Today I said goodbye to Mama and Papa. Again.

I know we already said bye to ‘em las’ year at the ‘morial service. But that was saying bye to their spirits. Today we said bye to the ashes… The stuff that’s lef’ here. On Earth. With us.

I don’ think Mama and Papa’s ashes should be here anymore. Not if the rest of ‘em isn’t. Papa said bye to me las’ week when I was sleepin’, so I know he’s really really gone for REAL this time. He’s in heaven with Mama, an’ that’s where their ashes should be too.

I wish I could go there too and visit ‘em. But Tante Joce and Oma and Opa say I can’t. Not til I’m old and wrinkly. That’s a LONG time. Almost forever. I wish I didn’t have to wait.

Anyway, everybody came with us today to say bye to Mama and Papa. Well, everybody ‘cept the triplets. They stayed with their Papa today. But that’s okay. They didn’t really know Mama and Papa like the rest of us.

We went all the way up to the Bluffs. It’s SO pretty there. Mama and Papa used to take me for special picnics there sometimes. I think Oma and Opa picked a real pretty place for us to say bye to the ashes.

We all took turns sayin’ nice things about Mama and Papa. Everybody was cryin’. Then they got real quiet.

Oma and Opa held Papa’s jar and Grandpa held Mama’s. They waited til the wind was just right, and then they poured out all the ashes. It was like a big cloud of white smoke. Some of it fell down the cliff into the water, and some of it flew away with the wind.

When it was all over, we all stayed til the sun started goin’ down. Some of the grownups were smilin’ after. But I cried and cried and cried because it means Mama and Papa are really, really gone.

Grandpa picked me up and hugged me for a real long time. And he tol’ me that’s not true. He says they’ll never really be gone, long as we all ‘member them.

I guess I’m not really sure what he means.

But I really hope he’s right.