Parker's Memorial - One Month

Note from the 'rents...
My better half thought that we needed a memorial for Parker to sit next to the one that we have for Payton. I am a lucky woman to have such a sweet and thoughtful husband. Now we can look out our window and think of both of much-loved, much missed girls.
I found a poem that did a good job on saying how I felt the day we lost Parker.
It was a month ago today. The pain is still sharp and deep. But there are smiles in some memories of her. Parker Pie was such a great kitty.

The Greatest Gift

I always knew this time would come,

From the very instant our eyes first met.

How I loved you then! How I love you now!

I made a promise then, and I will keep that promise now...

You will not suffer from a pain that will not heal;

You will not know the loss of a life remembered, now gone.

It is for me alone to make this decision,

The price for the bright joy and pure laughter

You brought me during the time we shared.

I am the only one who can decide when it is time.

When my hope dies, and my fear rides high,

Just when I need you most, I must let you go.

It is for you alone to tell me when you are ready

For without your guidance, I will not know

When to lay my grief, my guilt, my anger

My sorrow and my selfish heart aside

and give you this last gift, this greatest gift.

You eyes will speak to mine and I will know.

The pain of this moment is excruciating.  

Tears stream down my face in a river of sorrow. 

And my heart drowns in a pool of grief.

For you have spoken and I have listened, 

and unlike other decisions I have made

This one brings no relief...no comfort...no peace.

For if there's one thing you've taught me

If there's only one thing I've learned....

Unconditional love has a condition after all,

I must be willing to let you go, when you speak to me

I must be willing to help you go, if you cannot go alone

And I must accept my pain so you can be free of yours.

Go easily now, go quickly now,

Do not linger here, it is time for you to leave.

Go find your strength, go find your youth

Go find the ones who have gone before you

You are free to leave me now, free to let your spirit soar

Rest easy now; your pain will soon be gone.

I pray I will find comfort in my memories...

in the dark and lonely days ahead.

I cannot say I will not miss you, I cannot say I will not cry.

For only my tears can heal my broken heart.

But I promise you this; as long as I live, 

You will live, alive in my mind, forever in my heart.

So I give you this last gift, all I have left to give,

And this will be my greatest gift...sending you away.

It is the measure of my unconditional love....

For only the greatest love can say

"Goodbye, go find the bridge, we'll meet again,

Loving you has been the greatest gift of all."

By Karla Bertram

11/23/96

Remembering The Ones Who Came Before

Dear Payton,

I never got to meet you, but I have heard a lot about you and I know that you are the reason I have a home today. So... I owe you a lot. Mommy and Daddy are having sad feelings today, a few leaky eyes, but they are laughing too. They like telling stories about you. Seven years ago today, you suddenly left for the Bridge. I thought I'd let everyone see what a beautiful girl you were. I know that someday we will meet at the Bridge - we can compare notes about Mommy and Daddy and I can see for myself why they always say that I remind them of you so very much. You must have been a very wonderful cat.
So today my angel sister, I honor you.
Love,
Perfectly Parker

Payton as a teen, 1998

You got to go outside. You really enjoyed it too!

Mommy and Daddy said you were a most beautiful cat.


Payton-Pie

February , 1998 - June 07, 2001

You can read more about Payton here.
Payton's memorial in our back yard

The Abbreviated Story of Our Move To O Hi O

We have lived in O Hi O for 5 weeks now. Time really skates along and before you know it you are listening to your Mommy complain about how awful her photo looks on her new O Hi O driver's license and how she can't find a decent cut of meat (we were from Kansas City after all)! Aside from the meat issue and having to ship our Tidy Cat crystals from PetSmart, O Hi O is quite nice. We are unpacked and enjoying the new home, finding new nappy spots, watching the outdoors from our new windows and just generally being happy. Rudy isn't as rude and he hasn't put the bitey on me since we have been here. I miss some of my friends from KC - there were some woofies I liked to watch walk by and I had some squirrel buddies that would hang out in the back yard that I could chitter to from my beloved back porch. I also miss getting little bites of KC BBQ. Other than that, home is here. I have new squirrel friends (they are black here - so good looking!), new birds to look at from the feeder and lots of other interesting stuff. And of course there is the upstairs deck where I can be OUTSIDE and the 19 stairs that are perfect for Thundering Herds of Elephants at dark early o'clock! In the winter I will have 2 fireplaces to choose from for warm naps and the big kitchen that has my special anti-getting-stepped-on snoopervising spot. Yup, it's all good.
So, here is the story of the last week of July, or as Mommy calls it the week from H E double hockey sticks!

Here I am guarding the stereo before the packers packed it.

Payton's Memorial and empty pots waiting to be packed

Rudy amidst the choas
Mommy and Daddy have one last evening at the Brooksider -see that awful O Hi O state flag hanging up there? It really bugged Mommy.

The moving van arrived. (Don't tell Mommy I told you this, but she broke down and sobbed when it pulled up. She said that's when it really hit her.)

It was a huge truck and by now we kitties were locked in a spare bedroom with no furniture - just our food and water and litter box. We were a little freaked out!

All loaded and ready to take ALL OUR STUFF! Even my toys!

Bye-Bye! Please take care of my toys! (Mommy sobbed again)
This doesn't look good, not at all...

On our way, Diamond is having a blast. Us, not so much, we are behind him all passed out in our PTU'S. (Thank goodness for drugs!) It was the hottest day of the year and even with the AC on full blast, Mommy and Daddy were constanly checking on us to make sure we were OK. They had to keep moving our PTU's because of the location of the sun. It took 11 1/2 hours and about 5 years off of Mommy and Daddy's life!
"Hey Pop, can we stop at McDonald's for a burger?"

Friday Freakout - It's Really, Really Happening!

Here's me - it's my last photo relaxing on my beloved back porch.

Here's the best thing about the here and now. We are all together. Mommy came home yesterday in the big silver bullet. But...we all sense that something isn't normal. RED ALERT! ALL 4 OF THE P.T.U.'S ARE ON THE BACK PORCH! Mommy and Daddy are moving stuff around and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. AND - Mommy says that we won't have any innernet after this morning! The innernet people are coming to take away our innernet box! AAAIIIEEE! It's the end of the world as I know it! I am afraid that I can't post again till the middle of next week unless Mommy takes me to a coffee shop that has wireless to let you know our progress. I don't really want to go to a coffee shop - I don't even like coffee and I just want life to be like it is now. I am not happy and I have to admit I am a little scared. Mommy says it will be OK and that we need to relax and trust Daddy and her. She has never lied before, I trust her. Kitties - remember me in the next few days and maybe Mommy can update you all on what we're doing. This is hard. I love my home, I love Kansas City. But I love my family more - I guess I will post to all of you wonderful kitties from O Hi O!

Smooches! AAAIIIEEE!

Mommy here - it's a very emotional time for Parker and family. 13 years in one city is hard to say good-bye to. The packers come Monday, they load us on Tuesday and Parker, Puff, Powder, Rudy and Diamond Doggy head out with Daddy and I in Daddy's truck on Wednesday morning - EARLY! All kitties are going to the evil V.E.T.'s for travel meds this morning. Daddy and I promise to make this move as stress-free as possible for our fur-kids. They are our #1 priority. Parker's ability to blog will be spotty at best, non-existent, at worst. And, Mr. Hendrix, if you think about it around 3:00 p.m. next Wednesday, wave to Parker, we'll be by Dayton, heading north on I-75. We'll be waving toward you! Everykitty, Thank you for all of your sweet, encouraging comments, it's meant a lot to Parker and to us.

We'll see you from O HI O! SOB!
One last time...

Bye-Bye KC!