A Christmas of joy and sadness

[feliciakw]

First Christmas season without Daddy. But it's still Christmas, and Daddy loved Christmas.

Christmas Eve service at our home church, then family time with Geo's family--food and gifts.

Christmas Day with Li'l Bro, SiL, and Nephew C. He is, in fact, a perfect baby, and I'm not even biased. He could be a baby doll model. He is adorable and smiling and so much fun to cuddle. Baby's first Christmas was a quiet affair, low-key but very pleasant.

December 26 . . . Geo and I were there for the passing of my beloved calico Bunqui. That is she in my icon. *points* George picked her out of the litter and we brought her home in late November/early December 1995, and for 17 years she has been my "familiar." I often called her Spunqui Bunqui, as that is what she was. Even up until this Thanksgiving she was agile and active, if somewhat less so, and even a week ago she was still doing okay. Not great, but okay. We brought her to Ohio, because what were we gonna do? And even in the few days we've been here, she's grown weaker and more tired.

She loved to lie in front of the computer when I was on my laptop. I could carry her around on my shoulder. She liked licking the residue off of Geo's aftershave and hair tonic bottles. She was our hunter. From the time she was a kitten, she had the most over-calberated purr you've ever heard. I could put her next to me on the couch or the recliner, and she would stay put. She liked playing under the Christmas tree skirt.

I miss her.

But this is a season of joy, and I choose to be joyful. No one can take your joy unless you let them. I just sometimes have to remind myself of that.