Milo

Wow it’s been quite a while since I have posted. I keep feeling guilty that I have so much to write about but haven’t had time to catch up.  Then I would realize I will never be able to finish all the previous posts I have wanted to write over the last year and a half so I just wouldn’t write at all. Finally, I just decided to start a new.  I’ll catch up eventually...

A couple weeks ago Justin and I traveled to Nashville with 4 other couples who have become our dear dear friends. We feel so blessed to have fell into these friendships. It is a bonus that all of our children are friends as well.  To say we had a fabulous time is an understatement!  The kiddos were watched by my parents who, as usual, spoiled them the entire time!

Upon our trip home, I received a message from my mom that our dear kitty, Milo, had passed over the weekend. My dad had fed him on Friday before they left for Ames with the kids and he was found Sunday afternoon in our storage room. We can only assume he got ill suddenly and I hope he passed without any suffering. The kids were devastated!  Lauren and my father found him; L attempted to pet him before my dad realized that Milo was no longer with us.

Milo liked to venture outside in the evening and sometimes stay outside all night and be waiting for us on the deck in the morning.  I assumed that some day he would just not return and we would have to explain to the kids that he wasn’t going to come back.  I never imagined having to deal with him actually passing at home. My parents did an excellent job consoling them and answering their questions.  Big sister reminded her siblings that his spirit was in heaven, (quite impressive for a girl who has never attended church or Sunday school regularly).  We didn’t arrive home that night until after dinner so my parents fed the kids dinner. They asked the kids what would make them happy and they decided to have ice cream for dinner.

When we arrived home the girls were quite sad about Milo.  Caleb also shed a few tears thinking about how Milo won’t lay in his room at night like he used too. Justin and I barely got our suitcases in the house before we got to work on a burial for him. Justin made a box and I started digging, (which is quite challenging after the drought we have had!). We found a special spot for him near our blueberry bushes along the fence line.  Finally at sunset we had a special memorial for him.The kids wrote notes to him and placed them in the box along with a couple toys. Lauren covered him with a special blanket of his.

We all talked about our favorite things about Milo and what we will miss. I told the story about when we got him and how long it took for us to name him.  Tears were shed by all.  Ironically, the last 6 months, Milo has been more “involved” with the family. He would join us every evening upstairs when we were putting the kids to bed.  He would make his announcement he was there in the hallway with a couple meows and almost always went into Caleb’s room unless Caleb wasn’t in there.
He would lay at the foot of his bed on a special blanket and Caleb would often lay next to him, petting him before he would fall asleep.  Once Caleb was asleep, Milo would usually make his way downstairs to the living room to spend time with Justin and I, (mostly Justin).  Occasionally, Milo would fall asleep in Caleb’s room as well.  Poor Lauren always wanted Milo in her room and many times I would put him at the foot of her bed but he always left right away and made his way to Caleb’s room.  Milo also enjoyed spending time on Alena’s bed when we were laying with her but I would say his favorite place was at the bottom of Caleb’s bed.

Milo also became very tolerant to Lauren’s over the top affection. She would smother him with affection throughout the day and really loved him so much.  Recently she started picking him up and attempting to carry him around.  She even crafted a collar and leash for him one day. She also became fascinated with teaching him tricks which is quite difficult for a cat who has lived 10+ years.

No matter how many times that cat drove me nuts and ruined many, many of my things, he will be missed.  It is so quiet around the house now.  We continue to do our normal “Milo” routine each day only to realize it isn’t necessary any more.  No more trips twice a day to the basement to feed him, no more assuring he is in the basement when we leave for the day. No more checking to make sure all flip flops are out of reach.  (This cat had an obsession with chewing on them!).

He will be missed.  We have already made two trips to the ARL.  I am not sure I am ready for another pet at this time.  If a day comes when the kids are begging for another pet, I’ll probably give in but until then I think it will just be the 5 of us.