May 17th~Happy Heavenly Birthday Brutus and Shadow

I should know enough about loss to realize that you 

never really stop missing someone-you just learn to 

live around the huge gaping hole of their absence...

 If Brutus were alive, he would have been turning 18 

years old.  Brutus died when he was just 9.  It's been 10 years

 already, and my heart still misses him.  If our Shadow were alive, 

he would have turned ten today also.  We only had Shadow for four

 months before he died.  I trusted someone to care for him while 

we were visiting my parents in North Carolina.  She didn't.

Brutus died and he took a part of my heart with him.  Because 

of Shadow's horrible death it, tears us apart just thinking of it.  

Arvid holds a lot of anger to the person who caused his death, 

and the truth is so do I, even though I try to believe I don't.

My heart will always be grateful for the years we 

had with Brutus and the 4 months we had with Shadow. 

 I won't lie, I wanted more.  So so much more with them.

Everytime I think I have found peace, something disrupts it.  A

 memory comes flooding back and it takes me back to ground zero. 

 I don't stay there, but my heart grieves all over again.  It takes a lot 

more courage to let something go than it does to hang on to it.

I am so grateful for my Sniff.

  He saved me and he's my happy place.

Brutus, we miss your soothing purrs and the way

 your presence turned every house into a home.

One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go...

~Nadiya~

It's July 1st ~

One of the best ways to make yourself happy
 in the present is to recall happy times from the past. 
Photos are a great memory-prompt, and because
 we tend to take photos of happy occasions, 
they weight our memories to the good...

It was a beautiful wedding.  Small, cozy and just perfect

 for Tiffany and Chris.  Here are a few pictures of the day.

The wedding was simple, but everyone had a great time. 

 The cake was beautiful and delicious.  I had a little too much.

Tiffany was the happiest bride I have seen.  She loved 

every minute of her day and was just bubbly all day long. 

 She and Chris make a great couple and an amazing team.

Below is Chris, Tiffany and their boys.  They are family.

We did a few of our favorite things in Branson. 

 I got to see most of the people I wanted to see, and we also 

enjoyed going to a few of our favorite restaurants.  Overall

 a pretty good time,, but there is no place like home.

We were so happy to see Sniff.  To sleep in our own bed

 and to have breakfast at home just simple things.

I don't want to think about being away so long from Sniff.

I just hate leaving him so long.  I hated leaving Brutus as well.

We're not gone and I am already missing this little boy.

Yesterday was a strange day.  Started out with sunshine 

which lasted for about 4 hours.  I looked out and the sky was 

blue.  I went to clean Sniff's litter and when I looked 

out the sky had turned black.  Pretty, but ominous.

A new week begins.  Wishing everyone a great one.  

A new month is here.  May it be good to us all.
Hello July this is your month to excel.

Let July bring nothing but
 positive vibes and great memories...

~Nadiya~