We miss you Little Hedge Fund

This past weekend was a sad occasion for our little family. Satu's sweet and lively kitty Noodle succumbed to a sudden illness and left this world.

Noodle was a little stray scrappy kitten when Satu rescued her from certain dehydration seven years ago. She joined Satu's family before I did by climbing up onto Satu's lap and pronouncing herself at home. She had a cozy little place there her whole life after that.

The hardest part about loving anyone is that to truely do it, you have to give up protecting your tender heart. You can never know how much time you will have to love someone or if you will be loved in return. If you are loved, it is the most precious gift in the world, but it comes without any guarantees. I think that to love and be loved by an animal is one of the most meaningful connections people can make in life. It is a bond you make without negotiation and it comes without any expectations or strings attached.

We both loved that little cat. For the past year she began to take on the shaggy quality of a kid's favorite teddy bear. Her fur was licked away in spots and one of her eyes didn't work at all, but she didn't throttle back on life. She still attacked the bed sheets and caught little rodents in the basement. When she curled up to sleep with you, it made you feel special. She liked to chase Satu around the house and leap up into doorways. When she ran down the hallway, it sounded like that little six and a half pound cat had a thousand feet.

I have a hard time imagining a heaven usually, but I can easily imagine one for her. The door would always be open to a lush green yard where Noodle could go roll around in the grass. Little chipmunks and birds would be everywhere. Fresh sheets would always be hovering just above the bed ready to fall as she runs wide legged beneath them . The windows would always be open and the plants could be up-rooted or pissed on at her leasure. Most importantly, God's hand, red from being kissed by Noodle's rough tounge would rest gently on her when she naps in His lap purring.

We love you and miss you little Noodle Kaboodle,
aka Little Hedge Fund,
aka Kaboods,
aka Five and Dime
You brought us so much laughter and love.