Dave and I got Sam, our parakeet, at the end of 2001…shortly after we were engaged.  He died this evening, just before dinnertime.  It seems strange to be sad about losing such a small animal, but he was part of our lives for 9 years. 

Sam lived at Dave’s condo before we were married…then it became our condo.  He stayed with Grand Mom Day while we were on our honeymoon and she made sure to tell us about how he’d announce every night that he was ready for his cage to be covered so he could sleep! 

He went with us to East Bethany, NY (a 6 hour car ride) to visit Dave’s friend Ken.  That was when we first met Aurie, now Ken’s wife.  Sam would sing along to the noise the car made as we drove on the concrete parts of the roads.

Sam moved with us to Douglassville in 2004.  He welcomed Noah and Hannah home in 2005 and 2008.  Although he never quite let them hold him, he was always curious about them.  He’d sit with them on their carriers or swings when they were infants and surprise them at mealtimes or while they were playing as they got bigger.

Sam was always allowed to fly around the house.  We only ever had his flight feathers clipped once, when we first brought him home.  He was very spoiled and prefered water from the tap over his bowl.  He’d often sit on the kitchen faucet and wait for us to let him get a drink.  Whenever he heard us running the water in the bathroom sink, he’d fly in there for a drink, too. 

He liked a sip of orange juice at breakfast and sometimes stole a drink of milk from cereal bowls.  One time when we still lived in Philly he tried walking across Dave’s plate of waffles.  He didn’t like having his feet cleaned after that!

Sam never once bit anyone.  Not even when we clipped his nails, or more recently, when we had to trim his beak or clean his “bottom”. 

He was an awesome little bird and he will be missed.

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