"Into every life, a little rain must fall"

"Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit." - R E Shay    

Nope, no luck here with bunnies....  Last June we lost Hoppy and this year on Mother's Day, we lost our little Miffy. :::sigh:::  Why can't we keep our bunnies alive?  As much as I love bunnies, I give up.  Apparently these creatures are too fragile for me to care for.   I feel a little guilty about Miffy dying.  I should have noticed that she didn't have any poops in her litter box, but I didn't, until it was too late.  Was too busy with life; working the night shift, ending 4 year feud's with my brother, attending a birthday party, the prom and celebrating Mother's Day & my birthday.... 

When I noticed Miffy's litter box on Sunday morning, and then saw her leaning heavily into her food dish.... I knew it was bad.   Miffy was barely breathing and very cold.  I couldn't bring myself to pick her up, so Mike put her gently in her hutch.   We both looked at each other and said,  "What will we tell Sammi?"   You see, last June when Hoppy got sick, (and died), we decided to tell Sammi that Hoppy went to live on a farm with other sick bunnies.  Even though she wasn't quite 3,  I don't think she ever bought that explanation.  But I felt the need to protect her from the sometimes sad realities of life.   Now at 3 years 10 months, I still feel the need to protect her, however, we can't keep telling her that the animals that disappear from her life go to the farm.   

We decided to tell both of the little ones the truth in terms we hoped they could understand.   We told them that sometimes animals get sick and die.... that Miffy had died.  Sammi's first question was "Did her heart go away?"   We got into the topic of how God has special places for little animals when they die.   She asked so many questions about "Who's God?"  "Can Miffy come back someday?"   .... Hard deep questions that I sometimes have trouble wrapping my mind around.  How does one explain God to a 3 year old?  I still don't know.  

We gave Miffy a funeral in the backyard while standing in the rain.  We sang her the song we always sang. "Miffy, is a cute little bunny...."  And then Mikey piped up in a very sad little voice, "I'm gonna miss her...."  I almost cried, but didn't.  Moments later, his sadness passed and he was helping his dad pack down the dirt.  

Three days have gone by and they are still talking about Miffy.  They have told anyone who'll listen that they had a bunny, but now she's gone under the dirt.  Yesterday, while driving in the car the little ones both told me that they thought Miffy wanted to come back.  I asked them why they thought that, and Sammi said, "Because I heard her."  I played along and said, "you did?"  She replied, "yup".  And then in the cutest little bunny voice she could muster she squeaked, "Miffy said, "I wanna come back up, I don't like it under here."  Made me wanna cry and laugh at the same time.   I guess they don't quite get it, but there's one thing I do know for sure....  

               The sandbox shovels are going to be put away for awhile....