My father's first yahrzeit . . . was actually yesterday

. . . 3 Sivan, but I was too crazy busy at the office to blog about it.

The first thing I found out was that, not having attended morning minyan as often as I would have liked, I now stumble over the words of Kaddish D'Rabbanan again.  I'll have to make sure to practice the extra paragraph that appears in Kaddish D'Rabbanan before my mother's yahrzeit.

The second thing I found out was that not only does one not say Tachanun during Sivan until after Shavuot--I should remember to check my siddur/prayer book more closely for such instructions--but the Kel Malei Rachamim (G-d Full of Compassion) prayer for the deceased is not recited during the Sh'loshet Y'mei Hagbalah, a term I just learned about for the first time roughly two weeks ago.  So I'll have to request a separate Kel Malei for my father when I go to morning minyan on my mother's yahrzeit, 20 Sivan, this year and every year.

It seems strange that yesterday was only my father's first yahrzeit.  Since he was "gone" mentally long before he died, it feels as if we "lost" him years ago.  :(