Goodbye AJ

Wednesday August 14, 2008

Our boys experienced their first death this past week with the passing of our kitty, AJ – Apple Junior, we’re guessing on Wednesday August 6, the anniversary of Jason breaking his back in 2006. Obviously Emet probably won’t ever even remember AJ, though he had grabbed onto his hair a couple of times, but that pretty much summed up the interaction with our fluffy orange outdoor cat. Ironically, he was killed in the same way as his predecessor, Apple, on a busy road. I believe Apple was sitting in the middle of the road cleaning himself, while AJ was hunting the ditch and stuck his nose over.

Jason called me on a Thursday morning, August 6 and told me the news. He said to be thinking about how we would tell Caleb, our approach, etc. However, as Caleb had been sitting on my lap for the call, by the time we got off the phone he was asking “What happened?” and “Where’s AJ?” So much for time to think it over. I guess all of my life, I have told myself that pets go to heaven when they die. It seems like one of those things that is not addressed in the Bible (though animals supposedly don’t have souls like humans).....but my heart won’t allow me to believe that it is over when they pass away and that there is no hope of seeing them again. So, I jumped into the explanation of how AJ had been hit by a car and died. He wouldn’t be able to be with us anymore, but his soul was in heaven with Jesus. We would have to find a place to bury his little body. Caleb started panicking at first and crying...but he quickly calmed down as we started talking about heaven and being with Jesus. Since he knows about Jesus from his favorite song “Jesus loves me”, his Bible, many of the books we read, and prayers before each meal and at bedtime – I think he feels comfortable with AJ being with Jesus. One minute, I would think he grasped it, then he would say something to the effect of “Can we go and get AJ out of Jesus?” or “Sometimes when I’m in heaven with Jesus, we go in the ditch.” ?????? Oh boy – perhaps he hasn’t gotten it at all, I think.

Caleb is growing and changing right before my very eyes. He is such a little person these days, fully able to communicate thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Sometimes the words hold us up in understanding and make him frustrated when we don’t get it after the third or fourth time he explains, but overall – it is amazing. My favorite thing nowadays, is seeing him go to get one of his books or his Bible and sit down to read it out loud. Sometimes, if he doesn’t remember the story, he’ll come over and say, “What this book say, Mama?” Oh, how he grabs my heart. He is definitely progressing out of the worst of his “terrible two” stage, though he still has his share of time-outs and spankings. He is learning to take the anger out of his heart, by grabbing it – throwing it down on the ground, and stomping on it. However, often this takes a bit of coaxing!!! He also will come up with phrases like “You’re not in charge”, “You’re not the boss”, “I don’t love you!”.

Emet is full of glee and smiles, especially when being picked up. He opens his little mouth and presses it to yours in a giant big sloppy kiss! Sometimes you even get a hug (mostly when you get him up in the morning). What a little joy. He eats lots of finger foods and loves sitting in his high chair and being entertained by his big brother. His favorite thing is NOT riding in the stroller these days though. He does enjoy the cereal snack tray.