Saying goodbye to our Sweet Sushi

 

A few weeks ago, we got a call at 9pm asking if we could come pick up this little abandoned, homeless kitten.  I was in DC with the kids at the time, but I went straight to the shelter and picked up this tiny little blue-eyed fur ball and brought her home.  We named her Sushi.

We all fell in love with her.  She was the perfect little kitten - equal parts playful and fun and sweet and cuddly.

She loved finding a soft spot to rest.  She preferred humans....

But if a human wasn't available, she would make her way to this blanket on this chair.  It was so fun to look over and see this big soft white blanket with this tiny little black kitten curled into it. 

She also got to be best friends with our other two foster kittens. I wasn't sure how they'd take to each other, but they did just fine!  She became their little sister and they always played and slept together.  She's almost camouflaged in this picture, but if you look closely, she's snuggled in the middle. 

This was Wednesday morning.  I used to wake up early and bottle feed these babies, but they've graduated to lapping up their kitten formula from a bowl, so this is our morning ritual. 

But then things went very wrong very fast.  On Thursday, she spit up.  I thought nothing of it because our bigger cats are constantly spitting up - furballs, they eat too fast, etc.  On Friday, Lacey noticed that she wasn't eating/drinking as well as she usually did and wasn't as energetic.  After she pointed this out to me, I started noticing it as well.  On Saturday morning, I got up early to feed the kittens and the older two came running over as usual.  Sushi looked up from her spot on the pillow (Lacey slept in the Family Room right next to her all night) and came over to the food.  So she had the awareness and desire to eat, but once she got to the food and water, she just looked at it and couldn't get her self to eat.  So I contacted the shelter and asked if I could bring her into the vet.  They said the vet wasn't working, but we could bring her in and have the staff look at her and see what they thought.  I had to run Ella to a soccer tournament and Dave had to run Riley to a soccer tournament, so Lacey took her to the shelter right when they opened at 10am.  She called me shortly thereafter sobbing saying that they said they didn't think she was going to make it and sending her home with fluid-filled syringes to help hydrate her and formula-filled syringes to try to force feed her.  They said that she would either respond to the fluid and start to perk up in a day or two or she would pass away.  I got home ~1:30 and held her and tried to feed her and comfort her. 

And Lacey did the same.

But by 1:50pm, she was gone.  Lacey held her as she took her last breath.  We both started balling. It was so, so, so sad.  We were all just in shock.  We couldn't beleive she had gone from a totally healthy, happy, vibrant, energetic little kitten to dead in just 24-36 hours. It happened SO fast and we were so unprepared for this.  Lacey and I took her to the shelter and handed over her sweet, limp body to the shelter workers through our tears.  It was just the saddest thing.  I'm crying again as I write this.  We just all fell in love with this sweet little kitty and it just broke our hearts to have this happen.  And to not have any idea as to why it happened.

We came home and found this, made by Ella.

She did love this chair.  And it looks so empty without her in it.

I don't know why her life was so short, but I'm grateful that during the time she had, she was smothered with love 🐱💝

Singing at Hersheypark!

 

Riley's Middle School Choir went to Hersheypark on Friday.  They sang in the morning and then got to go on rides all afternoon.  She had a great time!  I told her to take pictures, but this is all I got, along with a text that said, "Okay I will try!  But I might forget and live in the moment lol but we'll see."  Well, she lived in the moment and I can't blame her for that!

Seminary...... That's a Wrap!

 

Our last day of early morning seminary was today!

I hosted everyone at my house and made them a big breakfast, as per tradition.

I have partnered with Richard Giroux (on the left) for three years now!  Which means that I have been Lacey's teacher for all three years and Tanner for both of his years.  It's been hard and challenging and exhausting, but also very rewarding.

We started out the year with 10 kids, but ended with 7 due to people moving away.

Here's our whole group:

Richard Giroux (my co-teacher), Aaron Lukowski, Tanner, Evan Crockett, Lacey, Jennifer Hong, Josie Crockett, Emme-Claire Alvarado and me.

Great group of kids!

The sign says:

"Dear Seminarians, You did it!  You made it through a whole year of seminary! We know it wasn't easy to roll out of bed so early but we hope the joy of seminary was worth it!  We've read 100 grand scriptures and had lots of snickers together. We hope you can relax this summer and have fun. But we also hope you don't turn into spiritual air heads. So continue to DOTS (Depend On The Savior) and be Sweet and kind.  Keep reading. Kepp praying and remember you are M & M's (Marvelous and Mighty)! Make Good choices.  We Love you to Pieces!  Love, Your Seminary Teachers.

Blue Angels

 

Going out to see the Blue Angels every year in May during the week of the Naval Academy Graduation is always a treat and never gets old.  It's my favorite part of living in Annapolis!

Tanner was invited to go out on a boat with a friend and we could see him from where we were sitting. He's there with friends on the "Knee Deep" boat.

Riley brought her friend Claire who had never been before, so it was fun to have a "first timer" with us!

Sister time in the water.

Ella ran into her friend and lacrosse teammate, Lucy.

And then came the real stars of the day!

My good friend Lauren and I went together with all our kiddos!  It's kind of how we've lived the last 12 years of our lives..... doing things together with all our kids in tow.  We've raised our kids together and I love her so much!

Go Navy!!

Lacey Update... Little Bit of Everything!

 

Lacey finally got her HXP package in the mail.

She leaves for Mozambique in one month!  I can't believe it!

She also got invited to go with a friend to High Tea at Reynold's Tavern in Annapolis, so that was a special treat!

She's had lots of snuggle time with the kittens.

Dave's had some too.

How cute is this?  They line up to lap up their breakfast every morning.

And she had her end of season Tennis Banquet.  There are 24 players on the team (14 boys and 12 girls) and there are 7 Juniors, pictured here. 

Way to go, Lacey!

It's been a busy, fun week!

Severna Park Premier Green 2010

 

Riley has been on this soccer team for as long as I can remember.  Maybe since 2nd or 3rd grade?  There's been some variation of course with players, but for the most part, the core team and the coaches have stayed the same.  But because they do soccer by birth year, this is the year that changes everything because most of her team is in 8th grade, which means they are now in the process of transitioning to high school teams while Riley and the two other 7th graders on the team still have another year before that.  But because most of the team starting High School in the Fall, this team, after all these years, is disbanding.  So, we had a party last Saturday and I made these cupcakes with each player's name and jersey number on it on one side.

And soccer balls on the other. 

Team picture

Currently 16th in the State.

You can tell Riley is crying in this picture.  As Dolly Parton says in Steel Magnolias, "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion."  She was hugging me and crying right before this picture saying "I don't want it to end."  It's been a great run.  So many memories and a big part of our lives.

Coach Dan Gage, Coach Patrick, Riley, Coach Chris Ambro and Coach Bobby Schaffer

And then the very next morning, we headed to Virginia for our final game of the season.

And I snapped this pic as a memory of the many, many times over the years that I have crossed state lines to take this girl to her soccer games and tournaments.

Pre-game pep talk

Riley off to the right in her goalie jersey.

And we ended with a W!  We won 1-0 so it was a great way to end the season!

Riley's Chorus Concert

 

Riley's Spring Chorus Concert was last night.

Here she is singing their opening number, It's a Small World After All.

Way to go, Riley!

R is for Respect..... and for Riley!  🎤🎵

Makerspace Fair and Art Showcase

 

It's that time of year where there are so many fun end-of-year activities, especially for Ella since she is finishing elementary school!  Since there was no school on Tuesday (Election Day), the 5th Grade Promotion Committee put together a really fun event for all the 5th graders at a local indoor sport court.  I have an arrow pointing to Ella sitting front and center.  This activity was right down her alley and she had so much fun!

And then last night, her school hosted an art showcase.

And Makerspace Fair.

She of course made a basketball hoop and had games that went along with it....

And had lots of prizes!