You've been THE BEST KITTY, Eskie!

We lost Eskie today.

Eskie has been the best...he was my very first kitty...maybe my only. I remember the summer before Lindsey started 3rd grade. She came home with her friend, Katy, and told me how much she wanted this cute kitty. My first answer was an emphatic NO. She begged, she pleaded, she cried...and in the end...we had Eskie.

Gabe, who had told Emily how he didn't like cats, (of course, now they have 3...Smores, Cookie, and Pumpkin) well, Gabe use to dress Eskie up in Lindsey's doll's clothes and he and his buddy, Isaac, would put Eskie in Lindsey's doll stroller and take poor Eskie on a wild ride around the neighborhood. Eskie was always good natured about the whole thing.

He had a great life...and now he's gone...and I'm sad.

Ron and I went to the bay area Friday - Sunday. When we got home, our neighbor John asked us if we had seen how Eskie's face was swollen...we hadn't noticed. So we looked, and it wasn't too bad. Ron took him to the vet today. He had a massive infection that went from his eye to his mouth. Plus...he was severely dehydrated and had kidney failure. I'm not sure how he could tell all that. Eskie also only weighed a little over 5 lbs. We knew he was really thin...but he was nearly 18 years old.

We stayed with him...petted him...told him how much we loved him and would miss him...

A Lesson in Determination...in Hope...in Faith...in Resiliancy...in...

Of course, I'm talking about Camilla.

According to the medical profession, she shouldn't be here...but she is. A hemoglobin count of 3? That's what she had...and in spite of that, and massive amounts of her pain meds, she is still calling the shots. She talks on the telephone, she analyzes her TV shows, she has gained a little strength, she's making videos for close family and friends, she dictated valentines, she told me how to scan her valentines to send to Drew and Seth...and the doctors don't know how she is still here. Meet Camilla!

She is one absolutely amazing child...she is teaching me so much. I don't even know what all I'm learning, but I know she has changed my outlook on life in so many ways.

So for those of you who have been looking for updates, what I can tell you is this. Camilla is definitely weak, but she's also incredibly strong. She's dying of cancer, but she is so very much alive and vibrant.