Jennifer, I love that ornament for your boys! How precious! I can just imagine how much you must miss Joe and Steve. It has only been a few months, and that is hardly any time at all. But I am so glad that Mary is bringing you comfort, and that you were able to tell her that you love her. Relationships take time to build, and it is hard to build a new relationship while we're still grieving. Mary sure is a cute little kitty. My Mindy was very rambunctious too and once sailed over the ledge and fell 6 feet down the stairs, along with a basket that she was trying to get into. She was always trying to get into things and chewing on my Christmas tree.

Thank you for your prayers. I have become more comfortable with the idea of Christmas and even have some joy over the decorations. I like to sit and turn the light down and just look at the tree. The last nice Christmas I had with Tina and Danny was in 2010. That's when my world was still okay. I always bought a little cat toy for my fur kids. Tina would usually get a catnip pillow. She loved those so much! And she was very possessive of them! My first Christmas with Tina in 1998 was so special. I gave her a little toy elephant and she got so excited over it and kept tearing at it and played with it. She was only a year old back then and so full of energy and soooo rambunctious!

Hi DannysMom

I remember from last year you saying about Tina use to like sleeping under the tree. Amazing I wish my cats would do that now! Instead of go under there and cause mischief!!

That ornament is lovely and such a lovely way of remembering her this Christmas although I know it will be hard with your double heartache. You have s many great memories with this little lady. Years of things you did together. Think of all those good times. What you gave her and what she gave you. They are special memories to treasure. And it does not matter if you still cry. I have come to know crying is OK and actually sometimes makes me feel a bit better about losing Chewy if I let some tears out.

I will be thinking of you all Christmas.

xxForeverxx

xxForeverxx, thank you so much for stopping by and for your kind words. I have been re-reading your comments, and they bring me comfort. You are so right in saying that crying is okay. I've been trying so hard to hold it in, but on Christmas Eve I just had to let the tears come out and it felt better. I felt like a load had come off. Shelley had cuddled in my arms and I read her the Christmas story and then told her about Danny and how I spent Christmas Day at the emergency vet with him. Shelley listened patiently without interrupting and she just snuggled with me and took it all in and she didn't mind me crying. I guess on Christmas I think more about Danny than Tina, but she was there for me after I came home and had to leave Danny at the vet. She was there for me and comforted me and she felt sad too that her friend wasn't here with her. It was the saddest Christmas I ever had. This year I took it easy so as not to get overwhelmed. I went to a church service Christmas Eve, but I didn't cry like I did last year and that was good. But I couldn't shake this uneasy feeling, like something bad was going to happen, and I felt almost panicky leaving my girls at home. I have been so tense, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. When Tina was with me she was my "rock", providing comfort and cheering me up with her feisty attitude. She was a little fighter, that's for sure, and she was so good to me.

I went to the pet cemetery yesterday to with my babies a merry Christmas. So many people had put up wreaths or little Christmas trees on their pets' graves. It was such a pretty sight. I can't believe it has been two years already.

Today I removed the Christmas wreaths from Tina and Danny's graves. A lot of people still had Christmas decorations on the graves. I saw some that had an angel figurine and a tiny, wrapped box on the grave, very pretty. It's hard to believe that it will be 2 years in April since Tina passed away. I thought of her yesterday as I took down the Christmas tree and put away the decorations. She would have been there with me, jumping into the tree box and watching me. She always loved to watch everything that I was doing. I missed her so much yesterday. Tina was so devoted to me. Mindy and Shelley still do not lie down in Tina's cat chair. I left it was it was, with her three toys on the cushion like I had always placed them. Sometimes she would grab a toy and nap with it. I always loved watching her nap in the chair. It was so reassuring to me.

Dannysmom, interesting that Mindy and Shelley don't lay in Tina's chair. Seems like a sign of respect they have for the one who came before. I hope you are doing well as you move past the Christmas season. We didn't put up a tree this year, partly because we have our new kitty, Mary, and partly because it was just hard to think about doing with the loss of Joe and Steve. Joe loved to lay beneath it and Steve loved to knock down those ornaments. Even still, that carved wood ornament I had made for my boys was broken as Mary knocked it down! Thankfully, I was able to glue it back together. I probably would have been devastated if I had broken it, but since it was done by the new kitty, well, I figure Joe and Steve would have understood how crazy little kitties are.

Mary is part of our family now. Seems like she has always been here. Seems like Joe and Steve never left, although, the other day their presence slammed me hard. Took my breath away for a few minutes. Where are you, my boys (my heart seemed to ask)? Isn't death just the strangest thing? Sorrow. Disillusionment. Emptiness. Peace. Hope. Sorrow all over again. So strange. Here's hoping for a happy 2014 as we move forward to more peace, more hope, more good things to come.

CritzyJ

CritzyJ, thanks for stopping by. I am relieved that the Christmas season is over. It was nice, but it was also painful again. I am so sorry that Mary broke the wood ornament that you made for Joe and Steve. Little kittens sure are rambunctious. I am glad though that you were able to glue it back together. This is such a precious keepsake. I too am hoping that 2014 will be a good year. In April it will be 2 years since Tina died. My sweet Tina. I do miss her this time of year as I remember how sick she was with a respiratory infection in January of 2012. I thought I was going to lose her then, but she did recover, only to be diagnosed with cancer a couple of months later. She was so good to me, and she made me laugh with her crazy antics and playfulness. She remained a very playful cat even into her old age. I used to call her "granny Tina", but she sure didn't behave like a granny. We had snow a few days ago, and I remembered how Tina used to venture out into the snow and then shake her wet paws.

Hi DannysMom

I find it lovely that Mindy and Shelley will not sit in Tina's chair. It shows you that they can feel her presence or that she was there and was special to you and they do not want to change that. Maybe one day they will sit in it but it will be OK as you know they have chosen the right time too.

It must of been hard taking the Christmas decorations off of their graves as I know it was the time of year you enjoyed with them a lot. I wish we had a pet cemeterys over here. I mean there probably are somewhere but I have never seen one. As I think however sad it is when you go to the graves you can think of all the memories you have of your times together and allows you the time to shed a tear near them or have a laugh near them. However you feel at the time.

I assume Tina never liked the snow then? Did Danny? Or even Mindy and Shelley?

xxForeverxx

xxForeverxx, yes, it was hard taking off the Christmas decorations from the graves. I am thinking of putting something out there for Valentine's Day as a lot of people do that as well. Mowing season isn't until mid-March and then they don't allow anything on the graves. You are so right, when I stand by their graves I can reminisce about the times I've had with them and I usually do shed a few tears. I cried so hard Sunday night remembering how Tina died in my arms, how I held her as she took her last breath and the vet said:"She's gone." Those two little words hit home so hard. Her little body still felt so warm after I had driven her down to the pet cemetery. They let me have a few minutes with her before she got the final injection and I cried and cried and told her how much I loved her and what a good cat she had been. I couldn't believe I was having to say good-bye to my best friend who had been there for me and now would not be there any longer. Oh, I cried so hard.

Tina loved the snow! She ventured out into snow that was taller than she was and it didn't faze her. She just shook off her paws when she came back. She was always a very adventurous kitty. Danny never went out into the snow, but he liked watching the snowflakes fall. Shelley went out into the snow today for the first time which I didn't think she would. Mindy didn't want to go outside which surprised me as she is the more feisty one. They both looked at the snow from behind the storm door downstairs, but when I opened the door they both took off and went back upstairs. I wish I had a picture of Tina in the snow, but I never did take one of her out there.

Thanks for stopping by my thread, Dannysmom, and thank you for your encouraging words. Moments of grief sneak up on us when least expected, but I guess that shows just how much our little ones were loved and part of our everyday lives. Hope all is going well with you these days.

CritzyJ

Happy Valentine's Day, my sweet Tina! I honored my little calico girl by placing a beautiful red rose on her grave today at the pet cemetery. Felt so good about doing this. I should have taken a picture as this rose (and Danny's) was just stunningly beautiful and a nice, deep red. When I used to have flowers at home, which was rarely, Tina would always sniff on them and try to grab them. She was so devoted to me and I just HAD to do this to honor her memory. She is certainly not forgotten. We spent over 14 years together, through storms, weeks of wildfire smoke (twice), and even and earthquake. She never even blinked when the earthquake shook this place, just laid there in her cat chair and she seemed so calm. We watched movies together and she would always closely watch my activities, always interested in whatever I was doing and keeping me company. Tina was still so playful in her old age. Oh, I sure miss my beautiful Tina!

CritzyJ, thank you for stopping by, always good to hear from you. I am well...just missing my Tina and my Danny today.

Danny's Mom, I am so glad you left your Tina a rose. I bet she looked down on it and purred.

Kel, thanks for stopping by and for your kind words. Yes, I bet she did look down and purr. I picked up the vases from the cemetery today. The roses had held up pretty good considering the bad weather we had. They were still in the vases, but the greenery had blown away. Next year I'll get some floral wire to hold it in place. My dear sweet Tina...I always think fondly of her. She had so much spunk! She was feisty and loved life. And she loved ME to pieces. I was so blessed to have had this sweet, devoted cat in my life. We had so much fun together and so many happy moments. Can't believe it's almost two years now since she's gone. I look at her pictures every day and I miss her. Tina was so good to me.

Hi DannysMom

What a wonderful way to honour Tina and Danny. I am sure they would have loved the rose. You say she used to grab the flowers? Do you mean eat? as I have to be so careful as all of my cats including Chewy just cant help but nibble on the flowers so I tend to not have them in the house I wonder if your Tina was the same

Have they started mowing the grass now it is mid-march? It must look lovely when it has all been cut and looks tidy.

Thinking of your Tina today.

xxForeverxx

xxForeverxx, Tina would swat at the flowers and try to grab them. I could not have flowers or plants in the house either. I once had a palm and the cat I had before Tina always tried to go potty in the container! I haven't been back to the cemetery since it has been so cold. We got some snow on Danny's birthday so his grave was all covered up. I am planning on going this weekend or maybe next weekend if the weather is nice. Thank you for thinking of my Tina. She was truly special and such a feisty and brave cat. She taught me a lot and was so devoted to me. I will never forget how she once purred me back to sleep when I woke up during a bad thunderstorm. She laid right next to me and started purring so loud when I got startled, so I felt better and went back to sleep. This little cat was so good to me. She just loved me to pieces.

Thinking about my Tina today...2 years ago on April 6 she had sneezed up a lot of blood during the night which I did not know it was blood until the next morning. This was really the beginning of the end for her. She weighed 7.8 pounds that day and would lose another whole pound in the weeks to come. When I see all the trees and flowers blooming out there I think of her and how she would have loved to be outside right now. She was always so happy to get some fresh air and to roll around on the sidewalk. Tina enjoyed walking around and exploring and she would greet the neighbors, sometimes even getting into an unsuspecting neighbor's apartment for a visit when they opened their door. I miss my sweet Tina especially today.

2 years today. Sigh! Today marks 2 years since my Tina passed away. Even the weather was much the same as 2 years ago today, cloudy and windy and in the 50s. Tina is gone, but not forgotten. This sweet little cat was always so good to me. She made me laugh with her crazy antics, and she comforted me and loved me. She even learned to fly one day when she climbed up a tree and the neighbors helped rescue her. We stood ready with a sheet to catch her when a kindly neighbor climbed up the tree and grabbed Tina and gently threw her onto the safety net. Tina quickly walked away, obviously embarrassed by the whole situation. And she never climbed up that tree again! I'm so glad that she was still there for me after Danny had died. I miss my sweet little calico cat.

Hi DannysMom

I am sorry I was not around for Tinas 2 year angelversary. What a funny story about her getting stuck in a tree. Obviously not funny for her of course but a great memory you can look back on. I hope you find some comfort that Tina and Danny are together. Did she every try to climb any tree again?

xxForeverxx

Hello xxForeverxx, thanks for thinking of my Tina. She never did climb up that tree again, but every once in a while she would stand at the base of the tree and look up. I would quickly tell her "Don't you dare!" and chase her away from the tree. It is a comfort to me knowing that Tina and Danny are together, and I sure do hope they get along better now. Tina was always so jealous of him. Things might have been different if I had brought him home at the same time I got Tina. She was so used to being the queen of the house and having me all to herself.

Tina was so temperamental and feisty, but oh did she love me! I still remember her purring me back to sleep when I woke up during a thunderstorm. It didn't even faze her, but my heart pounded when I heard the thunder. Tina started purring like crazy and stayed right by my side, and that comforted me so much. She was my rock, always so concerned about me. And she enjoyed meeting people. Tina would always come out when I had visitors and observe them.

There are still times when I miss her presence so much and wish she was still with me.

Hi DannysMom

These memories of Tina show me how unalike two cats can be but yet still give out just as much love as Tina sounded like she was much braver than Danny when you say about visitors etc but when it came to you they loved you just as much as each other and showed it in their own ways. Sounds like they appreciated the love you gave them too by Tina looking after you when thunderstorms arrived!

xxForeverxx

Hello xxForeverxx, thanks for stopping by. My Tina was always very protective of me. I felt so bad when I found her granite plaque all covered with dirt today at the pet cemetery. I had not been out there since September. At first I thought someone had stolen her plaque. I put up her Christmas wreath, and I saw not too many other people have decorated for Christmas there so far. It was good to get out there, but so cold!