I was asked to write about “Things I Love: Clothes”. This proved challenging, as I love great clothes, but I don’t usually buy them. But, the article took a turn that I liked.

It was a busy, happy weekend. On Friday night I - and pretty much everyone I know - was at the Creek and the Cave in Queens for a concert, after which my talented-and-prolific writer-friend Beth and her husband Wayne gave me a ride home to Park Slope. I finished another disc of Six Feet Under over some popcorn. Crazy Friday evenings, I have.

We slept in on Saturday; I got up around 11am and read for a while (I finished it last night). Tom got up a little later (he hadn’t gotten in until about 7am), and we had brunch at Black Pearl, then went back to the apartment and gorged on Arrested Development till Tom had to go to work. I then read for a bit and finished the second season of Six Feet Under before bed.

My mom drove into town yesterday with my brother and two of his friends, who had been in Wildwood with my grandparents for the week. They came to church with me and then we headed down to Grey Dog for lunch and Soho for a little shopping (I bought a few things at Anthropologie - so sue me) before they headed home. I went to set for a while to see Tom and get my keys (long story).

Thursday is the anniversary of Dad’s passing. If you’ve joined me in the past year, you can read the blog entries from last August. We miss him greatly, but knowing where he is has been such a comfort.

Thursday is also, incidentally, move-in day at Messiah, and my brother is moving in, so I’m heading to Albany on Wednesday night, driving to Harrisburg with the family on Thursday and moving him in, and heading back to NYC and work on Friday. I’m glad it’s a three-day weekend.

Unrelatedly: The Anthropologie catalog used to be my favorite catalog (I have piles of old ones stacked up for future slicing-and-dicing), but I have to be honest - J. Crew has outdone themselves with their latest Paris-themed catalog. I think I’m in love. And I’d love to be a walking version. Anyone want to donate to the cause?

I’m a nerd, and because of that, I’ve already started on my 2008 book list. I’m taking suggestions.

I’ve been here for two years and a month, and my life is almost entirely different now than it was then. In some ways, this job has been the one constant for those years; relationships, friendships, churches, roommates, ideas, beliefs, philosophies have all changed, gone, deepened, sharpened, or matured. And of course, my family has changed completely. Dad was diagnosed with leukemia when I’d only been here a month, and I found out about his relapse sitting right here at this desk. And I’ve worked here longer than I’ve even known Tom. There’s nothing untouched in my life, but I’m much older and I know much more about myself and have the courage to pursue life, rather than existence.

So, in a bit, I’ll turn in my badges, corporate cards, laptop, blackberry, and access cards, and walk out the door into an entirely different existence for which I’m well-suited. I’m really grateful for this experience, but I’m really excited about where I’m headed.

As Anne would say, it’s “an epoch in my life”.

This all means I’m coming up on two years in New York City. I mentioned this to mom recently and she sort of gasped. “How things have changed,” she said, and she’s right. In those two years I’ve graduated from college, ended one relationship, began another, got married, moved twice. My father was diagnosed with leukemia a few months after I moved here; he passed away last August, right before my wedding. My brother went to “real school” for the first time, after eleven years of homeschooling, and he’ll graduate from high school in three weeks. My mother went back to work in an office for the first time since my brother was born eighteen years ago, and my family moved from the rural house where I spent my teenage years to the house where my mother grew up. Our lives bear almost no resemblance to what they were two years ago, in some good ways and some very sorrowful ways. But I suppose that is what makes a life; the changes.

Also, tomorrow is Tom’s 25th birthday. He’ll be two years older than me for about five months. (Okay, I know that’s bad math, but math is not my strong point.)

We miss you down here.

But Sheryl and Dad were buddies. Dad taught her guitar for a while. For such a big teddy bear, he was “tough”. “No excuses! I want you practicing!”

The last time I saw Sheryl was in the line for the viewing before Dad’s funeral, about three and a half weeks ago. She was weeping and gave me a huge hug. I told her I figured Dad was probably up there strumming the guitar and drinking coffee with Greg Moroz, and she laughed through her tears. I’ve heard how much she was affected by Dad’s death and how much she missed him these last few weeks.

Sheryl spent her whole life battling health problems, living in a wheelchair, trying to see God’s purpose in it all. This morning, after a short fight in the ICU, she passed away.

Charity wrote this comment on my blog earlier this week about Dad:

In my mind’s eye I can see him standing at the door of Heaven as an Official Greeter. And, time being what it is (weird), in a moment, myself, my spouse and relatives and his friends and relatives will be in front of him. I can almost see him laughing at us, pointing and saying “Ha!! I beat you here!”

I can almost palpably see him now, running to the gate to meet Sheryl - who’s running toward him. (He’s probably a little surprised to see her so soon.) She’ll tell him about the beautiful funeral we put together for him and how many people were there and how many people miss him and that his body got buried in a national cemetery and he’s saying, “Cool!” in that Dad way.

He’s giving her a big bear hug, and bringing her over to introduce her to his friend Jesus. And after introducing her to a bunch of others, they’re walking over to the porch of his new mansion, where they’re strumming the new guitars which never really go out of tune. And neither of them have to practice anymore. They can just play.

See you soon, guys.

Thank you so much to everyone who has sent cards and prayers for my family and I during our time of grieving. We are so grateful for you.

Because they pull down the obits after a year, I’m going to copy-and-paste the text under the cut to save.

Steven A. Clark, 47, of Colonie, recently of East Poestenkill, died Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at Albany Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. He was the husband of Debbie Engel Clark. Born in Weymouth, Mass., he was the son of Dorothy Riley of Taunton, Mass. and Stanley Clark of Lynn, Mass. Steve was raised and educated in Braintree, Mass., graduating from Braintree High School. He then enlisted in the US Navy where he served in avionics. Following the Navy, he served in the Army Reserves. He attended Albany Medical Center’s School of Radiology and then worked at the Albany Medical Center Hospital as a radiology technician and was later employed at GE Medical Systems as a field service engineer. He was a member of the Loudonville Community Church, was active in David’s Mighty Men Fellowship, and served on the worship team, which was his passion. He was also an avid Red Sox fan. In addition to his wife of 25 years and his parents, he is survived by a daughter, Alissa M. Clark of New York City; a son, Sean M. Clark of Colonie; a twin brother, Stanley Clark of Halifax, Mass.; a brother, Daniel Clark of Weymouth. Mass.; a sister, Jeanne Lightbody of Foxboro, Mass., two nephews and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral service will be held on Friday, September 1, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. at the Loudonville Community Church, 374 Loudon Road (Route 9 and Crumite Rd.), Loudonville, NY 12211, with the Reverend Stanley Key, pastor, officiating. Friends are invited to call at the church for one hour prior to the funeral beginning at 9:00 a.m. Interment with military honors will be held at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville. The family desires that in lieu of flowers, those desiring may make contributions in memory of Steve Clark to the Loudonville Community Church Memorial Fund at the address given above.

And tomorrow, we marry. There will be four in this little family again.

My Dad died at age 47 in the hospital yesterday morning (August 30). We came upstate as soon as we could.

At this point, we’re postponing our wedding till a later date, though we will be married privately this week with our close family around us at my parents’ house.

Please be in prayer for us, and for my mom and brother.

If you’re in the area, you can come to the funeral tomorrow, Friday, September 1. The viewing will be at 9am and the funeral service will be at 10am at Loudonville Community Church.