Traveling over 800 miles by car with a toddler was a daunting task to undertake, especially when there was an impending snowstorm and a funeral involved. We made it to my Uncle Ted's service and those closest to him agreed that he would have loved having the children there. Zachary informed some in attendance that Uncle Ted went to "go be an Angel." He doesn't really understand what that means, but he knew beforehand that some people might be sad, that we were going to give them a hug, and that it was mainly because Uncle Ted had gone to be an Angel. We didn't emphasize that we were saying "goodbye" because I didn't want him yelling "Bye Bye Uncle Ted" in the middle of the church service. I wanted to give him a sense of what was happening in a way he could understand without freaking him or anyone else out.
He was very well behaved throughout the services and during the journey itself. He was eager to help me - even when it was late and he was tired. It was heartwarming how he assisted me with the suitcases at hotels. He had a whole host of new experiences and embraced them all, while bringing smiles to the faces of almost everyone we met. For the first time, he walked into an elevator, stayed at a hotel, ate Indian food, and got up close to a very big train. Uncle Ted was exceptionally fond of trains, so it was particularly appropriate that we stopped at a restaurant that was also a train. At the second hotel (on the way home), there was a Christmas tree in the lobby and we noticed the pretty angel on top.
Rest peacefully Uncle Ted. We Love you.
Namaste,
T & Z
