Lucy's final resting place
It occurred to me that we never publicly made known where Lucy's final resting place was. And so, I thought today- on the thirteenth month since she has been gone- that I would share it with you.
Lucy's death was unexpected. There was no buffer, no final days, no warning. I don't know that I can say sudden- as we had about an 8 hour window from the time we knew it was bad until she was given her last breath. In that window of time, her final resting place wasn't even a thought. But before we left the hospital, we had to make a decision. It took me less than a second to know.
Lucy was cremated.
The very idea of trying to preserve a body that had killed her from the inside out, burying it in the earth, away from me. It was never an option. Ever. The first two-and-a-half years of her life, she never slept more than a room away from me. Really 99% of that time she was at most a few feet from me. So to imagine her eternal sleep several miles, at best, from me... I couldn't do it.
I carry a part of her with me, everywhere I go. Around my neck.
The majority of the rest of her ashes are inside a panda.
A panda I'm sure you all have seen.
When I began to look at urns, nothing suited what I wanted for her. They were so hard, cold, boring. A couple of months after she passed away, I was at the bank with my mom. Through a serious of unusual circumstances Lucy came up and the banker mentioned that he had lost infant twins. Then he showed me a photo of his older three children holding their baby brothers- two build-a-bears. I knew instantly that that was what I wanted.
I wanted Lucy to be with us.
Capable of being held. Talked to. Cried with.
And so the search began for a bear that represented our Goosey. A goose was, naturally, our top choice but it didn't exist. I found a panda on their website, but unfortunately it had been discontinued. We contemplated the Hulk bear because, well, "Hulk smash!". But I just wasn't completely satisfied. A desperate call into corporate and they were able to locate a panda for us.
The kids were all involved in the creation of her panda. They did the heart wish. They helped stuff her (after minor surgery to allow the ashes we had brought with to fit). They brushed her and cleaned her. We added her amber necklaces that I had been wearing. Our Goose had finally found a resting place, right at home where she belongs. With us. As for the rest of her ashes, and maybe even this panda, I will have the children spread with me when I am once again joined with my baby girl.
Fly high, Goose. We all love you and miss your sassy little soul.
Lucy's death was unexpected. There was no buffer, no final days, no warning. I don't know that I can say sudden- as we had about an 8 hour window from the time we knew it was bad until she was given her last breath. In that window of time, her final resting place wasn't even a thought. But before we left the hospital, we had to make a decision. It took me less than a second to know.
Lucy was cremated.
The very idea of trying to preserve a body that had killed her from the inside out, burying it in the earth, away from me. It was never an option. Ever. The first two-and-a-half years of her life, she never slept more than a room away from me. Really 99% of that time she was at most a few feet from me. So to imagine her eternal sleep several miles, at best, from me... I couldn't do it.
I carry a part of her with me, everywhere I go. Around my neck.
The majority of the rest of her ashes are inside a panda.
A panda I'm sure you all have seen.
When I began to look at urns, nothing suited what I wanted for her. They were so hard, cold, boring. A couple of months after she passed away, I was at the bank with my mom. Through a serious of unusual circumstances Lucy came up and the banker mentioned that he had lost infant twins. Then he showed me a photo of his older three children holding their baby brothers- two build-a-bears. I knew instantly that that was what I wanted.
I wanted Lucy to be with us.
Capable of being held. Talked to. Cried with.
And so the search began for a bear that represented our Goosey. A goose was, naturally, our top choice but it didn't exist. I found a panda on their website, but unfortunately it had been discontinued. We contemplated the Hulk bear because, well, "Hulk smash!". But I just wasn't completely satisfied. A desperate call into corporate and they were able to locate a panda for us.
The kids were all involved in the creation of her panda. They did the heart wish. They helped stuff her (after minor surgery to allow the ashes we had brought with to fit). They brushed her and cleaned her. We added her amber necklaces that I had been wearing. Our Goose had finally found a resting place, right at home where she belongs. With us. As for the rest of her ashes, and maybe even this panda, I will have the children spread with me when I am once again joined with my baby girl.
Fly high, Goose. We all love you and miss your sassy little soul.