Before Zoey passed away I told her all about my “Grandma Ring”, the great-grandmother I spent so much time with as a child. I told Zoey how she would make me French Toast or fried chicken anytime I asked. About how we’d walk to the Troy park and stop for a chocolate dipped ice cream cone on our way home.  And how she could grow anything, anywhere. Soon after Zoey died, my grandmother had a dream.  While I’m sure I don’t have all the details, it went something like this: my grandma saw clouds passing by.  Looking closer, she saw a butterfly.  As the dream goes on, she realized the butterfly was in Zoey’s hair, and Zoey was sitting in Grandma Ring’s lap. The day we took Zoey to the park, we found a patch of the “spider plant” flowers that always remind me of Grandma Ring so I planted those seeds today in our backyard.  When they sprout next spring, they’ll remind me of that dream and I’ll picture Zoey sitting in Grandma Ring’s lap.

I also planted the anchor seed paper we gave to those who attended Zoey’s memorial service.

In December, we’ll take Zoey’s ashes to Ocho Rios, Jamaica where we were married. Her ashes are in biodegradable turtles and we’ll release them into the Caribbean Sea.  We’ll give her body to Mother Earth.  Anytime we look to the water, anywhere in the world, we’ll know she’s there too.