Today was the visitation for my dad at the funeral home. Sue and I arrived before things really got underway. My dad looked better than I’d hoped, peaceful, even a slight smile. They’d provided some pins, so I could add the two hearts to the spray of flowers in his casket. When it was time to receive folks, I felt so awkward at first, standing around, not knowing the folks who had come, I didn’t know what to do with myself. But then when more people started to arrive, I felt much better. I hadn’t really understood about these, but, now I do. It matters, this talking, to people you know and people you don’t, telling stories, and sharing. It meant so much that my aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, and even Grandpa Stan came. I was glad he got to see the kids, if only briefly. I told him, please don’t be a stranger, the kids need to know all of their remaining 7 grandparents.
Speaking of the kids, they seemed to not fully understand what was going on, but they funeral home provided a room for the little ones, and kind relatives brought games and activities for them to share. The kids did have a chance to see Steve one last time, and say their goodbyes. They were matter-of-fact about it, as is their way. We showed them their hearts, there in the flowers, and said that our love would be with him always, and his with us. As Sue and I shared a last moment with him before we left, I took the hearts out from the flowers, removed the pins, and gently tucked them inside his suit jacket’s breast pocket, just over his heart. We agreed, that was a better spot for them to be.
My dad’s obituary made the papers today, and Brandon, bless him, made a point to go out this morning and buy a pile of newspapers for us. So many flowers arrived during the day today. Back at the house tonight, the kids were wild, maybe a rebound effect from the somber events of the evening. I’m glad they could cut loose with their cousins some (our kids won’t have any first cousins since we’re both onlies, and when it comes to cousins, we figure, the more the merrier. Sue’s sister’s son’s three girls are close enough and it’s too complicated trying to name the relationship, so we’re just going with cousins). 🙂 People will be coming tomorrow, so Brian got to remove his orange paper airplane from the shelves in the living room (he’d thrown it up there months ago, maybe at Thanksgiving?) He’d been rather proud of it going up there and getting stuck so high up, he’d checked on it at subsequent visits to make sure it was still there. Someone (Sue!) had magically attached a string to it, so he could remove it himself. That’s all it took to make it coming down acceptable (even fun!) to him! 🙂 What a great idea.
The flowers are beautiful.