That's okay, kframe. We've all been there, and if not, we all will be someday. Hope your day was a peaceful one and full of good memories are all of you.

You are like me...just remembering Christmas Past. Nothing wrong with loving memories.

Merry Christmas.
Gayle

I buried my former husband on Christmas Eve day, so the holiday is indeed sad with that memory lurking but there is always something to be thankful for and remembering him and his zest for life will always get me through....The last thing he would want is family and friends spending the holiday with hearts filled with sadness....He would want a big party instead and that always gets me through the holidays...

I think it was Betty in Florida who posted this a couple of years ago I have passed it on a lot

I love these lines : "Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the same easy way which you always used,
Put no difference into your tone;"

All Is well--Henry Scott Holland
Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away into the next room,
I am I, and you are you,
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still,
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the same easy way which you always used,
Put no difference into your tone;
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect, without the shadow of a ghost on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was; there is absolutely unbroken continuity,
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am just waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well

Ruthie, thank you for posting that. It's so beautiful and so true.

Mammie

I thought of you today when I saw your post on the Cooking Forum. I know today has been tough. I lost my mini doxie a few weeks ago and sometimes the pain comes back but we must go on. I am glad you were there for your Mom and that she gave you a great gift. Take care and keep us posted about Mason. If you posted a picture of him I missed it. I sure would like to see him.

It's perfectly ok to be a downer Mike...you're just being honest...I think most of us have already walked in your shoes and I'm pretty safe in saying it does get a bit easier as time goes by...the holidays always seem to be the hardest because we tend to sit around and think!! So..my advice is to take Mason on a long walk and start some traditions with him..Nikky and Ruger are forever etched in your heart, no ifs ands or buts...but Mason seems like the kinda doggie that's gonna fill that void! I'm sooo glad you got Mason and look forward to hearing stories about him...You done a good thing and I'm sure he's gonna steal your heart when you least expect it!!

Glad it was a good Christmas for you. It was my first
Christmas w/o my dog Delhia also. I went to my sister's house and her future DIL was there with her dog. It was
bittersweet also. I enjoyed playing with her dog but I was
also missing mine.

Oops, sorry. I meant thank you to Minnie!!

I think the first Christmas after a loss like yours is always the hardest. You'll never stop missing any of them, and the holidays will always be somewhat bittersweet but I'm sure they'll get easier as time goes on. It's okay, and perfectly normal, to feel the way you are feeling.

It sounds like you had a nice holiday though. I'm glad to hear Mason is fitting in well. I think he's becoming a good buddy for you!

Thank you, Minnie. I lost my oldest brother day before yesterday, and that helped me to read that.

Thanks for sharing your memories with us, Mike.

One, (maybe both) of the churches that I attend had a "Blue Chistmas" service planned for 4 p.m. on Sunday Dec. 16, for folks who are feeling the usual joy at Christmas, but mixed with a major slice of sadness along with it, due to a loss of a loved person, or some other painful circumstance, recently.

While it is painful to deal with a similar circumstance, such as having someone bring their favourite dog to a Christmas gathering, it is part of one's healing process, as well.

It's one more step along the road to moving the memories from painful ones to ones less so.

I note that my son, who lost his mother over three years ago, is inclined to refer to something related to her occasionally in recent times, but did not do so for some time after her death.

My daughter, executor of her Mom's estate, took the F.C. (female canine) following her Mom's death. The term "dog" really refers to the male of various related species (e.g. fox) ... the term used for a female is one that Gardenweb slaps me on the wrist for if I try to use it.

I sometimes had the mini dachsie here when Kathryn was travelling ... she loved to come here, for there were cats to chase (until they got rather used to one another), lots of country to roam and interesting smells to explore ... and (almost) no leash! What could be better!

She loved to get into garbage, and got into one of the containers at daughter's a few months ago, got a stomach blockage, which surgery didn't fix ... and they felt it necessary to put her down. At age 14, her days were getting numbered, in any case.

But I think that it was more than usually hurtful to both of our offspring, for it was the last living link to their mother.

When some of those painful experiences along the road to healing take place, it's helpful if we can go and talk about it to some good friend, especially someone who's been there and done that.

ole joyful

Marilyn c I'm so sorry to hear about your brother.

Marilyn I sent you an email to the address on your page.
It is just another poem that might be too long for this forum If anyone else is interested let me know and I can send it to your my page address It is called Letter from Heaven

I think how you are feeling is natural, and part of your process of adjusting to it. Things will never be the same...because they aren't, but they will become a 'different' way.