Sad day for Sarah..... Wow, today was one of the hardest days I have had in a long time! My neighbor came over this morning about 1000 and told me Fiona, Sarah's cat, had just been hit by a car. She had noticed her in the road and thought it was a big squirrel, then went out side and saw the pink collar....I found a box, and put a princess pillow Sarah had sewed last summer for her inside, and went out and got her. She had got hit just barely on her jaw, it looked like it killed her instantaneously. So I was glad she didn't look bad and apparently didn't have to suffer. I dug a grave in the backyard, working around rocks and tree roots, but finally got it deep enough that I thought she wouldn't get dug up. I had her in the basement, and Jacob checked on her on the hour all afternoon. I was sad myself, but stressed more than anything about breaking the news to Sarah. She has always considered herself a cat kind of girl, and had always wanted one. Fiona was her first cat. We had gotten her this summer as soon as we got settled in the house.
At 2:30, my neighbor came over to watch the boys for me, and I went to the school to check her out a little early. She was very curious as to why I was there. I said, "Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?" She said good. So I told her about the Hannah Montana 3-d movie tickets I had just bought for tomorrow night. Then she nervously asked, "So what's the bad?", as we were getting in the car. I told her, and she started bawling and repeating "no" over and over. So we both sat there in front of the school bawling for about 5 minutes. I felt so bad for her. One of those times as a parent you'd do anything to take the pain away, take it upon yourself instead, but there's just not much you can do. She just sobbed and sobbed. We drove to the grocery store and bought flowers for the grave, since nothing is growing in our yard right now. Then we went back to the school and picked up Emma, who has such a soft spot in her heart for ANY animal, and didn't take the news a whole lot better. Then we went back home and had a little burial service before time for gymnastics and swim team. I thought about ommitting them tonight, but decided getting out of the house might be the best thing we could do.
So now it's 10:00, and the kids are all in bed and asleep. I layed in bed by the girls while they went to sleep, and we talked for a while about death. They had a lot of questions about when my mom died, and about what she was like. We talked and cried, and I shared things about that experience that I've never shared w/them before....they're growing up so fast, it's crazy I can have such REAL conversations w/them. I love it!
Hopefully tomorrow will be better....

We'll miss you Fiona!