“I got two stickers on my homework today!”  Katie yelled to her mommy as she burst into the house.  “Miss Hale loved my picture of Grandma.  She really liked the jewels I glued on for her earrings.  I can’t wait for Grandma to see it next week at Grandparents’ Day.”

Katie’s mother helped her take off her backpack.  Her smile was turned down and her eyes looked wet and fuzzy. 

Then Katie noticed her daddy sitting in the corner by the big window.  He was still wearing his work clothes, but his red tie was loose.

“Why are you home, Daddy? Are you sick?”

“No Katie, but I am sad,” he said in a funny voice.

“Why?  Did you lose something?”

“You could say that, sweetie.”

He hiccupped and wiped his eyes.  Then he stood up with his head down and left the room.

 “Mommy, what did Daddy lose?” Katie asked.

“Well, Katie, today we all lost someone.  We got a phone call about Grandma.  She died this afternoon.”

“Died?  She can’t have died.  She’s coming to Grandparents’ Day.  I didn’t even get to show her my picture.  She promised she’d come!”

“I know Grandma wanted to be here for Grandparents’ Day, sweetie.  I’m sorry.  Her heart was just old and worn out.”

“Why’d it have to wear out now?  It’s not fair!”  Katie grabbed her backpack and ran to her room.  She took out the picture she drew of Grandma and crumpled it into a tight ball. 

“She wasn’t even sick,” Katie explained to Boots, her big black cat who was curled up on the pillow.  “I just talked to her on Sunday.  She was even gonna bring her old doll for show and tell at Grandparents’ Day.”

Katie heard a knock on her door.

Her mother poked her head in and said, “Can Daddy and I come in?”

“Yes.” Katie sniffed.  Daddy’s eyes were red.

“I’m sorry, Katie.  We’re all really sad about Grandma,” he said.

“I never even got to show her my picture.”

“I know, Katie,” Mommy said.  “I wish there was a way she could see it.  You did a great job”

Katie brushed her wet cheeks with the back of her hand.  She looked out the window and saw   “It’s a Girl” shining on a pink balloon tied to the mailbox across the street.

“Do you think she’d get the picture if we sent it to heaven on a balloon?” Katie asked.

“That’s a wonderful idea, Katie.  Why don’t we have a snack and then go buy a balloon for Grandma’s picture?” said Katie’s mommy.

“Yes!”

“No! Oh no! I wrecked it!”  Katie held out the crumpled picture and started to cry again.

 “It’s okay,” said Daddy.  He flattened it out.  “Look, Grandma would just say you gave her more laugh lines.”

Katie and her mommy and daddy had a snack and went to the store to pick out a blue balloon.  Blue was Grandma’s favorite color. They carefully folded the picture into a little square and tied it to the string of the balloon. 

On the way home, they stopped at the park.  Katie held tight to the balloon as they walked toward the swings.  She stopped and looked up at the cloudy sky.  “Grandma, here’s my picture.  I’m sorry you can’t come to Grandparents’ Day.  I know you wanted to meet my teacher and see my room. We miss you.”

Katie held the balloon up high and let go.  All three watched as it floated higher and higher.  Soon it was just a small blue speck in the sky. Finally it disappeared. 

Just then the clouds parted and sunlight shined down through the trees making shadowy lines all over the ground.

“Look!” Katie exclaimed.  “I think she got my picture!  Look Daddy, Grandma sent us some of her laugh lines.”

Her daddy was blowing his nose and Katie saw wetness on Mommy and Daddy’s faces.

 “She sure did, Katie,” he said.  Katie took her daddy’s hand as they walked through the laugh lines and out of the park.