Will Goldie be in heaven, Mommy?

That's what my baby girl asked me today. You see, we've suffered a tragic loss at our house this weekend. Multiple losses actually. Most importantly, my grandmother is near the end of her life. Hospice is there, the family has been called in, and her time is short. She is the only great-grandmother my girls have ever known. They love her so much, and I do too. Now, I'm ready to let her go. She is ready to go home to her beloved, who passed away this time last year. Yesterday the Hospice musician came and played some old hymns for her. She was nearly unresponsive, but when he played "I'll Fly Away" you could see her tapping her foot. She's ready to fly on.

Last night we came home to find that our dogs had broken into our chicken coop and killed many of our hens. We found five dead, leaving us with five live hens and our rooster. Today two more hens passed. So now we have three healthy hens and one injured rooster. I never thought I'd be outside in the cold and dark dressing a rooster's wounds, but there I was last night. We raised these chickens from the time they were two days old, and I must say, we are very attached. Even Patrick loves them. It has been nothing but fun raising chickens...until yesterday.

Which brings me to the title of my post. Goldie was Cora's favorite chicken. When we left to go get medicine for the chickens, Goldie was hanging on, though she had a wing injury. When we got home, she was dead. Cora was so so upset; she screamed and cried in a way I've never seen. It was so sad. Nothing breaks a mommy's heart like seeing her child with a broken heart. And so, "Will Goldie be in heaven?" I believe so. How could I not? Heaven is perfect, the new paradise. God created ALL things, and He made it/them for us to enjoy. The animals we love have to be there. They just do. My girls have lost many pets over the last year, and I am 100% certain they will all be in heaven, healthy and whole, just waiting for a romp in the grass! Or in Goldie's case, a good cuddle and an overripe banana.

And so we grieve...But we grieve knowing one day we will see Mamaw and Goldie again.

Cora and her Goldie girl