Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter

Yesterday, my mom asked where "Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter" was and I remembered that I never shared the story of Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter...and YES that was the given name of our 1.35 goldfish. Last spring my sister (Sarah) took Faith into the pet store to pick out a Beta fish, while we were walking around the Farmers Market. After about 45 minutes of "Tantie" (Faith's name for Sarah when she was learning to talk) patiently letting Faith inspect each of the 7 Beta's attempting to determine which one she'd like to take home, Faith looked up at her and with her cute little wrinkled nose, and pig-tail adorned head, and said "Tantie, can I get a REAL fish?" as she glanced longingly at the tank full of THOUSANDS of gold fish. Of coarse Auntie obliged, but we were all a little surprised that she would choose an ordinary goldfish over a Beta...quite frankly I'm glad she just didn't request the real objects of her desire on that day rats, guinea pigs, and Komodo Dragons. I'm pretty sure Sarah would have consented and we'd currently be housing the city zoo.

After another 10 minutes, and 27 cents (tax included) later. Faith was the proud owner of a goldfish in a plastic bag. Her thinking it's the exact one she choose, but luckily the gal at the pet store must have had lots of experience in children "choosing" fish because she dramatically dipped the net into the tank, asked again which one Faith wanted, swatted at a few pretending to miss the chosen one, and then frantically shouting "I got her! I got her!" Producing a fish that looked nothing like the chosen one, but Faith had no clue. The remainder of the money spent came from the bowl purchased at the Dollar Tree.

Anyways, rambling now, fast forward, fast forward. Faith named the fish Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter. She WAS a well loved member of our family and always called by her full given name, but not because she was in trouble (as when my children are called by their full given names), but because Faith insisted. She was a perfect pet. Not a lot of work and entertained Faith who loved to stare at her bowl and talk to her.

That was until Jenszilla discovered his love of Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter. Faith was less then thrilled to share her chair in front of the fish bowl, but eventually decided two loving fish owners may be better than just one. Jensen, however, was content with speaking with Ariel for only the first day.

I came home from work and asked Joe (the parenting father that day) why our house smelled like fish and what the filmy stuff on the floor was. Well...he explained the following story. Apparently, Joe was working on the computer, Faith was playing in the bathroom sink, and Jensen was "parenting" Ariel when he decided he'd really like to be more "hands-on" with Ariel...resulting in her untimely death and a MORTIFIED Faith. To calm her down, Joe finally promised Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner and a proper burial for Ariel.

In the mean-time, Ariel rested in her empty bowl, on our back deck waiting for her burial (and me to arrive home). Faith was making a special "box" for Ariel, complete with holes so she could breath and was practicing her final prayers for her fish. Jensen had a different idea to lay Ariel in her resting place. As a very distraught Faith watched from the other side of the French Doors, Jensen reached into the smelly fish bowl, removed the rigid, stinky fish, flopped her on the deck, produced a Sh%$-eating grin for Faith's benefit, and began to reenact the episode of "I Love Lucy" where they are stomping the grapes, until there was nothing' left of Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter except some...juice.

So that my friends, is the very long story of Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter, but I'm glad it's documented now.

R.I.P Ariel Sarah Fishy Rotter...you are missed by some, but not the one whom washed your stinky bowl...

As a side note, Faith called my sister "Tantie." Jesen calls her "Teetee." So we're thinking that keeping with the vowel changing, Jacob is either going to call her "Titie" or "Tootie!"