't even have to take care of the details!

Tonight's (self-imposed) task was to find pictures for the memory table.  How do you winnow down 77 years of an extraordinary life into a few pictures?  Where do you even start?  I just picked and chose a few that I thought represented who the man was.  I could sit here forever picking out more and more snapshots.  Instead, I had a Kit Kat bar.  Ahhh, the Kit Kat bar.  It was one of Dad's favorite candybars.  He would take my girls down to (then) Olson's grocery store here in Edmonds and as a treat they'd get a Kit Kat bar.  It was their little ritual, one that I never quite got invited to share with them.  I didn't mind.

I'm looking forward to this celebration.  It's going to be filled with tears - lots of tears.  But the tears won't necessarily be tears of sadness.  There will be tears of joy mixed in.  I'm sure I will run the gamut of emotions tomorrow - from the highest highs to the lowest of the lows.  Somehow, I can hear Dad's voice telling me not to cry for him.  I will celebrate him.  Remember him.  Love him.

Goodnight --

Leslie