Juan and I are in the last week of our summer vacation, which means I am soaking up every chance I can get to work in my classroom while the hallways are still quiet and I can actually concentrate, but I'm also trying to squeeze in every last minute of quality time with my family. David is still recovering/resting up from his recent mission trip (which now added even more to his social schedule, with all the new friends he made), and Mike's work hours are a bit different this week due to his store starting a remodel.
So today we all planned to scatter. I got up to work in my classroom until lunch, and then I was going to spend the afternoon with my parents to see a new ministry opportunity that recently dropped in their lap. The boys went to help someone at church move some furniture, and then they considered trying to meet up with their cousins in the afternoon. Mike had to be at work by noon to work until early evening. We'd all meet back up at home sometime tonight.
Or so we thought.
Instead, we all came together right before noon at the vet to tearfully circle around our sweet dog, Minnie, before she took her last breath. We knew she had a large tumor in her abdomen that would have beeen too risky to try to remove surgically. We knew her time was limited, so we just decided to love on her and let her live as long as her body would allow before she started to suffer. We never thought she'd live as long as she did after they discovered the tumor, so we're grateful for all the "extra" time we had with her. She was a fighter, a fiercely loyal and loving companion. She'd follow us everywhere and would stay as close to our side as possible, many times right on top of us. She slept with David every night, either on his bed snuggled beside him or on top of his legs on the couch. Whenever David was gone, she'd snuggle up on a blanket right beside Mike's side of the bed. She sure loved both of them. She also loved to stand by Juan's couch and let him rub her back with his feet. If dogs have a love language, hers was definitely physical touch.
I sensed something different in her eyes this week. She seemed sad, so I am wondering if she was in pain, though she never wimpered or anything. I just had this feeling. The other night, she paced the living room, looking for a comfortable place to lay, but all the couches and chairs were taken. So I got up off of my chair, and she quickly curled up into it. I don't know why I felt the need to give her that comfort all of a sudden, when the rug on the floor would have been fine. But I did. It's like my heart was telling me she didn't have many evenings left. Then last night I had a heart to heart talk with her (you know you talk to your animals), and I found myself telling her how strong she was and what a fighter she was. I told her that we knew how much she loved us, but that it was okay if she needed to let go and stop fighting.
Today her body finally turned on her, and when her legs suddenly couldn't hold her up anymore, we knew.
We sure did love her.
We never planned on getting her. We found her brother, Mickey, in an ad shortly after the adoption failed and couldn't wait to go get him as a companion for David. But when we got there, I noticed the runt of the litter running around and knew I wanted her, too. So Mickey came home with Minnie, and she's been the sweetest addition to our family ever since.
Now my heart is aching for Mickey, who lost his sister, and everywhere I look, I am reminded that Minnie is not there. She's not laying at my feet as I type. She's not following me to the bathroom and all around the house with every step I take. She's not laying in front of the refrigerator every time I need to open it. And I'm not going to find her laying on top of David when I wake him up in the morning.
I sure will miss her sweet spirit around here. I am thankful, though, that I don't have to worry about something happening to her while we are all gone at school and work. I am thankful that we all got to be together with her this morning and that she was surrounded by love. I'm thankful she didn't have to suffer or feel alone and abandoned. I'm also thankful that one of us did not have to be alone to say goodbye to her for the rest of us.
Here are a few pics to always remember her. Sorry if I made you cry. This blog is more for me, than anyone, so I can always look back at our memories and read about them.
Today
Last November (when we thought we were losing her)
Our two baby girls in the house
The picture is fuzzy, but she was dressed up as a cow for Cow Appreciation Day. :) We made a joke that she wanted some Chikin "Minnies".
Minnie is the one on the right below.
And on the left in this one.
On the right again. She's always in red.
She lived a good life and was always loved. We will miss her so much.
Thanks for letting me share about our sweet girl.
We parted ways after meeting up at the vet today. Mike went to work. I spent the afternoon with my parents. Juan went to hang out with his cousins. David went to hang out with his church friends, including many new ones he met on the mission trip. We all are grieving our sweet girl in different ways. I'm home all alone now for the evening, so, of course, I'm expressing my grief in the way I know best, by writing. I couldn't settle down for the night without sharing these memories of her.
I warned you it was a tear jerker.
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