This week we have had many laughs at Anna Kate's expense. I just had to share. Anyone who knows her well knows she asks tons of questions. Well, this week she experienced her first funeral home experience. Actually, she's been a couple of times before, but she was under two both times so she doesn't remember. Anyway, one of Mark's uncles died on Sunday morning. We only went to visitation on Tuesday night, not to the funeral. So here it goes.

We got to the funeral home and all the little ones were hanging in a foyer with couches reading books and playing except Anna Kate. She kept looking into the chapel where most of the family was sitting around talking. She came up to me several times and told me she wanted to go in there and look around. I told her I would go with her in a minute. ( I was the bouncer for the little kids at the moment). So a few minutes later she couldn't wait any longer, I passed my duties off to the next aunt and proceeded to take her to the front. There was a small group of people I did not know standing in front of the casket so I asked Anna Kate if she would like to look at all the pretty flowers. "Sure," she said reluctantly. As I pointed out all the flowers she kept looking over her shoulder to the casket. Soon as the group left, I took a deep breath and took her to look. The conversation went something like this:

Me: "See he looks like he is sleeping. Has a soft blanket and pillow to lay on, but remember he's really not in there he's in heaven"
AK: "Yea," looking very intently. "Why are his hands like that?"
Me: "That's just where they laid them."
AK: "I don't like it when people die. It makes me sad"
Me: "I know but that is how God made us. . . to die and then we get to see Him. Isn't that cool?"
AK: "Yea, but I like him," (She's never even met him)
AK: "Why did they cut his legs off?" (Caskets are opened only from the waist up)
Me: "Oh, they didn't, his legs are under there."
AK: "So they only cut his feet off?"
Me: "No, no, his legs and feet are in there."
AK: As she looks under the casket, "This box isn't big enough for all of him."
Me: "Yes, it is, I promise."
Mark's aunt walked up about that time and was touching him. You know what's coming.
AK: "Why is she touching him?
Me: "Because she loves him"
AK: "Can I touch him?"
Me: "Not right now, let's go see what Dad's doing"

We walked away, I didn't want to offend the aunt and have a six year old touching her husband.
For the next twenty minutes she kept wanting to go back up. I told before we left that she could take one more look. We answered questions about how old he was (64), how old I was etc., and I kept reminding her my grandparents are much older than that and no one knows when they will die, but she shouldn't worry about it. He was very sick, and now he's not and feels much better.

That night when we put her to bed she still couldn't understand the leg thing. She just didn't think his legs were in that box. We assured her they were and showed her with the blanket how he was laying, etc.

Then last night she asked:

AK: Did daddy's uncle die in the morning?
Me: Yes.
AK: Before he went to church on Sunday?
Me: Yes.
AK: Do you faint when you die?
Me: If you standing up, I guess you fall down, but he was laying in bed.
AK: So he got up and got ready to go to church, then went back to bed?
Me: No, I'm sure he was in bed in his pajamas.
AK: Then how did he get his Sunday clothes on????

Of course, he was in his Sunday clothes in the casket, so he must've died getting dressed for church. That one about put me over the edge. I laughed so hard.

Mark's mom says we're in alot of trouble because AK will never leave a stone unturned. You've just got to love her.