Our beloved Miss Rachael Button went home to God on Friday, October 23 and my heart grieves the passing of one of the best friends I have ever had. She stayed strong and fought her illness with all of her spirit and will but Thursday night she told us it was time to help her fly free. 16 years ago she literally fell out of a tree into my arms at the age of about 12 weeks. As she wound figure 8s around our legs and stood up on her little hind legs like a Meerkat, chuckling and looking us both right in the eyes, Ethan and I looked at each other and said well, we have 8, whats one more? We decided to name her after Ethans Aunt Rachael and shortly after Ethan smiled and said shes just cuter than a button! and so she was named. Button asked for nothing except perhaps for some cheese, salmon, or chicken – and devoted her life sharing her unconditional love and companionship and made our hearts smile every day. She was possibly an abandoned feral kitten or a throw-out, so grateful for joining our family, and an incorrigible scamp from the time she came into our lives. Mischievous, unpredictable, playful and an absolutely perfect thief when she spotted something she thought she should havelike her famous snatch and grab skill to make a chicken leg disappear from a pan on the stove, streaking through the house with it in her jaws or grabbing a roll of goat cheese from the counter absolutely laughing at me as she gleefully careened off the furniture and walls and I pursued her up and down the stairs. Rachael was totally and incredibly unique, with a sentience beyond any animal companion I have ever had, and for that matter, many humans too. Her eyes, bright and knowing and insightful, were a window into a little soul who gave everyone who met her the uncanny feeling that she had lived other lives prior to this one. She KNEW things. She understood every word that Ethan and I ever said to her and so many times I expected her mouth to open and literally speak to me Hey Mom, I really do prefer Cheddar over Swiss. She adored cheese of all kinds; from the time she was a kit when we called her wed say RachaelCHEESE!!!! and she would come running, even from across the neighbors yard looking for a chunk of her favorite treat. She has been my constant companion and best buddy working in the gardens. I would plant a row of seeds and she would take her paws and rearrange the rows according to Miss Button. I didnt have a straight row of anything in the garden for 15 years. Playing Hide and Seek among the tall leaves in the garlic bed was a favorite game. She loved this time of year, reveling in chasing and leaping skyward in pursuit of the blowing leaves and rolling and tossing them like crinkle toys on our deck. With her magnificent coat of many colors in shades of copper, bronze, and golden she became one with the autumn leaves. When we brought kittens BB and Goodie into our home, Miss Button age 4 at the time – stepped up to the task, teaching them life skills like how to dip their paws in a water bowl to get a drink then wash their face and how to take a claw and hook a dry food cookie out of dispenser one by one to eat. She loved the babies and delighted in also teaching the fine art of doing many things to annoy their people. She did well! My sweet girl spoke to me in so many ways during our life together. She knew that I knew that she was different. She gave me her full measure of love, devotion, friendship, and trust and for that I will be forever changed and grateful. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3 We extend our sincerest thanks and gratitude to so many caring and kind people who have taken such excellent and loving care of Miss Rachael Buttonand usfor 16 years: Lyons Veterinary Clinic, Williamson Animal Hospital, Heart of Gold Veterinary Care, and most of all, Pet Passages of Ontario; their kindness, compassion, empathy and love helped us through one of the most difficult things we have ever had to do. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4