RIP David Beckham (the fish, not the player...)

The boys fish died today. After a frantic evening last night of trying to revive the half-starved fish, David Beckham gave up the fight this afternoon. I did point put that we may learn a lesson from putting the fish in their bedroom and then forgetting to feed him for a week? JP was close to hysterical last night...so I can't imagine our afternoon when he gets back from school and the fish is belly-up. I know it's important for them to see the cycle of life. So, I think I have to leave the fish in the tank (gross...the tank is next to my coffee pot that is going on momentarily so I have any hope of finishing a reading assignment for class) and have them help me bury him. The urge to swiftly fish him out and flush down the you-know-what is terribly tempting. But, I think they will be more upset if he is completely gone when they get home. After our dog Addison died last Spring, they did have questions about where she went. The doggy-heaven topic was visited and I did say that yes, I think she is somewhere watching us...but fish? Maybe a little box buried in the garden will suffice. I honestly don't know if I can stretch doggy heaven to include beta fish. Maybe, since fish aren't quite so personable and don't attach themselves to you or your kids (hence forgetting to feed him for a week) those kind of soul-searching (literally) questions won't come up.
They have Religious Ed this evening. I know that JP will try to get out of it by stating that he absolutely cannot go post fish-funeral. Kyle told me to tell him that thinking about God and talking about it in class may actually help. I thought that was a grand idea. JP doesn't like RE anyway, so it's always tricky to get him enthusiastic about going. Maybe presenting it as therapeutic will work? We'll see. Otherwise, here I come PetCo, because I am sure the next fish is right around the corner....