It has been crazy couple of weeks into this holiday season. We made it through the Angelversary, and headed right in to the season of giving! We're doing a little better this year. We put up some outside lights and even bought a tree and put it in the living room.....where it has sat for a week now unadorned.
It was at this point I have stalled. A huge part of the reason is this week has a been a difficult one as we said goodbye to our big ole lazy loveable cat Bleu. I remember when we bought him 12 years ago. We had moved back to Ohio and had just built our new home after living overseas for several years. The girls were pleading for a kitten, but Joshua was about 18 months old and a typical boy, so the search for a passive cat was a must.
Bleu was the perfect match for our family. He was dressed up, walked for miles in doll strollers, laid upon, and loved upon by 3 rambunctious children. He became our purring pillow and a true member of our family.
When Bleu's eye started swelling last Spring we were concerned when the vet couldn't tell us what it was. A second opinion diagnosed conjunctivitis (pink eye) that would eventually heal. Over the months we medicated the eye but it worsened and when a limp appeared, I feared the worse.
One week before Joshua's Angelversary we received the devastating news "Bleu was full of cancer and had days to live" My girls were devastated! This cat had sat with them to listen to their concerns, loved without judgement, soothed them through the darkest year of their lives...and we didn't voice it but knew he was also a tie to Joshua.
I pleaded with the doctor to help us get him past November 20th. As I shared our story, she quickly put together a package of meds so the girls could love on their beloved friend a little longer. Bleu did beautifully for several days until Thursday when I received a frantic sobbing call at work from the girls "Bleu has collapsed and can't walk..... get home NOW!" I dropped everything and raced home to find two girls with that pain their eyes I had seen before...the look of loss.
We took Bleu to our vet who allowed us to say our goodbyes, and hold our sweet kitty as he fell asleep in our loving arms and awakened in the arms of the boy who loved him so!
Our home was again a very sad place and under normal circumstances I would have waited a little while to broach the subject of a new kitten, but I wanted so badly to take away the sadness so, I suggested we go to the humane society and just begin to look around.
We were met at the door with the sign "we are filled beyond capacity with cats...." walked into the nursery and saw three little "mini Bleus" which brought tears to our eyes. The girls began to work around the nursery and saw two kittens that met their desired criteria, but they were adopted right before our eyes. Just beyond the children holding their new babies was a gray medium hair cat with tufts of hair coming out of his ears and a big fluffy tail. For some reason, both girls honed in on him. He purred so loud you could hear him several feet away, and he was very laid back.
After playing with him, we decided to go to cat a fair down the street and just see if there was a kitten that matched their perceived wishes. The girls were so excited, and while there were very cute kittens at the fair, they just could not forget the gray. We decided to return to see if he was still there. we had been cautioned that the kittens usually get adopted by 11 am and it was noon.
By this time Stephi was pleading for me to break all sound barriers, and consider paved roads optional to get us back to the humane society. We walked back into the building, and both girls ran into the nursery. What happened next is burned into my memory...... Both girls came out beaming saying "He's still here, he was meant to be ours". Thank you God for that moment of happiness.
Paperwork was filled out, payments made, and we now begin a new chapter of life with this sweet gray kitten whom we get to pick up on Friday.
This doesn't change anything. Joshua is still gone and so is Bleu. Our hearts still miss them both dearly and constantly, but it does bring something that we have needed for so long. HOPE!
I love this......Several members of our church met to form the word "Hope" in candles. The thing about hope is it may not be perfect, but in all ways it is beautiful.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5
May You live this Christmas season with pure joy and happiness full of the gifts God has given. May you hug often and make the days of many who see your smile.
Hugs,
Sherri
It was at this point I have stalled. A huge part of the reason is this week has a been a difficult one as we said goodbye to our big ole lazy loveable cat Bleu. I remember when we bought him 12 years ago. We had moved back to Ohio and had just built our new home after living overseas for several years. The girls were pleading for a kitten, but Joshua was about 18 months old and a typical boy, so the search for a passive cat was a must.
Bleu was the perfect match for our family. He was dressed up, walked for miles in doll strollers, laid upon, and loved upon by 3 rambunctious children. He became our purring pillow and a true member of our family.
When Bleu's eye started swelling last Spring we were concerned when the vet couldn't tell us what it was. A second opinion diagnosed conjunctivitis (pink eye) that would eventually heal. Over the months we medicated the eye but it worsened and when a limp appeared, I feared the worse.
One week before Joshua's Angelversary we received the devastating news "Bleu was full of cancer and had days to live" My girls were devastated! This cat had sat with them to listen to their concerns, loved without judgement, soothed them through the darkest year of their lives...and we didn't voice it but knew he was also a tie to Joshua.
I pleaded with the doctor to help us get him past November 20th. As I shared our story, she quickly put together a package of meds so the girls could love on their beloved friend a little longer. Bleu did beautifully for several days until Thursday when I received a frantic sobbing call at work from the girls "Bleu has collapsed and can't walk..... get home NOW!" I dropped everything and raced home to find two girls with that pain their eyes I had seen before...the look of loss.
We took Bleu to our vet who allowed us to say our goodbyes, and hold our sweet kitty as he fell asleep in our loving arms and awakened in the arms of the boy who loved him so!
Our home was again a very sad place and under normal circumstances I would have waited a little while to broach the subject of a new kitten, but I wanted so badly to take away the sadness so, I suggested we go to the humane society and just begin to look around.
We were met at the door with the sign "we are filled beyond capacity with cats...." walked into the nursery and saw three little "mini Bleus" which brought tears to our eyes. The girls began to work around the nursery and saw two kittens that met their desired criteria, but they were adopted right before our eyes. Just beyond the children holding their new babies was a gray medium hair cat with tufts of hair coming out of his ears and a big fluffy tail. For some reason, both girls honed in on him. He purred so loud you could hear him several feet away, and he was very laid back.
After playing with him, we decided to go to cat a fair down the street and just see if there was a kitten that matched their perceived wishes. The girls were so excited, and while there were very cute kittens at the fair, they just could not forget the gray. We decided to return to see if he was still there. we had been cautioned that the kittens usually get adopted by 11 am and it was noon.
By this time Stephi was pleading for me to break all sound barriers, and consider paved roads optional to get us back to the humane society. We walked back into the building, and both girls ran into the nursery. What happened next is burned into my memory...... Both girls came out beaming saying "He's still here, he was meant to be ours". Thank you God for that moment of happiness.
Paperwork was filled out, payments made, and we now begin a new chapter of life with this sweet gray kitten whom we get to pick up on Friday.
This doesn't change anything. Joshua is still gone and so is Bleu. Our hearts still miss them both dearly and constantly, but it does bring something that we have needed for so long. HOPE!
I love this......Several members of our church met to form the word "Hope" in candles. The thing about hope is it may not be perfect, but in all ways it is beautiful.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5
May You live this Christmas season with pure joy and happiness full of the gifts God has given. May you hug often and make the days of many who see your smile.
Hugs,
Sherri
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