"All Drains Lead To The Ocean"

On Wednesday we bought the boys a fish. Ryder has been begging for a fish for 2 years. When I lived in SD, Tysen & I had a BIG tank with lotsa fish but I was not wanting such a big responsibility that a large tank would create. I finally caved and got a small fish bowl. We bought a kit that had it all (bowl, rocks, plant, & food). Ryder picked out one fish and we brought it home. He thought for several hours about the perfect name. He came up with Marley. I think he was intending on Marlin...because that was Nemo's dad...but he got stuck on Marley. The first night we had Marley, Ryder informed me every 20-30 minutes..."My fish is still alive"... to which my response was always..."Of course he is. He will live a long time if you take good care of him." The next afternoon I was on the phone with a friend and Ryder says, very calmly, "Mom...The fish is dead." I went to check it out. YEP! BELLY UP!!

Ok...now I had to explain death and loss of loved ones to my 5 year old because this was his first experience with death! I said..."Oh Ryder, I am so sorry." He interrupts me by saying... "That's ok...We will just go buy another Marley!"

Ryder decided to flush him down the toilet because all drains lead to the ocean...according to NEMO! So we had a prayer then a flush!!!

Ryder showing off his new fish "Lil Marley"

Ryder fishes Marley out of the bowl...

...puts him in the toilet...

...says a prayer and Flushes him out to sea!

This is immediately followed by..."Ok...Let's go to Walmart and get another Marley!"

His grieving process is OVER! And so the game to keep fish alive in our house STARTS!!!