Cass ... final morning

I'm sitting at my kitchen table this morning with Cass sleeping by my feet. This gentle boy has captured my heart. In many ways, he reminds me of Ahnung ... a male version of a calm, gentle, wise spirit. In the less than 24 hours he has been with me I have witnessed his spirit coming to life. When we first left AHS yesterday I couldn't get a tail wag out of the boy. Now his tail wags exuberantly and he's even broken into a trot when I call for him. When we were hanging outside Panera Bread in St. Louis Park after giving him a bath at Bubbly Paws (thanks Bubbly Paws for the complimentary bath!) his eyes would follow me around. When I went inside Panera Bread and had him wait for me outside with my friend Paula he wouldn't take his eyes off of me. He looked at me with his soulful eyes .... eyes that penetrate the very core of me. Is it even possible that he got attached to me so quickly? I guess so ... because I know he wiggled his way into my heart almost instantaneously.

There are many stories I have to share about this sweet boy in the short time he has been with me. But words right now are lost somewhere ... maybe in the overhanging cloud of tears. We were up quite a few times last night. In the middle of the night he woke me up ... we went outside and together (with Ahnung) we looked up into the night skies at the bright stars. My heart ached for Pepper ... another bright star in the night skies. My heart is breaking right now knowing that in less than 3 hours sweet Cass will be joining Pepper. He has been following me around everywhere I go. He loves to lay in the grass .... while we are hanging out together in the back yard or even in my writing studio he won't lay down and sleep. His eyes follow me around like a hawk. I can go inside the house for 15 minutes and he will sit patiently outside with his eyes on the backdoor waiting for me to come back out. Only when he knows that I am not going to leave him will he finally lay his head down and close his eyes ... or if he feels some part of my body touching his body.

I will forever be grateful for the gift of love that Cass has given to me. His spirit will continue to live on in me. Later today Jenny and I are heading up to Red Lake reservation (where my sweet girl Ahnung was originally rescued from). The night skies are gorgeous up there ... I will look up into the skies tonight and know that Pepper's bright star will be joined by a new bright star ... the star of Cass.

Cass ... know that you are loved ... know that you are cherished ... know that your spirit will continue to live on forever in my heart and in my unwaivering commitment to continue the work to help your friends up at Leech Lake reservation.

For more photos click here.

Hanging out at Panera Bread
in St. Louis Park

He finds a cool spot
in the backyard

Cooling off in the air-conditioned
writing studio with Ahnung

Restful sleep ...
only when he knows I'm by his side

Soulful eyes