ring around her heart

Steve French passed on yesterday afternoon. I took care of him the best I could... and he was doing better. He was walking, and perked up when I talked to him, and he had even started eating on his own. But then yesterday afternoon when I checked on him and tried to feed him, he would not eat and he couldn't walk, and he passed away a short while later. It was very peaceful. But very sad. I feel very, very bad. We put him to rest and of course Summer Lily was heartbroken. She told me later that night...
"mama, deep in my heart.. in the middle... in the middle of that, in the middle of that, in the middle of THAT...

in the middle of THAT
there is a special little thing,
and there are rings around it
and each ring is for a dead animal,
one that we loved,
and this is how I can remember them."

She's a funny little thing, and I have no idea where she gets all of her ideas from. )

A.