Balloons for Grandma

At my mother's grave-side funeral last year, we let the children release helium balloons into the air at the end of the service. A family friend gave us this suggestion as a way of helping our kids understand that although her body was interred, her spirit had gone to heaven. Ever since that day, any time Jeremy and Karinna get helium balloons, they ask to release them into the air for Nai-nai (the name the kids called their grandma). Jeremy almost always tells us, "I want to let the balloon fly up to Nai-nai. I really miss her." Usually, we go through this ritual after they get balloons at birthday parties, or after they get free balloons from Red Robin's. Lately, these episodes have included kisses for Nai-nai (on the balloon) and brief messages like "I saved you this balloon from my birthday party. I hope you play with it up in heaven..."