Jasmine!!

Oh my goodness.... how time flies and how I've ignored my blog. Well, I do have reasons, or excuses.... part of it is I've had my laptop in the shop for most of the past month and second I've been out of town off and on since January 1. I know that sounds lousy but it's me. I now have my laptop back (of which I'm not even using now) but I am again leaving. So, we'll see if I'm better in the spring with mounting projects if I can keep up with this. These things always sound good in theory but when I go with the consistency thing I seem to loose my steam.

I can't leave, however, without paying tribute to one of our dear furry family members that has left us for her place in the gardens of Heaven (her favorite spot here on earth!), our dear, dear Jasmine. This is MacKenzie cat of 17.5 years. This little kitten found Mac on Halloween night the October before we were moving to Lincoln when she followed her home trick or treating. Those blue eyes and curly hair looked up at me and said, "Mom, can I keep her?" Are you kidding me? We have a dog, a cat, a rental and no place to live in Lincoln... no way!!!! In walks dad..... "Dad, can I keep her?" (Same blue eyes and curly hair mind you.) "Of course sweetheart!" Yep, dad's heart always melts to those blue eyes and curly hair and, of course, that delectable gray kitten with the perfect tiara on her head! So, Princess Jasmine (Yes, after Aladdin, it was 1993 after-all!) became a member of the Vogt clan but more specifically she became a part of MacKenzie. And from that day forth she was glued and I mean glued to that girl.

So, it goes without saying, that this is a traumatic time for all of us but more specifically MacKenzie as she has lost her best friend and, if you believe in that kind of thing as I do, soul mate. God definitely planted those two together and for a purpose. MacKenzie was the bravest person I knew through this. It became evident over the past months that Jazzy's heath was declining and rapidly. Mac found a wonderful and compassionate vet in KC that did everything he could find out what was wrong with her and treat her. But it became quite clear to Mac that whatever they were going to do at that point was not going to prolong her life by much and was going to decrease her quality of life a great deal. So, she took a huge step of love and helped her dear, dear friend pass into Heaven in the most beautiful and peaceful way I have ever seen. She rescued her from all her pain and suffering that she had been enduring these past few weeks. Such love these two had for each other.

One story of this connection I'll share in closing. As we were in the doctor's office we were taking turns holding and loving on Jasmine. MacKenzie handed her to me so I could hold her and love on her. And she loved me for a short minute and then as a child does, she actually reached out for MacKenzie to take her back, just an insight to their special bond.

I just think it's crazy that God puts these little creatures into our lives and created them for His enjoyment as well as ours. What a creative and loving God that does that! And not only that but as some believe and I do too that He actually plans for them to spend eternity with us. Wow! Isn't He just amazing??

We love you Jasmine!