I'm relieved Annie finally knows the truth

Oh what our sweet little Annie went through the day of her Great Grandpa's funeral...

I'll explain. 

McKay and McKenna and their 3 kids all flew in from Montana to be at my Dad's funeral. 

So my Dad is McKay's Grandpa... 
and Grant, Scarlett, and Annie's Great Grandpa. 

You get that, and so do I.

But Annie is only three. 

So the day of the funeral we were all busy getting ready, and eating breakfast. The McKs and their 3 kids all left to the church before we did. The viewing was from 10-11am so I knew we had plenty of time. 

Den and I arrived about 10:30 and went right into the viewing room. I found out later, that before we arrived, while McKay was talking to someone, Annie came up to him and kept saying, "Daddy, there's a dead man over there!" 

I was told by my sisters later that she was very adamant and excited about it and kept repeating it. (I don't think McKay ever did hear her...so much chatting going on in that viewing room that day.)

I sat down in the back of the viewing room and Annie quickly found me and snuggled into my lap. Many of my Dad's grandchildren filled the room and I could hear much talk about "Grandpa dying." Den was on the other side of the room. I was not with him again until later on during the luncheon. 

When it was time to make the family procession into the chapel, I was towards the front of the line. I was speaking and wanted to be able to quickly sit up in front. Dennis was further back in the line and sat in the congregation with other family members.

After the service was over the family in the first several rows of the chapel stood up to follow the casket outside and watch it be put in the hearst. I was still up on the stand near the podium. As this was quietly and solemly done, I could hear Annie, who McKay was holding say very bold and clearly, and almost indignantly, "Where are they taking Grandpa?" 

I didn't think much about it at the time, just that this was all new to her and she wanted to know where they were taking her Great Grandpa's body. 

After the hearst left with my Dad's body, we all went into the cultural hall for the luncheon. Annie soon found me again and came to sit on my lap. My former neighbor Dee was sitting by me and Annie turned to her and said, "They put Grandpa in a box and my Daddy helped carry it out and put it in a white car." 

Shortly after this, with Annie still on my lap, Dennis came and stood by me for the first time since we had both arrived at the church. Annie looks at him with great surprise, and points to him, and says to me, "Who is that?" 

Why would she ask that? She very well knew who he was! So I said, "That's Grandpa." Then she said with big eyes something I couldn't quite make out but I heard the words: "He died" in her sentence. 

And then it registered with me! She thought Grandpa Dennis was the one who died! Like we all had breakfast together that morning and then we put Grandpa in a box at the church. 

Oh my. I had lots of explaining to do! 

When we got home I showed her pictures of Great Grandpa Rozier. And we talked about life and death, and how we would all see him again someday. 

Now if you ask her anything about that day she will say, "My Daddy's grandpa died." Glad we got that cleared up!

The day after the funeral it was nice to hear Annie had it figure out right this time.