Holidays can be hard...

[apollo6]

When you put up our fur babies ornaments, or holiday traditions you are remembering and honoring them. How can you just close off their memory? I can't. Yes it can be painful, but it can also be a time to remember the love and life you had with them. Love Sonja and Apollo

[Budsters Mom]

Although your thoughts on this are lovely ladies, I have a different take on it. I really feel that doing as little or as much as you feel up to, at any given time is perfectly fine. There is no right or wrong way to go about it. We all grieve differently. Some are able to do part of the holidays, while others aren't able to do much at all. Our loving angel pups want us to be find happiness again about all else. We honor them in everything we do because they are always first and foremost in our thoughts and hearts. They will remain there forever, regardless of how we celebrate the holidays.

[apollo6]

Agree . To each their own.
Sonja and Apollo

[addy]

the third Christmas before I could face bringing out Zoe's beautiful bird tree. Perhaps because we have moved twice from the family home, it was easier. I did not put all the decorations on, only the birds and animals ornaments. I wasn't sure how Koko would handle free rein of a house with a tree in the living room! I did not decorate the bottom third which is in his reach. Hubby prodded me to celebrate our little girl's life by having her tree adorn the condo.

Odd thing, I'm not sad, I find a feeling of closeness to Zoe when I gaze at the tree. I do not allow myself to remember the past, just enjoy the now and the oneness I feel with her.

Did not think it possible, sometimes, this mourning and heartache just changes. Not sure why.

A new stage of my life, I guess gives a new perspective.

Hard to believe

[labblab]

Oh Addy, it warms my heart to hear that Zoe's tree has come out again this year! I hope it's OK that I am adding a link to your photo page so that all our members can see its beauty...

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/album.php?albumid=422

I am so glad for you, and for us. Sharing your tree helps give hope to us all, no matter how old or how new our hurt may be. Love is forever; it is always alive deep within us even on days when it is hard to smile.

But Zoe's tree makes me smile whenever I look at it.

[addy]

Aww, thank you, Marianne. Her tree makes me smile too.

Koko and Luna must have made a pack not to bother the Christmas trees!

And we doubted them

[DoxieMama]

Oh Addy, that is absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for sharing it (and Marianne - thanks for the link so we could see it too!).

[molly muffin]

I love that the Zoe tree is back up. That feels...right.

Molly's sheep skin rug is right there under the tree as usual. One of the cats is claiming it for her bed.
I looked at a picture of molly on that rug and it made me smile, such a good memory, then I looked at the counter and the wet spots and thought when did I spill water. It was tears, just sort of slipping down and dropping onto the counter. I just think I'll always miss her and that there will never be another like her.

[Joan2517]

My house is quiet...everyone is in bed. This used to be mine and Lena's special Christmas time. She would watch me bring all the presents down and wrap the ones for the morning. I'd arrange them under the tree and then I would take pictures of her in front of it.

We would lay on the couch together and look, just the two of us. It's just me now. Sibbie is in the front room sound asleep, Gable is snoring away on his bed next to me and Cooper is sleeping upstairs with my son. The boys were never part of it, they were never interested. Lena seemed to know that this was ours alone...and she enjoyed it as much as I did.

Just me and my baby girl, my little angel, my sweet, sweet heart...I miss her so much.

[labblab]

It is now Christmas morning for us here. Luna and I are the only ones awake, and the Christmas tree lights look like little stars to me (they really look like little stars because my glasses are off and I'm so near-sighted they are all a twinkling blur -- but somehow even more beautiful that way...).

I can't help but think of all our loved ones who are physically absent. But I just finished reading a note that our dear Leslie (Squirtsmom) posted elsewhere on the forum, and I was struck anew by her beautiful signature line. I hope she won't mind me repeating it, because it seems to me to be the perfect thought for all of us here on this Christmas morning.

"May you know that absence is full of tender presence and that nothing is ever lost or forgotten." Anne, a Corgi mom

My house is far emptier than I would wish. But my heart is overflowing with memories that surround my tree this morning.

I send my very best wishes for peace and comfort to all our K9C family on this Christmas Day.

Love, Marianne