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Sweet Pea – Soft tissue sarcoma at 16

I am still in a bit of denial that my Sweet Pea is gone ~ one week today. It still doesn’t seem real, but I’m taking things one day at a time. I am so thankful for all the replies to my previous posts and for your words of encouragement, they have helped. A few folks asked that I share more about Sweet Pea when I was ready. While the pain is still raw and the tears come easily, I find that talking about my girl helps my heart, so here is a bit about how she came to be part of our hearts and home…….

~ We were out shopping for some furniture one day in the fall of 2001 when my husband asked if I wanted to stop and look at some rabbits. That was a bit unexpected but I said “sure”. It wasn’t too much longer after stopping that we were walking out and heading home with a kitten (our first). Oh what a blessing she was and what joy she brought to our home, I remember in the beginning we both couldn’t wait to get home from work to see her and spend time with her. We didn’t name her right away as we wanted to see what came naturally or what name seemed to fit her personality. In the meantime as I would play with her I would call her a sweet pea, and well, that name just seemed to stick. My husband said that he never heard me laugh so much or so hard as I did in those early months after bringing her into our home. She loved playing with a string on a stick or with the laser pointer, and she absolutely went crazy over anything mint! She was truly a good kitty. More than a few cats have joined our family since we first adopted Sweet Pea and she never gave any of them any trouble. After a few initial hisses establishing she was queen she was fine with them and they understood her position. And who could have known the path our lives would take having adopted her?!? She opened my eyes and heart to the world of felines. The journey is too long to share here, but today I have a small 501c3 cat rescue in the Charlotte, NC area and I believe it all came about because of that one fateful day that Sweet Pea chose us to be her people. I am forever grateful for the 16 years we had with her, and for all that she gave and taught me. She will always be my first kitty love, my girl. I miss her so much………

{The 2 pictures with this post are of Sweet Pea shortly after she adopted us in the fall of 2001}

Posted by on September 15th, 2017 at 4:58 pm


4 Responses to “She Changed My Life”
  1. 1
      benny55 says:

    Thank you so much for sharing ore of who Sweet Pea is with us!! I can certainly see hoe she had you laughing all the time!
    And what a beautiful legacy from Sweet Pea to know that you are givw other kitties a chance to find a home where they will be loved.

    A dd thos mitty pictures…..OMC!!! What an absolutely ADORABLE kitten!! No way you coukd rresist that vundle of cute joy!

    We all understand like nomothers can how deep your grief is and how your heart aches. We alao know that these thousands of happy times will eventually come to the forefront more and more a d help push the sadne further in the background.

    Sweet Pea is bragging to everyone at the Bridge about the wonderful tome she had with you for all those glorious years! And she’ll make her presence known to you…..she’ll let you know she is with you and that she is young anf free a d happy. It mah take awhile though because she is having such a good fime at the Bridge rolling in mint and chasing lasers! 🙂

    Look forward ro more pictures and treasured memories.

    Love and hugs

    Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

    • 3
        jerry says:

      Hmmm…my previous comment disappeared. Here goes again…

      Oh wow so Sweet Pea inspired the rescue? Wow. All because one day you decided to look at rabbits. Who knew how many lives she would save, how many people she would bring joy to and how much of an impact she would leave on your life. Truly it was meant to be that you connected.

      What a beautiful way to honor her life by continuing to help kitties in need. She is so proud of her people!

      And those blue eyes just leave such a lasting impression on my heart. What a gorgeous girl.

      I hope you are doing well and hanging in there this week. Time moves so slow and so fast when we grieve.

  2. 5
      jerry says:

    Ohhh wow so Sweet Pea is the inspawration behind your rescue? Isn’t it amazing how our beloved animals can change our lives in so many great ways. What a legacy she has left with you, to help other cats in need and find them terrific homes. There is no greater way to honor her spirit.

    And all that because you went looking for rabbits on a whim. WOW.

    The photos are just adorable. Sweet Pea’s blue eyes touch the soul. Thank you for sharing more great memories!

  3. 7
      jerry says:

    Hmmm…my previous comment disappeared. Here goes again…

    Oh wow so Sweet Pea inspired the rescue? Wow. All because one day you decided to look at rabbits. Who knew how many lives she would save, how many people she would bring joy to and how much of an impact she would leave on your life. Truly it was meant to be that you connected.

    What a beautiful way to honor her life by continuing to help kitties in need. She is so proud of her people!

    And those blue eyes just leave such a lasting impression on my heart. What a gorgeous girl.

    I hope you are doing well and hanging in there this week. Time moves so slow and so fast when we grieve.