Uncle Aaron has a little friend to play with now

Last night after I tucked Callan into bed I happened to look in the kids' bathroom to check on Henry, our hermit crab.  What did I find?  Poor Henry had crawled out of his shell, and.....well, Gene pronounced him dead after the kids went to bed.

This morning Gene forgot to put the empty cage away, so when Callan saw it on the counter he asked, "Mommy!  Where's my hermit crab?"

Oh, shoot!  (was my reply under my breath)  I wasn't quite ready to explain death to Callan this morning.  But....

me: Well, Callan, Henry is in heaven with Jesus today!

C: Oh.  (ran off to play)

me: (thinking) That was easy!

C: (running back to me) Where is my hermit crab?

me: He died, Buddy.  He's in heaven with Jesus and Uncle Aaron now.

C: (looked like he was going to cry)

me: I bet Uncle Aaron is having a great time playing with your hermit crab today in heaven, don't you think?

C: yeah

That was about the end of the conversation.  But the first thing he said to Gene tonight was, "Daddy?  Hermit crab?"  so obviously it's still on his mind.