Moon beam,

You are such an inspiration and you have the most eloquent way of expressing yourself, as if you are speaking through all of our animals. Thank you so much for being the 'earthly mother' here to connect us to our best friends on the other side. Blessings to you, Oslo, Noah and Abbygale....

Amy

Hi, Amy, thank you so much for your most kind and thoughtful support and encouragement and comfort. I do believe that every living being is a part of the "circle of life" - - both during our earthly journey together and through all eternity. So, it is an honor for me to have your description as being an "earthly mother." A very dear friend of mine joined her ancestors in January this year from cancer. She had Native American ancestry, and shared with me some of her tribal spiritual beliefs. I learned so much from her, and gained a better understanding of my individual beliefs. We used different terminology, but our beliefs were fundamentally the same. She truly was, and continues to be my "soul sister". Your description of me as "earthly mother" means more to me than words can express, and I thank you for that, Amy.

Amy, please know you, and each of our friends on this Forum, are close in my thoughts and prayers, and look forward to knowing how each of you are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Moon_beam........

The warm comfort that you so graciously give when you share kind words with others in this community is such a gift. You truly are a caring Earthly Mom, one who is so connected to the very essence of the Earth, her creatures and her seasons.

Thanks again for all your efforts and the many kindnesses you give every day.

Jan

Hi, Jan, thank you so much for your thoughtful, caring, comforting note. It is an honor for me to try to help bring some comfort and hope to those whose hearts are battered and breaking with the deepest grief and sorrow we will know on this side of eternity. For me, I find great inspiration in the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

Each of us here have so much to offer one another, not just from our shared sorrow but through our life's experiences. And it is a privilege for me to be here with you and all the wonderful correspondents on this forum.

Jan, I hope life is treating you kindly these days. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, and look forward to knowing how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

My dearest Oslo, today marks 13 months since you joined the angels. It seems like just yesterday I brought you home for the first time and was awed by how you knew without me showing you where the inside garage door was that would take us into the house. It was the beginning of an awesome lifetime with you, my precious son. I am so honored to be your mom, and blessed to have memories of each and every day we shared together to cherish and remember.

Last year just after you joined the angels the weather got very cold and we had several major snow storms that I knew you would not be able to navigate and endure, and I was so glad you no longer had to struggle with the weather, my son. Well, here we are again, my love, with another very cold and snowy winter, and I am once again so very glad that you are with the angels standing once again on strong legs so that you can romp in the snowy fields and enjoy yourself as you so deserve.

It was a quiet Christmas here for Noah and me, and I am thankful for that, my son. There were some challenging moments for me, as there are still times when it's so hard to understand both you and Abbygayle joining the angels so close together. I know you are looking after your precious baby kitty sister, and I know Eli is thrilled to have his big doggy brother with him once again. Please give them kisses and hugs from me and Noah, and please let your extended family know they are forever in my heart.

I love you, my handsome man, my precious love, with all my heart. Thank you for letting me be your mom.

My love to you for all eternity,
mom

Hi, moon_beam,

I love hearing about your precious Oslo. He sounds like such an intelligent, special boy -- a true angel sent from God. God would only send an angel like Oslo to a very special person like you, moon_beam. It seems to me that you and Oslo were made for each other. I hope you continue to feel his soothing spirit and continue to be guided by his wisdom.

Wishing you and Noah a peaceful New Year and sending you both hugs.
Your friend, Cheryl xx

Hi, Cheryl, thank you so much for your comforting note. For some reason I just felt the need to write to my precious handsome man last night - - he had been in the forefront of my mind all day long - - I'm sort of at a loss of being able to describe it, but I think you know what I mean.

I am taking tomorrow off from work and will be able to go to see my brother and sister-in-law who live about 45 minutes away from me. The weather last weekend did not permit me to drive, so I missed seeing my niece and nephew while they were home for the holidays.

Cheryl, I wish for you a very healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year - - always filled with your precious Daisy's sweet Living Spirit to cheer you each and every day. And please know you are frequently in my thoughts and prayers.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

I am glad you are able to visit with your family today, even though you missed seeing your niece and nephew. Being with family is important this time of the year. Since Reggie left us, I have come to appreciate even more the time I spend with friends and family.

Thank you for being there for everyone moon beam, you are a very special person and we all appreciate the wisdom and advice you share with us.

Moonbeam,

What a simply stunning boy he was!!

I can see the attraction and I am thinking of you during the holidays.

Cryss

Hi, Aaron and Cryss, thank you so much for your comforting notes. I had a good time with my brother and sister-in-law yesterday, but was also gald to get back home to my little Noah.

Thank you both so very much for your comforting support and encouragement, and most importantly your friendship. I hope this year will be one of happiness in your hearts with those you love - - both present and those who are with the angels, good health, and prosperity in whatever way that is in your hearts' desire. And please know each of you are in my thoughts and prayers, and I will look forward to knowing how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Moonbeam, thanks so much for sharing such a heartfelt letter to your dear friend, Oslo. What a sweet guy he must've been, such a wonderful photo of him there.

I stumbled through the holidays, the pain I felt made me unable to share the real joy of the season. It was too hard without Chan, she was such a darling little one.

I am trying to start new things, let go of old things, down-size and re-organize, make room in my life for important things------like the warm support and friendship that you so willingly share.

There are still new experiences ahead of us and the healing we are doing and the comfort we share are part of that process.

May you feel the loving grace of your darling Oslo, he is surely with you every day. We can never be parted from them, it only seems that they are gone.

I hope the new year brings you twice, ten, no a hundred times the warm nurturing cloud of kindness and compassion that you shower on all the broken hearts that come here to tell their stories.

Thank you Moonbeam. Thank-you.

Jan

Hi, Jan, thank you so much for your kind, thoughtful note. My Oslo certainly opened up experiences that I never would have had otherwise. Since he was retired from his career as a Special Needs Guide Dog when we adopted one another, his career as an Animal Assisted Therapist was a natural for him. He so enjoyed being out and about in the public eye, and I was honored to be his human escort on the other end of his leash. Everyone knew him, and I was "the lady who brought the big black dog." I'm smiling and laughing at this wonderful memory of part of our time together during our earthly journey, and they fill and warm my heart.

The holidays always bring a lump to my throat as they bring memories - - both good and sad - - of those who are dear to us and are still with us and those who are with the angels. So I can so relate to your description of "stumbling" through the holidays.

Jan, I pray that each day will bring a comfort and peace to your heart. You are blessed to have been Chan's earthly guardian - - to be the one to cherish her sweet Living Spirit through the rest of your earthly journey - - to be the one who has the hope of being reunited with her in eternal joy at your appropriate time. The love bond you and Chan share is eternal, Jan, and is forever with you - - including in all of your "new beginnings".

Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Jan, and will look forward to knowing how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

My darling son, this evening is another anniversary for your mommy. This evening marks the one year anniversary of my dearest friend and soul sister joining you and all of her furkids and ancestors in eternal joy. I know you were there to greet her when she entered the garden, along with all of her precious companions. I know she was especially looking forward to meeting you, my son. I know her heart is finally at peace, and I know you and my friend Marlene are enjoying each other's company. Knowing you are together makes me happy, but - - it also brings a tear to my eyes. You joined the angels on Thanksgiving weekend, 2009. We already knew our friend was terminally ill, and it was one year ago this evening that she joined you. And then - - 7 weeks later - - your beautiful kitty sister Abbygayle joined you with the angels. This past year has been a tough one, my son - - too many losses for your mommy and your kitty brother Noah to adjust to.

But now that I'm writing to you and sharing all of this with you, my handsome man, the tears have stopped and I'm smiling now thinking of you and Abbygayle with our friend, Marlene - - knowing that you're happy and healthy and enjoying yourselves each and every moment - - no more sadness for you. This makes me so o o o happy, my son.

My Oslo, you are forever in my heart and I feel you with me wherever I go. Thank you so much for honoring me to be your earthly caregiver. I cherish our earthly journey we shared together, and I cherish you and our memories. Thank you for being my sunshine, and please give Eli, Abbygayle, and our dear friend Marlene a hug and a kiss for me. I love you, my son, forever and - -

Through all eternity,
mom

Hi moonbeam,

Thinking of you as you go through yet another difficult anniversary. You have been through so much -- yet you continue to be there for others, somehow finding the strength to give strength to others. You truly are a wonderful person and I want to thank you for being you. I can imagine your dear friend, Marlene, with her arms around your precious Oslo, surrounded by all your other furangels. I can imagine sunshine and rainbows. They are all smiling down at you, with nothing but love and peace and happiness in their hearts, and Marlene whispers in Oslo's ear, "Look at your Mom, dear Oslo. Look at what a wonderful person she is!" And Oslo is nodding his head in agreement and smiling that wonderful doggy smile.

I hope you can feel this, too, Moonbeam.

Sending you hugs, Cheryl xx

Hi, Cheryl, thank you so much for your friendship and your comforting thoughts. Thank you so much for the wonderful image: "I can imagine your dear friend, Marlene, with her arms around your precious Oslo, surrounded by all your other furangels. I can imagine sunshine and rainbows. They are all smiling down at you, with nothing but love and peace and happiness in their hearts, and Marlene whispers in Oslo's ear, "Look at your Mom, dear Oslo. Look at what a wonderful person she is!" And Oslo is nodding his head in agreement and smiling that wonderful doggy smile." Thank you for this comforting, beautiful imagery.

Noah has been staying closer to me these last few days. I think he's also remembering how life "used to be" as well. He is such a little joy, and I'm grateful to still have him with me.

I hope life is treating you kindly, Cheryl. Have you adjusted to being back in the full swing of classes yet? May I ask how Franky and Freddy are doing?

Thank you again so much for your thoughtful post, Cheryl. I'm so glad today is Friday. I am looking forward to a welcome weekend with my little Noah, and I hope you will have a peaceful weekend as well, my friend.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi moon_beam,

Hope you're having a pleasant and peaceful weekend with darling Noah.

Yes, I've settled back into uni, it's as if I've never been away. I still haven't had any grades as yet, which is a little frustrating. The tutors are allowed four working weeks to get our grades back to us.

Franky and Freddy are doing great, thanks. They are tiny balls of mayhem and mischief. They're now in their "teenage years" in terms of hammy years and there have been a few squabbles. Nothing serious though, and never anything that results in injury. I read a few fights are normal at this stage -- it's just one hamster exerting it's dominance over the other, and that there is no need to seperate them unless they start wounding each other. So I have to keep a close eye on them. Which is sometimes hard to do because some of their fights take place in their house and all I can hear are the squeaks! But within minutes they have usually made up and are cuddled up to each other and grooming each other again

Well, enjoy the rest of your weekend and give Noah a cuddle from me!

Hugs, Cheryl xx

Thinking of you and your darling Noah and your fur Angels. I have been staying with my daughter who is recovering from an operation, so I haven't been able to visit the forum. I'm sorry I missed one of your Anniversary days, and I hope that you have been ok.

Hugs
Jan and my Angels and Pixie x

Hi, Cheryl, thank you for your most welcome note. I'm glad you have been able to settle back into your classes okay this semester. The first semester is always the hardest because - - well, it's the first semester, and you don't really know what to expect. It seems to take at least the first half of the semester to really figure things out. It would be nice to get your grades from last semester so that you would at least have a "reference" for what to do better, or "refine" in technique for this semester. I hope you get your grades soon. Ask Daisy to tell the professors to get the move on. I'm sure she can find a way to provide them the incentive to get this job done.

I'm glad Franky and Freddy are doing okay. I can just hear the squeaks and squeals. I remember when Noah and Abbygayle would have their boxing matches. Abbygayle was not about to take any bullying from her brother, and it was Noah who usually ended up having his nose scratched, poor little fella. He still bears a slight scar on his nose from all of his lost battles to his baby sister. When they really got into their sibling disagreements I would have to raise my voice at them and say "Hey, knock it off. This isn't any way for you guys to act to one another." And it was usually Noah who would stop in his tracks and look at me as if to say, "Sorry mom" and then he'd give Abbygayle a wide berth for awhile until she made the first overture to make up - - which didn't take long. And Oslo would just look at me as if to say, "Those youngsters - -" and just kind of shake his head and roll his eyes and give a deep sigh.

Sorry for commiserating. Hearing about your little fur friends brings back a lot of treasured memories. I hope you don't mind my sharing them with you. They certainly are not meant to diminish your wonderful news you share with me.

This weekend is going to be a very cold but sunny one. The sun is shining bright and cheerful as I'm writing to you. However, this is going to short lived as the weather forecasters are preparing us here in the Blue Ridge / Piedmont Mountain region of Virginia for what could be our first major snow event coming in from the Gulf Coast. So far our winter events have come from the west, and when that happens the intensity usually diminishes as the storms come over the mountains. BUT, when the storms come in from the south Gulf Coast track, well -- we can get slammed pretty hard because the storms sneak through the mountains instead of having to come over them. The older I get the more I wish I could be a bird that flies south for the winter.

Cheryl, thank you again so much for your always welcome notes. Take a break from the studying now and again. Give Franky and Freddy a little cuddle and kiss from me, too, and I'll look forward to knowing how things are going for you whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi, Jan, thank you very much for your most comforting note. I hope your daughter is recuperating nicely. I'm so glad you were able to be with her. Does she live near you or did you have to travel? If you needed to travel, I hope your trails were safe and uneventful.

On Thursday I had gotten a wonderful e-mail from my friend's sister. This year has been hard for her, too. She isn't the executor of her sister's estate, and she and her husband had to engage the services of an attorney in order to get access to Marlene's personal effects. They finally got "permission" to go to Marlene's home to collect what they wanted and what Marlene had designated to them in her Will, so they are there this weekend. My heart is with them because I know it is going to be difficult for them to go back into Marlene's home - - especially since this is the anniversary weekend of her physical passing. Needless to say this is forefront in my thoughts, and my heart is with them.

Thank you for thinking of me, Jan, in the midst of taking care of your daughter. This is by far your first and foremost priority. Again, I do hope she is recuperating comfortably, and that the surgery was successful. I hope you, Pixie, and your family are doing well. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Jan, and I look forward to knowing how you're doing whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Of course I don't mind, moon_beam. In fact, I LOVE to hear about your memories. The little story about your Noah and Abbygayle really made me smile

I hope your having a pleasant week. Not long to go until the weekend!

Take care and big hugs,
Cheryl xx