She was feisty, playful and a bit of a troublemaker. I remember coming home one night during the holidays the first year I had her and looking all over the apartment for her. I could find her nowhere. "Where is that cat?" I found her - curled up, on one of the branches of our Christmas tree, peeking out at me.

She was always getting into things like that.

She was my best friend, my companion for 12 years. She followed me everywhere - she never wanted to be in a room that I was not in. She slept in my bed, took over my favorite chair and made it hers, survived two moves with me and always greeted me after a long day (or a long trip away from home for work) with meows that sounded suspiciously like scolding.

She loved her "mousie" and "kite" toys, and batted pom-poms around my house at all hours of the day and night. She loved treats and cuddling up on any blanket she could find.

She'd been suffering a lot this past year with severe inflammatory bowel disease and triaditis. This last relapse of the pancreatitis really threw her for a loop, and she never really recovered. I think the decision I had to make with respect to her - whether to keep trying to treat her, or humanely end her suffering was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. I am going to miss her terribly.

Sophie, Mommy's Precious, I miss you so very, very much. I love you. I'll see you at the Rainbow Bridge.

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4/19/2012: I am missing you a lot today, Sophie. Little things I see and hear remind me of you. It's very lonely here at the house without you. We opened up the house at the shore a couple of weekends ago, and it was very strange to not have you there. I cried when I saw your food and water bowls and some of the toys we left down there for you. Your favorite spot by the window is very empty. Gizzy and Belle were down....I know you never really liked them, but I think Gizzy was looking for you. He stayed in my room a lot, but it wasn't the same.

Your 13th birthday will be coming up soon and I know that will be another really hard day for me. I think about you so much, Mommy's Precious Girl. Even after 5 months, it's just as painful as the day you passed. I miss you and love you.

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6/20/2012: Happy Birthday, Sophie. This was a really hard day for me...you would have been 13 years old today. Sometimes I feel like I miss you more now than ever. It's very lonely without you here, Mommy's Precious. I know you are romping around at the Rainbow Bridge with Spaz, Jinx and even Daisy (even though you never really liked her) and the other pets that are there waiting for their owners celebrating your birthday today. I think of you often, your sweet purrs and head-butts and your comforting warmth beside me. I miss you and love you.

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11/08/2012: Wow, I cannot believe it has been a whole year since I said goodbye. I miss you SO MUCH...just as much today as ever. Mom and Dad got a new puppy, I'm sure you would have hated her as much as you hated all of the other family pets :) I really missed you last week when I was stuck at home a few days because of Hurricane Sandy - you were always such great company at times like that. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you, Mommy's Precious. I miss you and love you. oxoxox

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1/21/2013: The holidays were tough again this year. I found your stocking in one of the boxes when I was decorating, and cried all over again. I wanted to let you know, though, that I've adopted two kittens...they are not you - you can never be replaced - but they are sweet and loving, and they are keeping me company. I cried a lot that first night I brought them home - I felt like I was betraying you. But I know you would want me to be happy and to open my heart to another cat (or in this case, cats) who need a loving home. I still miss you so much every day, Mommy's Precious. I love you. oxoxo

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11/08/2013: Today is the two-year anniversary of your passing. I really thought I might be able to get through today without crying, but I was wrong. I still miss you so much, Sophie. The two girls I adopted, Zoe and Sasha, are great company and I love them - but somehow it's just not the same. I was thinking about all the things you used to do - like pushing your way under the covers every night and the impatient way you used to wait for me to lift the blankets so you could crawl under. I look at your picture every day - I have it hanging up in my office right over my computer. It's one of my favorite ones of you sitting in "your chair". I miss you just as much now as I ever did...I don't know if this will ever get any easier. I will see you at the Rainbow Bridge someday, Mommy's Precious. I love you. oxoxoxo

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11/08/2014: So, I cannot believe you have been gone for three whole years, Sophie. When I got the email from Rainbow Bridge, of course I cried, even though I thought that it would get easier with time. It hasn't. Zoe and Sasha are great - they are snuggly and lovey and really great girls and I love them so much....but it's just....different. I don't know if I will ever get over losing you and that last horrible decision I had to make. Oh, Mommy's Precious, every day I wish I could turn back the clock so I could have you here with me again. I love you and miss you every, single day. oxoxoxoxo

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11/08/2015: Another year, Sophie. It hasn't gotten any easier. I still miss you so much. I still cannot get that day out of my head...I hope you have forgiven me. I love and miss you so very, very much. See you at the Rainbow Bridge, mommy's precious. oxoxoxxo

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11/08/2016: I cannot believe it has been five years, Sophie. It feels like just yesterday. I still miss you so much...I hope that I will see you one day again at the Rainbow Bridge...I love you, mommy's precious. oxoxoxox

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11/21/2018: I know it has been a long time since I have visited this page. I can't believe it is seven years already, Sophie. I have not forgotten about you; life is just so hectic and crazy. I know you never really liked him, but look out for Gizzy ... he should be there at the Rainbow Bridge, too...and you know how much he liked you! Missing you, mommy's precious. xoxoxoxox

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11/08/2019: 8 years....I cannot believe how much time has gone by, Sophie. I still cry every year on this day...one of the hardest days of my life. I know now that I did the best thing for you, but it still haunts me. I miss you, mommy's precious. Keep waiting for me. oxoxoxo

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11/08/2021: 10 years ago I said my final goodbye. I cannot believe that it has been that long. I still miss you, Sophie. You were my heart ❤. Keep waiting for me. oxoxo

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11/08/2022: Another year has gone by, mommy's precious. Still miss you just as much. You are forever in my heart ❤️. oxoxox

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11/15/2023: Hey Mommy's precious. Very close to the anniversary of your passing, we've lost another fur baby from our family. Her name is Sasha and she is so beautiful, you won't miss her. Please find her and show her the way, so I can find both of you some day. xoxoxox

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11/10/2024: Hi Mommy's Precious. Another year of missing you. I cannot believe it's been 13 years! I still miss you...Aunt Stacy and I were just remembering that day when we were trying to take a family portrait in front of the tree, and you were hissing at Steve! You were so grouchy sometimes! But I loved you so much and still think about you often. You are forever in my heart.