Long and short...today, we found one of the little toddler foxes from the family we’ve seen a couple of times in the lower-level of our back yard, and she had passed away.
It was pretty awful.
And it’s so crazy that we came across her at all.
It was overcast this morning, so the 87-degree weather at 10 a.m. didn’t feel so heinous, so we took the opportunity to go on a bike ride.
When we returned home, I suggested we walk down to the lower level of the back yard to check for evidence of animals, because the kiddos love to do that.
Only we found the little fox, instead.
It really was so heartbreaking.
She (we decided it was a “she” when Chicklet named her “Foxa”), was peacefully laying on her side with her legs crossed like she was napping, but she had a neck injury and had probably passed within no more than the last day.
Later, after some time to process, we decided that we thought perhaps she was attacked by something but manage to escape. And that she came to rest in the exact spot of our backyard where we’ve seen her playing with her family, because it was a familiar and peaceful and a safe spot to her. (Ugh, this just makes me sad to type). Chica even went so far as to say that she thought the fox’s Mama had protected her or intervened in the attack to try and get her baby to safety.
Honesty, it was just a tough couple of hours.
Chica, especially, just broke down.
She was sobbing for quite some time, and so very upset to leave the little fox alone there, that I just couldn’t.
So. We went inside and I talked over some options with the hubby and ultimately nixed burying her in the backyard because we thought it would just be a sad, ongoing reminder for the kiddos.
We additionally nixed carrying her to the nature preserve, because we knew she’d just end up being found by scavengers, and Chica could not not deal with the thought of that.
So in the end, we decided to call Animal Control, as it would be a somewhat official process that projected authority and a bit of closure. But before we let them come, we decided to take care of our little animal friend as best we could.
I gathered one of Little Man’s old baby swaddles, and we wrapped Foxa up in it. Then placed her carefully in a box that we topped with some wildflowers before we said a few prayers for her and her little family.
It was so tough. Really.
For some closure, as I was gathering the swaddle, etc., and formulating the plan with the hubby, I suggested the kiddos draw pictures or write notes to give to Foxa. And they did such a beautiful job.
I don’t think I’ll soon forget the sight of Chica standing in the corner of the kitchen, at the counter, just crying like a faucet as she colored her picture. Little Man and Chicklet, being just a tad younger, were definitely sad, but a little more composed, and both did such beautiful pictures, as well.
The younger two decided to keep their pictures as a memento and reminder, but Chica wanted to tuck hers in the swaddle with Foxa and I hurt just seeing her big heart break so much throughout the process.
As we were walking the box to the curb where Animal Control had designated for us to place it, Chica asked me to take a picture, so she would have a reminder of it, and the expression on her face here is just, UGH.
It hurts to see my babies’ hearts in any sort of pain.
Luckily, Animal Control came within the hour, and the kiddos were able to watch from the dining room window as Foxa was picked up in her box and taken away, and I think it was definitely helpful to close out the process.
I’m so grateful to report that we had a concentrated bit of family time today, to offset the sadness. The hubby had a light work day, and we employed a lot of diversionary tactics like play-doh and movies and what not, to lift spirits, so it wasn’t all sadness.
Luckily, Animal Control came within the hour, and the kiddos were able to watch from the dining room window as Foxa was picked up in her box and taken away, and I think it was definitely helpful to close out the process.
I’m so grateful to report that we had a concentrated bit of family time today, to offset the sadness. The hubby had a light work day, and we employed a lot of diversionary tactics like play-doh and movies and what not, to lift spirits, so it wasn’t all sadness.
And, of course, as animal lovers, my kiddos are aware of the circle of life, so we were able to talk quite a bit about it all.
In the end, we’re still so grateful to have so many wildlife sightings around our property, but we just know we might sometimes have to take the good with the bad.
And one of the major bits of good is seeing, firsthand, the beauty of my babies and their caring souls.
Hope you all are staying healthy and staying sane.
And I hope for a more uplifting day tomorrow.
Over and out.
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