PANDA
My sweet, gentle boy. I miss you so much. I can’t even believe that you’re gone.
The first time I saw you 10.5 years ago, you were a little farm kitten, and you were eating a mouse. And then, you were loaded into a crate, went for your first car ride and had to come face-to-face with a very curious dog, who was so excited to meet her new little brother. Over all these years, you have been my faithful companion—often in the background, but always right there. You always had to be on alert for the doorbell (which caused you to fly downstairs and hide out), always on the watch for when your dog sister (Riley) decided it was time to chase you (even though you often stood your ground and sometimes chased her), always looking to steal my chair when I got up and always waiting to lick up the shower stall when I came out of the shower. You loved to climb on top of me in bed and then I couldn’t move all night long. Sometimes you would sit right in front of my face while I was sleeping, and when I would wake up to find you staring at me, you would swat me across the face. It was always so comforting to have you sitting by my side and to have you greet me when I came home at the end of the day. One of your favorite things was to sunbathe and you would chase the sunny spots around the house all day long. Sometimes you would go up to the throw rug in front of the back door, put your paw out, snag it with a claw, and lift it up so you could crawl under it. And I miss the bedtime ritual of watching you rub heads & noses with Riley and spending a few minutes licking her face & ears, and I know Riley misses it too. I remember how strangely you looked at me when I brought home your human sister (Regina) and you were probably wondering what that crying, noisy thing was, but you came to love her as a big brother, even though she quickly outgrew you in size.
I will love you forever, and you will always be in my heart. You were a gift from God and I was truly blessed to be your mom. I look forward to joining you at the Rainbow Bridge someday. Please watch over all of us from heaven. Someday we’ll be together again.
Mom, Regina & Riley