I really and truly believe that our pets go to heaven just like people do.  So, I am confident that my cat Socrates, who passed away in January, is in heaven and no longer suffering.  I also believe in small ‘miracles’ that remind us that our loved ones in heaven are watching over us.  When I first moved to my house over 12 years ago, I planted a hydrangea in the back yard.  To this day, it has never bloomed, though it does grow and get new leaves each year.  When I found that the first plant wasn’t thriving, I purchased another about 2 years later, and planted it in the front yard.   The second hydrangea also never bloomed.  Apparently my soil is lacking some nutrients that this plant needs.  I’ve never added anything to the soil to help them along and actually forgot about the 2nd plant…until this week.  This tiny little hydrangea, that has one little stem of leaves, burst forth with a pretty white flower, right next to the ‘cat nap’ figurine that I had placed in the garden to help remember my cats.  My cat Socrates loved flowers and always wanted to go after any that I brought into the house.  So when I saw the flower blooming for the first time in 10 years, I immediately thought that somehow Socrates was sending me a flower to let me know that he is doing okay in heaven.  Silly as that sounds…it’s what I really believe!