It has not been a good day today. Oh it started out normal enough for the first forty minutes or so, but then it cracked around us. I walked out of my bedroom, glanced at the bird cage, and noticed one bird, Sunny, sitting on the perch. At first I thought that the other bird, Sunshine, was sitting behind Sunny, but a closer look quickly knocked that idea out. I look down at the bottom of the cage revealed the truth. Our bird, Sunshine, was feet up. "OH NO!" I cried before I could think. That of course brought the kids running. So, it's not been an easy day.
I spent the morning trying to find a balance of letting the kids (Tony especially) grieve, and not letting them be consumed by their grief. I repeated to them what I had said just over two years ago when our dog, Princess died; that the best way to handle grief is to serve. How little I knew that would come true so quickly! For about 1:30 this afternoon my phone rang. Do you remember M. and Lee? Well, Lee's sister, Mae (mother of Tony's friends, the C's) called with the news that her dad passed away last night. For many years he was the patriarch of our church, especially when we were a bit smaller and in a different building.
So, for the next week, we are going to be in service mode, ready to come when our services are needed. Needless to say, our school day is half finished today. We will probably finish it over the weekend.
As for Sunshine, when Angelo came home this afternoon, he and Tony took a small shovel, went to some nearby woods and gave our beloved bird a proper burial.
2 comments:
It is never easy to lose someone or something beloved, especially not a pet, but what a gentle and important opportunity in modeling the best way to accept loss and to grieve you have been given. Your children will be stronger and more compassionate individuals because of how you are handling this.
I'm so sorry! We've most certainly been there. Our bird funerals were pretty nice.
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