I would like to start off this letter by saying thank you to everyone out there who has sent us letters, cards, and many sincere words. It has been a rough week for us and we are feeling a little better now. Sweet Pea is still fresh in our minds and Krysta and I both look out the window everyday at her headstone and tell her that we love her. When we go out to get into the car to leave Krysta always shouts across the yard to her and tells her sweet things upon getting into the car. Sweet Pea is dearly loved and missed by us and we hope that she is in a better place finding lots of happiness with all the other lost ferrets out there. Thank you all for your kind words and strong support during one of our hardest times yet. We hope and pray that it is a long time coming before we ever lose another one of our beloved little fuzzbutts. We have received tons of letters, cards, and touching stories from so many people this week. You guys are all so kind to us. Now, I can see just how many people are really out there that share the kind of love that we all have for the ferrets. :) Makes me very happy. The first few days I blamed myself and I felt so guilty. I kept thinking that if I had only known that Sweet Pea was going to die in surgery then I would have refused the surgery and she may have been with us for several more weeks or months. I could have then been kissing her today and right now. That would make me happy. I knew deep down though that without the surgery she would have automatically died eventually anyway. I just felt so bad because her death during surgery was not even a factor on my mind that day. We just told her goodbye like we always did when we left the house to go shopping or something. Just like it was no big deal. That I think is what made me the saddest. I felt like I should have gave her a big goodbye and a million kisses just in case she didn't make it. I wasn't even thinking that way at the time. Dummy me. :( I was even dense enough to be looking forward to her surgery day for days because I knew that she would recover soon after and then I could let her celebrate with a big ferret play party with all the other crazy ferts here. Things never seem to happen the way I plan them. Anyway, we do feel better here today thanks to all of you great people out there that cared and sent us so many wise words. Thanks again. Dooks, hugs, kisses, and love to all of you and yours. Many sweet thoughts to all of the sweet ferrets who have already passed on and lots of kisses to the sick and dying. Michelle & The Big Turd Herd (missing and loving Sweet Pea) [Posted in FML issue 2747]