Pets
We are blessed to have pets, and have always had a cat, dog, bird, fish or some other living creature to keep us company and keep us entertained. And sometimes humble. They bring us comfort and laughter. They are easy to love.
We have had two cats, Sam & Charlie, for a while now, and added our "puppy" Tanner last year. They sit on our newspapers, try to lap water from our cups or milk from our cereal bowls in the morning, follow us around, sleep on (or beside) us at night, and are there to remind us to be gentle souls when things are frustrating. They have been great for teaching our kids about love and responsibility. And they are great when you need a warm, furry hug. And they listen calmly and without judgement. Now, if they could talk, that might be another matter...but they never have, so I will give the benefit of the doubt and trust that they truly believe everything we say.
Sam, one of the cats, had always been our "dog" before we actually had one. She loved people, and would roll over at almost anyone's feet for a belly rub. She loved to be with us, and would push her way into the middle of any gathering of people we had in our home. If one of us was sick, she would sleep with them, sometimes on them, as if to provide and extra warmth. And she wouldn't leave their side until they seemed normal again. When Becky visited each Christmas, she took naps with her on wintry afternoons. Every morning, as I read the Gazette and ate my cereal, she would wander over and sit just off my shoulder, as if reading the paper with me. If I put it down, she would sit in the middle of it. And then, whenever I put down my bowl, she was there to give it a final polishing.
Today, after 11 years of faithfully watching over us, sitting on our laps, sharing our breakfast, and just being someone who listens without judgement, our cat Sam had to be put to sleep. This petite black kitty, whom we had brought home from the Humane Society when Anna was just a baby, had not been doing her best for some time. The sleek black fur had lost its sheen, and she had lost about half her body weight in the last 6 months. A recent vet visit revealed she had failing kidneys, and was down to 5 lbs. She really was skin and bones. And she was clearly slipping away. In fact, the kids hadn't been able to get her to purr for the last couple days, and although she tried to be normal, it was clear she was uncomfortable. She couldn't even curl up to sleep for the past week, and hadn't been eating anything for several days.
When the end finally came, she just looked up at me and relaxed, almost as if to say thank you. But it is I who should really say "Thanks". Thank you, God for such a sweet pet for my kids, and for all of us. Breakfast will be a little lonely now without her hanging over my shoulder looking for the last dribble of milk in my bowl. Goodbye Sammy...you will be missed, for such is the price of love, even for our pets.
We have had two cats, Sam & Charlie, for a while now, and added our "puppy" Tanner last year. They sit on our newspapers, try to lap water from our cups or milk from our cereal bowls in the morning, follow us around, sleep on (or beside) us at night, and are there to remind us to be gentle souls when things are frustrating. They have been great for teaching our kids about love and responsibility. And they are great when you need a warm, furry hug. And they listen calmly and without judgement. Now, if they could talk, that might be another matter...but they never have, so I will give the benefit of the doubt and trust that they truly believe everything we say.
Sam, one of the cats, had always been our "dog" before we actually had one. She loved people, and would roll over at almost anyone's feet for a belly rub. She loved to be with us, and would push her way into the middle of any gathering of people we had in our home. If one of us was sick, she would sleep with them, sometimes on them, as if to provide and extra warmth. And she wouldn't leave their side until they seemed normal again. When Becky visited each Christmas, she took naps with her on wintry afternoons. Every morning, as I read the Gazette and ate my cereal, she would wander over and sit just off my shoulder, as if reading the paper with me. If I put it down, she would sit in the middle of it. And then, whenever I put down my bowl, she was there to give it a final polishing.
Today, after 11 years of faithfully watching over us, sitting on our laps, sharing our breakfast, and just being someone who listens without judgement, our cat Sam had to be put to sleep. This petite black kitty, whom we had brought home from the Humane Society when Anna was just a baby, had not been doing her best for some time. The sleek black fur had lost its sheen, and she had lost about half her body weight in the last 6 months. A recent vet visit revealed she had failing kidneys, and was down to 5 lbs. She really was skin and bones. And she was clearly slipping away. In fact, the kids hadn't been able to get her to purr for the last couple days, and although she tried to be normal, it was clear she was uncomfortable. She couldn't even curl up to sleep for the past week, and hadn't been eating anything for several days.
When the end finally came, she just looked up at me and relaxed, almost as if to say thank you. But it is I who should really say "Thanks". Thank you, God for such a sweet pet for my kids, and for all of us. Breakfast will be a little lonely now without her hanging over my shoulder looking for the last dribble of milk in my bowl. Goodbye Sammy...you will be missed, for such is the price of love, even for our pets.
posted by Eickhaus | 6:57 PM
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