Watching Sweetie grow from a silly, quirky kitten always brought smiles to my face. Taking care of Sweetie in her "golden years" gave me a greater love for her.

I walked through the shelter and saw what I thought was an empty cage. There you were, huddled in the back corner looking at me with your green eyes, not even 4 pounds at 7 months old. I asked to hold you and cradled you in my arms. When the caretaker came back, I asked if you were pending adoption because there was no tag on your cage. He said, "Oh, that's not a good sign. I will check". While waiting, a man approached me and asked if I was adopting you and told him I didn't know. He said if I didn't then he wanted to.

The worker came back and said I could have you but to be advised you have chronic cold. I said what does that mean? He told me that you cough and sneeze a lot. Needless to say, you were leaving with me. As you know, we went to the vet and found out you had allergies! After a bath, better food and a lot of love, you stopped sneezing, coughing and almost tripled your weight in no time!

Remembering how you would sleep hanging upside down off the back of the couch to you waiting by your food bowl when I was sweeping the floor only to scoop some food out and run like hell are memories I hope never fade.

How when I first brought you home, you would feed yourself piece by piece with your paw or you didn't lie down - you would just kind of fall over to the side.

The feelings of cuddling you next to me on the couch or when it was time for bed or your little paw tapping my cheek to wake me up are the ones I hope never leave me.

How we would play fetch with your first favorite toy, my shoelace and share ice-cream, a piece of ham or even a slice of pizza! Don't forget about licking the milk while I was eating cereal - we did share a lot.

The laughter you gave me when I would see your little paw reach up, while you were hiding on the chair under the table, for the box containing one of your favorites, pound cake!

Songs of your different meows and cries like the one you used when you couldn't find me and even the one that said a hairball was coming is music that I hope to always be able to hear.

How every new blanket and any cardboard box somehow became yours or the many times I opened my eyes and we were nose to nose! You loved laying under the Christmas tree with the lights on - maybe because you came home with me just in time for your first Christmas.

Always knowing when I needed you most will never be forgotten. So many times you were my reason to keep going.

I am so sorry your body started to fail. We would be at the vet lickety-split and you always seem to bounce back. The pancreatitis was under control but then you lost your hearing. We worked around it but then your bones seem to become weak. Got through that and put the carpet down so you had more stability. Then, your potassium severely dropped, affecting your heart and breathing. We kept working on it but then your body began deteriorating. I gave you stool softener and had to help you in the litter box sometimes. You began having problems with your eyes and your vision started to go. Through it all, you gave no indication it was time. I found you that morning, laying on the living room rug. Alone. Wishing you had stayed in bed with me, in my arms.

My heart has been yours from the moment I saw you and you forever became "mama's sweetie".

Lost without you but I know there will eventually come a day that we are together again over the rainbow bridge.