on death, part II:

upon returning home from my volunteer gig today:

e: mom, mom!!!! I found a mole!!!! Come see, I found a mole!!!
m: (thinking...what?! a mole? like a skin mole?)
e: Look! It's not dead, it's sleeping!
m: ella, that's a rat. Why is it in your bug cage? and did you touch it?!!
e: It's NOT A RAT, IT'S A MOLE, MOM!!
m: fine. whatever it is, DID YOU TOUCH IT??
e: um.......yes..............but it's NOT DEAD, it's SLEEPING.
m: ella, it's dead. and it could have really really bad germs. you CANNOT touch dead or sleeping animals. let's go wash your hands.....
e: really mom, it's just sleeping.
m: well it can sleep in the woods then, I'm sorry, it cannot sleep in your bug cage, and most importantly, it CANNOT sleep in our garage.

ps. what IS a mole? and how does my daughter know about them?!