Thank you, Gis, so sharing your life with us for five years. You showed us that you were the one and only "baddest thing on feet" when you rolled and twisted on the floor as Scott and I would say to you "yes, you're bad, you're the baddest thing on feet. You had such a zest for life and you proved it every day, even during the last few in which you were too tired to barely move. You never just walked through the house, you moved at a swift trot, sometimes it seemed that your body was somewhat out of alignment as your back-end would be further to the right or left than your front. It was always comical, when you and I would go out of our bedroom and you would see the other fur-kids. You always began to grumble, almost like you were asking me "why do we have to have these guys around here? Aren't I enough, after a ll they just run around the house getting their young-un stink all over everything!". Thank you, Gis, for being so free with your ferret kisses. Not a day went by that you did not give Scott or I kisses. You were fond of kissing Scott's ears and my throat. Your whiskers, my, how they always tickled. Your kisses changed somewhat from the time we brought you home until yesterday. Your seven week old baby kisses were more like little nips with a few licks from your tongue. Then they became very energetic licks and toward the end, your kisses bcame slower, almost tired. Thank you, Gis, for being an ambassador for ferrets. You never met a human you didn't like and all the humans that met you fell in love. Everyone that met you always commented on what a real sweet-heart you were. Everyone that met you always asked about you if you weren't with us. On the very first day that I got you, you captured the heart of a two-year old and you have been capturing hearts ever since. You captured mine in the span of seconds. Thank you, Gis, for being a friend. You seemed to always know when Scott or I were troubled and would come to us offering what comfort you had to give. You would always sleep in the bed with me when Scott was out of town on business and then would be my alarm clock when it was time to get up. In a conversation that Scott and I once had, the jist of which being, that should we ever break up, he would take you, my comment was "no way". We would have ended up in a court battle to settle who gained custody of you. Thank you, Gis, for being such a little manipulator. You knew exactly how to manipulate Scott or me into giving you cream from the refrigerator. You manipulated us easily into catering to all your needs and wants. Yet, I can only smile and wish that you were here for me to be conned once again by your little acts. Thank you, Gis, for being you. Thank you, Lord, for allowing Scott and I the opportunity to be the care-takers of this little angel. You took him from us last November then gave him back for a few more months. As I was coming home from work, Thursday, an "Alabama" song came over the radio just as I entered my driveway. As I listened to the words, immediately Gismo came to mind and I feel that this little fur-child was truely "an angel among us". We love you Gismo Mommy-Margaret Ann and Daddy-Scott (Gismo was the victim of insulinoma and adrenal disease. He had surgery for insulinoma January '96 and surgery for adrenals in November '96.) [Posted in FML issue 2008]