RIP Birdie
1999 - 8/8/09
We laid our dear Birdie to rest today. She had been with us for a very long time … through lots of transitions (military deployment, moving, birth of 2 children, first house purchase) and she was a very faithful friend through good times and bad. She became overwhelmed with infections due to a compromised immune system and her kidneys were starting to fail. It was a difficult decision but in the end, it was the best thing we could have done to repay her for all she brought to us.
We rescued her from the pound in Manhattan Kansas in August of 1999. Nathan was just about ready to be deployed to Kuwait for 4mo and I needed some company for those 4 months.
We knew Bird was the one when her cage was the only one unlocked and she kept rubbing back and forth talking to us. On our way home, a bird flew in front of my car and I said, "Lets name her Bird." Ever since then she's always known she was our Birdie.
She loved all kinds of things. She loved being outside and in the trees. Playing with the red laser light was also a love. Most dogs/cats don't get alone but she absolutely loved Bailey. They were pals. When she needed warmth, she'd go to Bay. When she needed protection, she went to Bay. She took care of Bay and licked her. They were best friends.
If I sit still enough, I can still hear her behind me …. but deep down I know she always will be. Miss you … my little Birdie …
Here are our new kitties; the white & black one is Dottie “Dotts” (4mo) and the tiger one is Daisie “Daise” (2mo). We wanted to get a kitten for each boy. Maysen picked Dottie out right away (she’s so great) and I picked out Daisie for Griffin. Daisie was abandoned when she was 4 days old and only weighed 5oz. They had to really work with her and bottle feed her for quite some time and her start just reminded of the trials we had when Griffin was born and got sick. Maysen named them both and so far they are getting along great. I have to make sure the boys don’t strangle them – which seems to be a struggle at times – and keeping Mase in bed past 5:30am is also the new challenge. He’ll sleep good tonight after being at a birthday party all day today. No one can replace Bird but having these two in our house is sure helping create that new start that we all needed.
I will close with a great and wonderful story of my husband’s misfortune. (Aren’t I sweet?). It was when he and Maysen went camping a few weeks ago. Nate decided he’d take his hiking boots along which he hasn’t used much in the last 10yrs. They seemed to be good shoes and all, so why not? On day 2 the boys all went on a long hike up some mountain and snow was even still on the ground in parts. Maysen climbed most the way and then decided he’d had enough. Nate decided they’d better turn back so they started to make their descent. As they started to go, Nate noticed the front of one boot – the rubber part – had started to pull away from his shoe. “Hmm. That’s weird,” he thought as they continued down. He eventually had to cut the rubber flap from his shoe to continue. Soon after, he noticed that the front was coming off the other boot as well. Then he noticed his boots were sliding and looked down to realize that the sole of the boots were coming completely off the boot. Then his foot was cold as he looked down to see snow packed into his shoe. The shoes were coming apart piece by piece …. Thread by thread. As he’s telling me this story and I’m laughing because I’m visualizing this complete circus while Maysen’s losing it coming down. He then adds that he met up with some people on the trail who stopped Nate and INSISTED that he use their duct tape to wrap his shoe back together. By now I’m CACKLING! Poor guy. Then he insisted that he show me the aftermath. Here is what I saw ….
