Natalie got a bit sick last night so I decided that she would stay home from school today. While I was trying to plan our day a bit I was told that Junie, the baby mockingbird, had passed away during the night. I had to break the news to Nat but she did very well with the news even through her sadness. I was very proud of her and I told her we could bury Junie next to Fred the hamster. After our breakfast we got ready to go in yard and Nat began right away digging the new little grave.
She wanted to be able to put Junie in the grave and I made sure she put on gloves before handling him. She gently put him in and said goodbye. After putting the dirt back over she started looking around for things to put on top of the grave.
She gathered a few pine cones, rocks, leaves and a magnolia flower. She amazed me as she took each item out of her bag and placed them on the grave saying something with each thing. The one that caught my attention is when she placed the first pine cone and said "the pine cone of security". Wow. So she she continued on with each item and I had to help her with a few when she couldn't think of anything else to say.
She talked about life and death and about God. It's amazing the things children grasp. Afterwards, she looked up at the clouds and noticed how quickly the clouds were coming in and said that God was moving the clouds...
Junie's farewell place.
Watering the graves, something she likes to do.
Us together, just me and my girl...
Natalie got a bit sick last night so I decided that she would stay home from school today. While I was trying to plan our day a bit I was told that Junie, the baby mockingbird, had passed away during the night. I had to break the news to Nat but she did very well with the news even through her sadness. I was very proud of her and I told her we could bury Junie next to Fred the hamster. After our breakfast we got ready to go in yard and Nat began right away digging the new little grave.
She wanted to be able to put Junie in the grave and I made sure she put on gloves before handling him. She gently put him in and said goodbye. After putting the dirt back over she started looking around for things to put on top of the grave. 
She gathered a few pine cones, rocks, leaves and a magnolia flower. She amazed me as she took each item out of her bag and placed them on the grave saying something with each thing. The one that caught my attention is when she placed the first pine cone and said "the pine cone of security". Wow. So she she continued on with each item and I had to help her with a few when she couldn't think of anything else to say.
She talked about life and death and about God. It's amazing the things children grasp. Afterwards, she looked up at the clouds and noticed how quickly the clouds were coming in and said that God was moving the clouds... 
Junie's farewell place.
Watering the graves, something she likes to do.
Us together, just me and my girl...
5 comments:
I'd like to hug that last picture of you, girls ...
♥
x x x
___mathyld___
This was so beautiful. Thanks, Andrea.
so sorry to hear junie didn't make it...what a sweet little baby he was to try to survive so long. you and nat were the perfect people to do that ceremony to send his little life onward. she is truly a wise soul.
and i loved the letter from the wildlife folks. it really sounds like they care and are doing such a good job despite hardships. how nice of them to send you such a helpful and heartfelt letter.
Oh my, you two are such beauties!
oh mathyld, you are too sweet!
thanks meg and heather...i am really happy for this experience because of what it taught her and what it taught me through her.
windhover (okay, i need to know your name! ♥) you are so sweet to say! :)
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