Footsteps in the Frost

Today we lost a dear, longtime friend that was born in our bedroom closet, the runt of the litter, all white and the softest fur, with a funny little "meow", our little 'Sweetie'. We almost lost her way back then and had to help her mommy kitty, Izzy to nurse and keep her warm. She had a dear brother named 'Flop', a beautiful silver blue gray cat with a charming personality. We lost him early in his life, but will always be remembered by many and is greeting our little Sweetie, now.

We knew she was in her last hours and we laid by her, cooing and telling her we loved her. We had her gently wrapped in a little pink bath towel to keep her warm, she was always cold. You could find her in any sunny patch in the house and in winter sitting on a heater vent or on our deck or gardens basking in the sun. She was a sunshine lover. Really a sweet, cute kitty. She loved to be held and petted. At night before Brent would come to bed, I would put my arm and hand out on the blankie and she would just gently place herself just right, her head in my hand, night after night. It was soothing to me and to her as you could hear her purring loudly. She was our social cat, she would come out to say hello to whomever dropped by, whether they like it or not.

One cute story was about how she would stretch from a sitting position to some one sitting in a chair to place her paws on your leg or lap. Justin's wife, Ashley does not like pets very much and at one of our Sunday Dinner's Sweetie came up and did this to her back of her chair and she exclaims "The cat is attacking me". Not very fun for Ashley, but we all hooted. From that point on she became our 'attack cat'. I even found a sign that I use on Halloween that says, "Beware of Attack Cat". Pretty funny.

She earned her name because she was the sweetest kitty. She would proudly bring in a grasshopper, a bird or a mouse she had caught for us as a present. She always had a funny look on her face when we would whisk away her present and toy. I guess we we not very grateful.

She got hit by a car when we lived in Riverton, we thought we would lose her. She had this big ginormous abrasion on the top of all of her head, at the least, we thought she would never have fur on her head again. Lucky for us she survived and even had plenty of healthy fur between her eyes and ears. But she did always prefer you petted her there and it must have always needed a good scratch because that is where she loved it. She would bop or nudge your hand with her head to remind you you needed to be paying attention to her.

As I said earlier, we knew her time was short with us and so first Brent soothed her and then I stayed up and did the same and thought of the joy our little runt had given us. I made Brent go to bed and after a few hours and I went also leaving her swaddled and warm and hearing her belabored hoarse meow. I don't know when she passed, but early the next morning Brent came in and said, "We need to say good-bye to Sweetie.". She was gone.

I got dressed and looked out on the back yard, there were foot steps in the frost in the grass to way in the back of our yard, a man and his dog. Quite a thought provoking sight. He had been out early with Rocky and dug a special place for her. It is so amazing how much love you can have for a little critter. We carried her out in the pretty pink towel, funny papers and lovingly laid her to rest, Brent, one handful at a time. We said some loving words. I'll be glad to see her in heaven.

As I looked at the footsteps in the frost again from my cozy, warm window; mine with Brent and Rocky's, I thought just how hard it would have been to be one of our Pioneer ancestors. To have trudged over the plains and to have left a darling little baby, a little son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother in the cold hard prairie. That would have added to their heart broken sorrow. I don' think I could have ever been as strong or have the courage to walk that frosty path. I appreciate and love my ancestors challenges, faith and courage.

Bye bye for now, our sweetest little white kitty.