Wednesday, April 17, 2019

#30facesofautism 2019 - Day 17


Day 17 – Remember how I told you that Baby Girl and I stayed away from the business end of the room during the entire visitation at the funeral home? Well this one is a smarty and while I know she didn’t really get a good look at the wonder that was laid to rest inside she had put two and two together.  When we pulled up to the curb for the graveside service she immediately looked over at the tent and said, “Oh look, Grant’s bumped bed is here.” I could not help but smile and tell her she was right.  I had coached on the ride over to Greenville about how we would have to sit still, be quiet, and wait to play with the new toys once everything was over.  Her favorite things to do in the world – sit still, be quiet and wait – NOT! She took me by the hand and walked proudly in her brand new outfit over to the rows of chairs, that just so happened to be covered in dark green velvet…she sat, but immediately began to pet the chair which was directly in front of the preacher.  Give me strength.  Miraculously everything went smoothly, even when the preacher belted out Gran’s favorite hymns acapella, my little parrot sat quietly.  As soon as the service was over and everyone got up she politely asked me for her toys and began to play right around the chair as the adults chatted and milled about.  Kids are resourceful.  Did you know that the leg of the metal stand a coffin rests on at the graveside can double as a slide for a doll?  Well I didn’t either until Baby Girl launched hers right down it into the hole in the ground! You should have seen me trying to convince her to get her arm out of the crack between the two – the stand and hole that is, because we would absolutely not be able to retrieve it!  At this point I decided it’d be best if we waited in the car with the iPad.  Off to the car we went to wait and wait and wait.  After quite some time she hollered out at me, and I’m NOT kidding, “Hey, can we go now?  The show IS over!”. I died.  Laughing.  I couldn’t help it.  We dressed up, there were rows of fancy seats, she had to be good, a man sang – show.  Simple. What is also simple is the pleasure I am absolutely certain it gave Gran to know that at the foot of her grave there is a doll last held in the hands of her sweet Baby Girl.  (Explaining Death Part 3 of 3) #30facesofautism

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