It’s not something I ever would have thought I’d be doing. Having a picnic lunch at a cemetery. Once upon a time it would have sounded weird, but funny how things change. Seemed like a perfectly plausible place for a picnic and besides the stifling humidity, it was pleasant. I sometimes think of what my dad would say if he knew how much we (and his brother, friends, mom) visit him. I feel like he’d probably find it funny. Even though we know it’s just his earthly body left behind, it feels good to stop by there. The last place we saw anything bearing him.

I wasn’t in Minnesota for Father’s Day, so I took a belated trip to the cemetery this morning with my youngest sister and three of my girls. We stopped and got coffee at a little coffee shop in Cokato called The Grounds on the Green. I used to live in Cokato when I was seventeen and spent maybe a year hanging out there with friends, but I don’t remember that coffee shop being there, so I’m assuming it’s new. Kind of nice for the cokatans to have!

After coffee we stopped by the florist in town and I asked for a little bouquet to put on my dads grave. The florist (my little sisters boyfriends grandpa!) made the prettiest little bouquet that was perfect. The colors reminded me of happy memories. Although it’s been two years since he died, it still often doesn’t seem real. Like we are just living in a new different life now. I overheard the assistant florist tell him “she wants a little bouquet to lay down on her dads grave.” And it like clenched my heart to hear that.

After the flower shop, we swung by a Mexican food truck and grabbed some lunch for our picnic! I got a new SUV a week ago and I’m really trying to keep a strict no eating/drinking for kids policy in there. I can eat in there of course. But they cannot. You would not believe the things kids can figure out how to turn into a mess. So far I’ve kept strong! 😂

We then went and had our Mexican food at my dads grave, dropped off the flowers, and then packed er up and headed back to my moms! I’m glad to have made it there and I try to help out with getting my little sister there often. Much as losing my dad broke my heart, my heart often breaks for my youngest siblings even more. I just always hope and pray we can keep eachother going. Have his memory be our rock instead.