When I was little and I'd let go of a balloon and it would float away my mother told me that lost balloon went up to the angels to play with. Later when a high school boyfriend's father died I bought him some balloons and we went out to a field and we sent them to heaven. I've found that there is just something about releasing balloons that lets you let some of the pain go as well.
Children being children are curious and are always trying to figure the world out and (at least mine) trying to figure out how all the people in their lives are connected (maybe because they have SO MUCH family). So a few years ago in explaining that Grandpa Mark is my daddy they assumed Grandpa Richard was daddy’s daddy. So we had to explain that Daddy’s daddy had died before they were born and that Grandpa Richard was daddy’s step-dad. This was quite a revelation to my children, most notable my oldest at the time. Eric’s father died before we had kids and it never occurred to me then that my future children would grieve over the loss of a grandparent they never knew. But she did indeed spend time grieving. So I let her write a little note to Grandpa Andy and send it off to heaven attached to a balloon and my youngest drew a little picture and did the same.
Eventually we had to explain a similar story to them about Grandma Anita’s mommy (Grandma Riebli) who was already in heaven before they were born and that Grandma Dorothy was Grandma Anita’s step-mom.
Last year Eric’s Grandma Joni died as as well. We flew to Florida for her funeral. The girls had met her several times and always enjoyed the gifts she sent for Christmas, but because she lived in Florida to them she is sorta this mystery person that they know but don’t know as well. In part because we did a crazy turn around trip to Florida, because the extra plane tickets were out of our budget and because we were trying to protect them, we chose not to bring them with us to the funeral. We have been talking about Grandma Joni and missing her ever since.
Eventually we had to explain a similar story to them about Grandma Anita’s mommy (Grandma Riebli) who was already in heaven before they were born and that Grandma Dorothy was Grandma Anita’s step-mom.
Last year Eric’s Grandma Joni died as as well. We flew to Florida for her funeral. The girls had met her several times and always enjoyed the gifts she sent for Christmas, but because she lived in Florida to them she is sorta this mystery person that they know but don’t know as well. In part because we did a crazy turn around trip to Florida, because the extra plane tickets were out of our budget and because we were trying to protect them, we chose not to bring them with us to the funeral. We have been talking about Grandma Joni and missing her ever since.
In preschool my littelest made this cute little butterfly and I’ve had it taped to the wall above my computer since she brought in home in 2008.
The week before my oldest went off track because we had lost Uncle Ken & Grandma Wanas she asked if we could send balloons up to heaven again. And then she had a whole plan of making handprint butterflies (like little one's preschool project) and attaching those to the balloons. She was so cute and I told her of course we could do that again but that we should wait until she was off-track so we’d have more time to create the butterflies. And unfortunately because we waited we would need to make one more butterfly.
Today we spent the day making butterflies and releasing balloons...another blog with pics coming soon.
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