Preparing For the Funeral

Everything has kind of been a blur since the weekend.  I feel like I've been fairly composed for the most part, but then I'm also separated from everyone in Regina right now.  I have a feeling that things will be different when I see everyone.

If you're just joining the conversation, I wrote about the loss of my close friend Dave and what I remember most about him here.

Dave's funeral is taking place this Friday in Kindersley, SK which is about 3 hours away for me.  It's his hometown, and it makes sense to have it there.  Wendy, Dave's girlfriend, asked me if I'd like to be a pallbearer and I said I'd be honored.  It still seems so crazy to think about.  It's such a foreign situation to be in when you're dealing with someone who you knew so well.

The one bright spot in all of this is that I'll finally get to meet their baby, Darwin.  As I had mentioned in my previous post, the last time I saw Dave and Wendy was in August just days before Darwin was born.  He was already overdue and there was an expectation that they'd already be settled with the baby by the time I visited Regina for a wedding I was going to.  I obviously wish the circumstances for our first meeting were different, but here we are.

Everything has felt so symbolic over the last few days.  The leaves have just started to turn, my iPod keeps shuffling songs that remind me of Dave, and it was this very week just one year ago that we returned from our cross country drive.  It's still so surreal.

My week has otherwise just been a mix of getting work in order, buying myself a new suit (one piece at every store it seems like) and responding and talking to a lot of family and friends.  I want to thank everyone who has called, emailed, and left me messages.  Times like these are not only about the person we lost, but about the people we have around us for support.  It really means a lot, and I'm fortunate to have people around me who care.

Now there's just one final detail I need to finish editing for Dave . . .