Sadie came to us when I was 20. I had loved animals and had a few rescues but was not actively doing rescue. Some jerk was carrying her down the street saying he didn't want her anymore. She was 10 months old and he had adopted her as a kitten and was ready to dump her to the first person who'd take her. I took her immediately and from that moment, she became a part of our lives and quickly made her way into our hearts. Sadie quickly became the boss of the house. No foster animal was truly a member of the household until Sadie had given them a soft swat to the head as this had become a right of passage, a hazing if you will. I saw her over the years stop a rowdy 9 month old golden retriever in his tracks with just a look. But this was the same cat, who would take care of the other cats and dogs in the house as well. She was like a mother - stern when she had to be, sweet and loving when she needed to be.

She acted like one of the dogs, greeting you when you came into the house and would roll on her back if you called her "Pretty Sadie". She was our Sadie Sadie Cleaning Lady and we miss her terribly. Sitting on the couch is no longer the same without her climbing onto your lap and falling asleep. No more do we have to stand when eating ice cream to try to avoid her probing mouth and paws. Sadie loved milk and would jump from couches to tables trying to get even a small taste of it! She'd often stare out the window during a snow storm and we'd all wonder if she thought the world was being covered in milk. In the bathroom, she watched us get ready for work and would often sit on the sink as if she was supervising the make up application. If your shirt had a tie or a belt, she'd swat at it frantically and loved nothing more then playing with your hair. From a young cat to the week before she passed away Sadie baby was still playing "hair monster" balancing on her back legs as she grabbed for our hair.

If you were sick, she'd lay with you. If you were sad, she'd immediately come and be with you. Even after she passed, she still took care of us. The day after she passed a photo of her was laying on the floor next to the computer desk. We know it was her as the picture had been placed in a spot where it just couldn't of fallen and been the only item that fell. The same day, our friend Dottie sent us a forward about a cat in need -- that was the spitting image of her. The cat (who is safe now) not only looked exactly like her, but was posed in the exact same way as Sadie in some of our favorite pictures of her.

She was truly a gift and we are consumed by the loss of her. We know we will see her again someday and take comfort that she is whole again and watching over us from above.

We miss you Sadie. You are in our hearts and will live there forever. Until we meet again, my friend...

 

 

I Stood by You Bed

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times,
your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today,
Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today,
You tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you, that I am not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house,
as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me."

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."

You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew.
That in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch
you yawning and say "good-night,
God bless, I'll see you in the morning."

And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out ... then come home to be with me.

 

 

Dear Lord, please open your gates and call St. Francis to come escort this beloved companion across the Rainbow Bridge.

Assign her to a place of honor, for she has been a faithful servant and has always done her best to please me.

Bless the hands that send her to you, for they are doing so in love and compassion, freeing her from pain and suffering.

Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss. Help me remember the details of her life with the love she has shown me. And grant me the courage to honor her by sharing those memories with others.

Let her remember me as well and let her know that I will always love her. And when it's my time to pass over into your paradise, please allow her to accompany those who will bring me home.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of her companionship and for the time we've had together.

And thank you, Lord, for granting me the strength to give her to you now.

Amen.