I believe a slinky and a hug from a man saved me.
You guys kinda know our year. It hasn’t been LilBit or my best year. In fact, it has been a very dark year, I was dreading this holiday season.
With good reason, because we live in the middle of MAGA Florida country. And the MAGAs went full on with LilBit.
“ oh we love her! She needs to come to Christmas this, Christmas that. “
So I took LilBit to 6 of their parties. They didn’t care that I was changing her, re-brushing her hair, feeding her between each. They just wanted their 30 seconds of feeling good and ignoring her while we were there. One woman even said,” you have trained her so well”
I bit my tongue for the most part and replied, “ she is not my pet, we have worked hard on her behaviors since her Mom died, and she is doing great”
Fast Forward to party #5, AmVets toys for Vets, which Lil was not eligible for given her 34 year age, but they insisted I bring her. It was frigging chaos!!! Not the children, the parents!
Pushing their children in front of Lil, asking, how much can we spend?( it was 100 per child) , we had to be escorted as this event was at Walmart. And finally, someone saw Lil and said”let’s go”
So we walk in, and she asks me” what does Lil need?”
I said, “ a slinky , I have given her a slinky every Christmas morn, but, i can’t buy her presents this year”
She spent a half hour and found a slinky for Lil, then we found Lil a quiet but nice “cause and effect, light up toy” and more than a few pair of leggings because LilBit crawls and I said we buy cheap, the knees will be gone in 3 washings. Boom LilBit got Christmas, and then we go to checkout, the Commander of Post gives ME a huge hug and asks how I am. I said “ I’ve had better years” and he says” you are with us now, ty for bringing her”( oh we spent 33 dollars)
Ty All here for helping us through this year, while I begged, borrowed, and fought through for LilBit.
It was a Slinky and a man hug that brought me out . In MAGA land.
My point, keep your sad, loving heart open, don’t let your eyes,ears,and brain control you.
I pray for your peace, always. Not just during holidays, may you find a slinky and hug.
Koz
= new reply since forum marked as read
Sending love to you and Lil Bit.
A slinky and a hug.
That is good advice to keep your heart open no matter how sad. Take care of yourself and LilBit. 🎄 
being made to feel welcome as ‘stuff’, never, ever would trivialize the loss of your loved one and Lil Bit’s mom and associated grief and challenges as stuff.
