Clementine...one special cat.

Yesterday was a pretty tough day here, we lost our cat Clementine, he was hit and killed on the road.  I was on the phone with my mom and I heard my husband talking with someone at the door, I heard the word cat and I ran down the stairs, I can't even remember if I'd hung up the phone at that point.  I tore down the driveway running past my husband and this woman to the road and there he was was lifeless on the edge of the road.  I scooped him up in my arms and cried, I couldn't believe he was gone.  I carried him to the house sobbing, my husband and the woman walking with me, she was in tears too, I touched her arm and told her through my tears that it was okay, it was an accident and she couldn't help it, it wasn't her fault.  I didn't want her to feel bad.  I continued on into the house and at that time our daughter knew something awful had happened and was in tears as well.  I sat on the stairs cradling Clementine in my arms, heart breaking at the fact that he was no longer alive.

Clementine was a special cat and he was different, he was more dog than he was cat, his personality was huge.  Part of our deep love for Clementine was the fact that he was a stray that we were able to tame.  One December day in 2011 I found him in the hay shed and he wasn't very friendly but over time that changed and he entered our home and our hearts, you can read about it here.

Some may think he's just a cat, just an animal but I always go back to the creation story, God created all the creatures that moved upon the land and when He was finished He said it was good.  Clementine was God's creation as well.  And the LORD gave man dominion over His creation and we are to look after it.  All of creation matters to God.  I know God knew Clementine would be taken from us yesterday.  I am reminded of the verse in Matthew where Jesus says to his disciples: "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father." In Luke's gospel it says of the sparrows, "Yet not one of them is forgotten by God."  God knows all that will happen in our lives and in His creation.

So God knew Clementine would be hit by that car yesterday and his life would be no more but there was a blessing for me in yesterday as well, a gift that reminded me that I have a Father in heaven who loves me and who knows me.  You see I love taking pictures, I love capturing the beauty of God's creation and there are many mornings where I'll head out early to capture the morning light as it glistens on the dew covered plants.  Though in the last number of weeks I hadn't been out because it just didn't work out or the weather wasn't so great.  But Tuesday morning was beautiful, there was a heavy dew and the sun was shining and I had time to grab my camera and just wander the yard and guess who wandered with me as he often does...Clementine.  Where I wandered, he wandered, I even snapped some shots of him not knowing that 90 minutes later he'd be gone.  And so I feel blessed to have had that one last time with him but there is also sadness that I'll never have that again.

The last picture I took of Clementine, Tuesday morning at 8:00.

There were times when I would walk through the woods with my camera and he'd follow me all the way through, that's why we always said he was more dog than cat.  Looking back through pictures of him I have so many because he followed me so many times as I took pictures.  He was one photogenic guy.  There were times when I did chores or the girls did chores and he'd hang out with us, we'd put him on the hay bale in the wheelbarrow and he'd ride down the hill.  Jumping in bed with us or any of the kids it wasn't good enough to lay at your feet in his own space, no he needed contact and would wedge himself right near you or when sleeping with Jocelyne he'd hog the bed.  He loved to be near us. He was a joy to have around, he was hilarious at times in the way he'd just flake out in crazy positions falling asleep.  So many times one of the kids or I would say: "Shhh, come here, look at Clementine," and there you'd see him all sprawled out.  He brought life to our home.  One of his favourite morning things was to wait "impatiently" until the kids were finished their cereal knowing that they'd let him lick up that bit of left over milk or Matthew would just pour him his own and they'd eat breakfast together. Clementine was a handsome cat, a big cat.  Our Korean friend who had just been visiting with us nick named him "Baby Tiger."  A big cat with big personality.

He'll be missed deeply by all of us...it's still hard to believe the cat who had so much life is now gone.

Part two can be read here

But even in the midst of sorrow and sadness there are still things to be thankful for...

43. Misun's joy in being here - to her it is a dream come true - surreal

44. Beautiful cloud filled sky

45. The celebration of life of an aunt who lived her life well for God's glory

46. Matt helping me with a wedding - proud of him

47. The use of my mom's washer as ours is broken

48. Misun's smile

49. A beautiful sunset - something I take for granted that Misun rarely sees in Seoul Korea

50. Fireflies

51. Junior the duckling is still alive after her ordeal with our dog

52. Delicious Korean dinner made by Misun

53. The beauty of the country

54. Beautiful drive in the county

55. Hollyhocks along the roadside

56. Laugher with Misun

57. Henrietta the duck - entertaining to watch

58. Break in humidity

59. Misun is feeling better

60. Beautiful cool morning

61. My family

62. Chocolate

63. Beautiful architecture - Casa Loma

64. Cool breeze through the window

65. Jesus is more than enough

66. Sunshine at the end of the day

67. A new day

68. The girls out on a camping trip

69. Bonfire with some families from church

70. Children laughing and playing

71. Smores

72. The girls home safe

73. Morning fog

74. Beautiful cloud filled sky

75. The quiet of night time

76. The smell of freshly cut grass

77. Charissa going to the airport to pick up Jocelyne

78. Jocelyne is home for a week

79. Thunderstorms on a Sunday afternoon

80. Visit with Will and Amy - six more days!

81. Chatting with the girls after church

82. The love of my husband

83. Morning sunshine glistening on the trees after the rain

84. Misun is back from Cuba

85. Fun photoshoot with Misun, Jocelyne and Charissa

86. Bonfire with the girls - laughter

87. Good nights sleep

88. Girls out canoeing

89. The scent from a room filled with flowers

90. Wedding preparations

91. Our son William - a good man

92. My husband's leadership

93. Beautiful words from family and friends at the bridal couple at the rehearsal dinner

94. A bit of quiet

95. Beautiful weather for Will & Amy's wedding

96. Beautiful Christ centred wedding ceremony

97. All the help from family and friends

98. Cooling breezes at the sand dunes

99. Sushi lunch with Misun

100. Picnic along the water

101. Misun's smile and laughter

102. A delicious dinner and quiet night with my husband

103. Coffee with my husband and a friend

104. Visit with Joyce and Hilco - Amy's parents

105. Will and Amy back from their honeymoon stopping by for a visit

106. Kids back from the cottage

107. Chatting and hanging out with the kids

108. Laugher

109. Sitting with Charissa in the Lazyboy

110. Misun back from her trip to Ottawa

111. Nightly teas and chats with Misun

112. A wonderful visit with Misun - goodbye's today as she heads home to Seoul Korea

113. Beautiful, traditional bow by Misun to my husband and I and my parents before leaving for the airport

114. Matt and Charissa hanging out

115. Misun made it home safely

116. Beautiful cool morning

117. Morning dew sparkling in the sunshine

118. Phone call from Misun

119. Clementine...a special cat like no other

120. The gift of one last wander in the yard with camera in hand and Clementine at my heels.