Four legged friends

If you know me, you know that I love my cats Ernie and Jerry. Tonight's been a sad night as I found out that Ernie died earlier this week. :( Until I went through a rough patch last fall, I never really realized how much my cats helped me manage stress. It really is amazing how much people can connect with their pets and how much love pets can show in return. For me, Ernie and Jerry are more than just pets. I grew up on a farm which was sold eight years ago. As a kid, I used to love hanging out in the barn with all of the cats and new kitten additions to our cat crew. Jerry and Ernie were the last kittens to be born on the farm. When I moved to Orlando seven years ago, Jerry and Ernie survived the 18 hour car ride and grew to enjoy apartment life there. For me, they were pets but also a link to my life back in Illinois. A few years ago, they left on a jet plane headed back to Illinois (this caused great laughter amongst my friends). When I moved overseas just a month ago, I had to let go of many material things as well as the last seven years I spent in Orlando. Now I have to say goodbye to a furry, friend who shared that time with me.