We moved just over 7 months ago. Before we moved, Oliver was wanting to get some fish. One fish, to be exact. Our neighbors had two fish and Oliver was asked to feed them a few times when they were out of town. He thought it was so cool to have that responsibility and wanted to do the same at home. He wanted one fish in a small bowl for his room. Since we were trying to sell our house, we told him that after we moved we would get him some fish. I found a small fish bowl at a garage sale and planned on filling it with 1-2 fish after the move.

Plans changed. We found out we were pregnant three days after we sold our house. I spent the next month packing and preparing to move in between naps and chocolate milk cravings. It was a whirlwind month and the next several months were just as crazy. We got the essentials unpacked, but left a lot of boxes untouched, as I just didn’t have the energy to mess with it. As my pregnancy progressed, there was less and less I felt like doing. Oliver reminded us a few times about getting fish, but it was the last thing on our minds. I was preparing my mind to take care of three children and a dog. Not three children, a dog and fish that I knew would end up floating at the top of the fish bowl if I didn’t make sure they got fed. Therefore, the fish never came to be.

Rodger woke up Wednesday morning with the idea that we were going to get some fish. And not just one fish in a little bowl. We surprised the boys yesterday by taking them to the pet store. We walked out with a 56 gallon fish tank. The boys got to pick out fish decor … a few brightly colored plants, a draw bridge, a rather large volcano and a cave. They got to help rinse the rock, fill the tank with water and turn on the bubbles. In a few days, we will return to the petstore to purchase the fish.

I was not expecting to buy a 56 gallon tank. I also was not expecting to spend the amount of money that we did and we don’t even have fish yet. Yet, when we were done putting everything together yesterday, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and relief. We did something for the boys that they had been wanting for a long time. We did something together as a family without too many tears or two year old fits. The boys are proud of the work they did in helping set it up and I know they will take good care of their fish. We made new memories as a family.

I did not expect Kyleigh to die. Who goes into the hospital to have a baby, especially when everyone involved is healthy, and think they would ever walk out empty handed? Not me. A lot of things happen in life that we do not expect. I did not expect setting up a fish tank to be such good therapy. I can’t wait to buy some fish so I can sit and watch them swim and think of my sweet Kyleigh.