Bunk 'Em, Danno

In honor of our niece's 5th, and my brother's 37th, we had a congregation of the cousins -- and their parents -- at Great Wolf Lodge over the weekend. Can't recommend it highly enough!
Five kids. Four adults. LOTS of water. Abundant fun.

Sadly, upon return home, we discovered the passing of Darren's beloved Betta (Siamese fighting fish), Christopher. Christopher was the latest in a long line who've inhabited a bowl on our antique radio console...and the first fish whose death evoked actual tears from Darren.

Following our flush funeral -- complete with pottyside prayers acknowledging his long life, lovely fins, and extra-swimmy personality -- Darren went to the den to sob and calm down by reading a few books. Sarah in her efforts to console, drew a picture of Christopher and placed it in the very obvious dust-free circle left by the removed fishbowl.

This morning, Daddy relayed in privacy his belief/conviction that exhaustion from the weekend's excitement was the true catalyst for the weepfest; I'm still not so sure. Although Darren's post-breakfast request "Can you buy me a new fish while I'm at school today?" definitely lends Scott's theory some crediblity. Interestingly enough, I did catch Sarah paying a bit more attention (thoughtfully, out of Darren's sightline) to her surviving fish, Timmy.

R.I.P., Christopher. We'll miss you.