Sweet & Bitter Month. 11/4 to 12/4/2014

It was just one month ago today that my Mom insisted that I adopt a kitten.  She in ill health, but she would not end the day without going to the local Animal Shelter to adopt my kitten.  I will never forget that day.

It seemed as though anything and everything seemed to get in our way from getting to the shelter, including getting lost! Mom wouldn't have any of it. The phone ringing off the hook before we left our home, traffic, delays running errands, nope nothing would get in her way of bringing home a kitten that day. Mom was relentless in her mission.

Mom usually tired out after driving for an hour or two. Not on 11/4/2014! I was tiring out before she was! Finally, at 2:10 pm, we made it to the Animal Shelter. I made my way to the "cat house" and found Luna and her sister. I decided the one who wanted to be held and kissed is the one for me. The sister was a wild child! She had a chance to get out of her kennel and started investigating and running around the room like a whirling dervish. The volunteer had to catch her and put her back inside the kennel. Fortunately, the volunteer wasn't scratched when she caught the kitten.

Luna, on the other hand purred the second I picked her up. She kissed my nose, and it was love at first sight. However, there were 2 others to take a quick peek at to make sure I was making the right decision. I picked up the other kittens and they looked at me with a blank stare as if to say, "Uh yah just what are you and who are you?" Nope, they weren't meant to be mine. I gave Luna a quick kiss and told her "Mommy will be back for you in a bit."

Just as I was finishing up our adoption papers, a couple of families came in and saw MY BABY! I asked the volunteer if she would please pick up my kitten and let them know she's mine. I was assured no one could accidently adopt her. HAH! After all Mom and I had been through that day, I wasn't taking chances. "I don't want strangers handling her, I don't want their scent on her because I want her to bond to my scent!" I worried. the volunteer quickly picked up Luna and held her until her cardboard carrier came to take her home.

I was holding the carrier in my lap, hoping to make her more comfortable and secure. We weren't halfway home when she made the great escape. I was able to hold her close to my heart while she purred and kissed me as though she were thanking me for adopting her.

Mom, my brother and I had been so happy watching Luna and our Shih Tzu, Star, bond. They stared at each other for the longest time and then within a few days they were playing and chasing each other. What a happy time for all of us. Mom was so thrilled that I was/am so happy with Luna she cried happy tears.

In just a short amount of time my world turned upside down. On November 18th, Mom called me to her room unable to breathe. Shortly after that, she had a heart attack. She spent one week to the day in the hospital when she lost her fight with COPD and Heart Disease. I have since learned that most COPD patients don't die from COPD but from heart attacks because the heart has to work so hard to help the patient breathe.

I've been doing some looking back and I truly believe that Mom knew she was dying and that's why she was so adamant about my adopting a kitten. Luna was her last gift to me. Mom wanted to make sure I would have the comfort a kitten offers, the kitten massages as well as the crazy ways they play.

Luna is constantly busy running and jumping on the furniture, on Star and throughout the house. I have to wonder what her sister is like today. Is she the calm one now? Having my fur babies is keeping me from having a pity party. They make me laugh, cry happy tears because they're so sweet together.  As tired as I was and wanting to give up trying to make it to the animal shelter that day, I am all the more grateful that Mom was so adamant. I'm beginning to realize that I don't know what I'd do without these two hooligans.

Yes, I am grieving the loss of my Mom. I will grieve for her everyday for the rest of my life, she'd be happy to know as time heals my heart, I still feel her love through Luna & Star and always will.