Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Gift



Bandit
He seems to always know what I need before I do. He consoles me in my lowest moments. As I gaze into his beautiful eyes, it is like we are one, and he understands what I need, at that very moment. Without a single word spoken, the connection is there, then we go about our day. The gift of being loved so unconditionally by a dog.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Lacee, Growing Up

My little walking miracle is growing up, physically.....not mentally! Lacee has grown a lot since we first brought her in, although she is still a very petite little girl. Some of the pictures make her look big, and others so small. She isn't that much smaller in height then Ashley, but much more dainty and petite. She has one of the smallest little pink noses I have seen on a kitten. She is beautiful, and I think gets prettier everyday.
She continues to play everyday, and just loves LG and Mac. Those two boys still watch over her and protect her from any harm. It is so heartwarming to watch how they are so protective of her and care for her, I never would have imagined these boys would love her as much as they do.
Lacee still stays in her cage when I am not around to make sure she is kept safe. Anytime I am in the cat room, she is loose with the cats and runs, climbs, wrestles, and plays with all the toys. She is starting to climb a little more, managing to get to the top shelves and trees, with Mac and LG still right there keeping her safe. Sadly, she gets herself stuck, and cries; she just doesn't know how to get down. She will jump down and climb up, but she hasn't figured out how to jump from shelf to shelf, or from a tree to the shelf. When she does manage to get up high, she acts bewildered as if she is wondering "what did I get myself into?"
A few weeks ago, she tried to climb the wall. Yes, you read that right! Where she thought she was going, I have no clue. She was right next to the condo, and just climbed the wall, managed to get up about five feet, then fell to the floor and landed on her back. LG got to her the same time I did, sweet little boy he is, he wrapped his little front paws around her head and started licking her face. AWWWWW! She was fine.
I made a horrible mistake last weekend. I decided I would leave her out of her cage for several hours. I was going to be home all day, so I could check on her and hear if anything went terribly wrong. 4 hours later as I was walking up the stairs, she came running to the door and CLIMBED THE DOOR!! Yes, the door. She managed to get all the way up and was hanging on the metal grate/screen I have on the door. LG and Mac were right there meowing and pawing at her. Her front nails were stuck in the grate, but also, four of her little pads went through the holes in the grate and were stuck too! I couldn't open the door with her hanging on. She finally got herself loose and fell to the floor. I was so frightened she was going to break a toe or ankle. She was a little startled at first, then quickly acted like it was no big deal. She did leave several nail sheaths in the screen.
I felt so guilty and terrible for leaving her loose without me in the room. I wonder sometimes if she possibly had some brain damage when she was hung with that darn shoelace. She really gets herself into some predicaments. I can't even imagine the trouble she could get into if we had adopted her out into another home. She just is not normal.
She improves each day with her walking, standing tall on her legs now. While observing her running, walking, climbing, it is obvious that her legs were once fractured, but they are now healed, and continue to get stronger each day. She moves a little differently then a normal cat, but she gets along just fine.
Here she is biting LG's ear. He is the best big brother.
You know how difficult it is to try and get all seven cats in one picture?!
Every time I picked up the camera, someone was always walking away!
My seven beautiful little rescued, feral souls, my little piece of Heaven.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Forever in Our Hearts

Jake 6-8-98 / 5-3-09


Moment by moment I sat here trying with all my might to stop that enemy called time. This is the moment that I have feared. Then one day as I noticed the grey on your muzzle and realized time had been marching on and our moments together were too precious and not to be wasted. Today that fear became a reality.

You came into our life at 7.5 months old. Little did we know the impact you would have on our hearts.

You became a great obedience competitor and you and daddy made an excellent team. You enjoyed traveling with daddy and the bond the two of you had was remarkable.

You changed tears to smiles for all the residents in the nursing facility you visited on a weekly basis doing what you did best, a dedicated K9 Therapy Dog, who took his job very seriously, and knew your job well.

You helped the many children at the libraries during the Reading To Rover program, sitting, and listening to the children read to you, helping them gain the confidence they needed.

You were daddy's Demonstration Dog, at all of our public obedience demonstrations, and people would come and crowd all around you waiting to pet you and shake your paw.

You were also daddy's demo dog at our training classes, and you would always make daddy proud, being on your best behavior, while our students would watch you with amazement, and tell daddy they wanted their dog to be just like you.

I have been blessed to witness the love you and daddy have shared. The bond that connects your inner souls. The way your eyes light up when daddy comes through the door every evening, and trotting to him in the gallopy horse fashion that you have.

You have been my guardian, my protector, my confidant, my inner strength, my best friend. You have been my Hero, and have come to my rescue on more then one occasion.

I held on to you, to that moment; your last and my first without you. I felt your last breath and still I held on. But time stops for no one.

We have had a wonderful journey together, You, Daddy and I. You have touched the hearts of all that have known you. I know you will continue to touch all who are waiting for you at Rainbow Bridge.

Princess needs you now; she has been waiting to be reunited with her very best friend.

Run free, big boy, you will be greatly missed, but our love will never die, you will always live on in our hearts.






Rest in Peace, My Sweet Boy.