Dear Shug:
I miss you. I miss your presence, the feel of your protection as you watched over everyone. I miss you coming to lay your head in my lap and ask to go outside, just one more time. I miss your love.
Yes your anxiety got the best of me sometimes and I know I didn’t feel as close to you as I did to Dakota, but you were a great dog and I loved you the same. People asked me why we kept you with the way you could be (chewing up all of our door frames, escaping the crate, etc) and my answer was to tell them how much you loved your family.
I always talked about how much you loved the kids, your gentleness and for me that was priceless. Your love for them and us meant the world to me and outweighed all of the other stuff; to watch you let them crawl over you, and have you come sit in the middle of their toys or whatever was going on. I swear you thought you were a lap dog. Your big heart… that was the best part of you.
I remember one time a friend and her family came to visit. Her son was still in a crib and you slept in the living room next to him all night, keeping watch.
The house is so quiet now at night without you. The UPS driver doesn’t worry about you in the yard and we are safe to be away as long as we need for the day.
It’s just not the same…. 11 years of loving you and having you chew all the door frames in the house – you certainly left your mark in more ways than one.
I haven’t put away Dakota’s blankets and I haven’t done anything with your bed. Your dog food is still in the canister and the medications still in the same place. It’s like you both are just gone for a bit and I’m waiting for you to return; yet I know you are gone.
You were never the same after Dakota left… I knew you missed him so much like those old couples who live all their lives together… they can’t bear to be apart. Your health declined and yet we couldn’t figure out the reason.
The night you left us happened so quickly… within hours from arriving home you walked across the rainbow bridge…September 21st at approximately 9:34 to be exact. It is still hard to believe you both are gone now.
We buried you next to your buddy and the kids were there to say goodbye… they loved you so much, watched over, and said a prayer for you. Between the 2 of you, we planted a Gardenia bush, given to us by a friend.
The kids miss you so much and we do too. My only regret is not spending more time with you and I hope you can forgive me. I am sure you are up in heaven running around at full speed! I know you are still watching over us every day.
You were very special to us. I love you,
Mommy
