One Friend

This coming Thursday it will be 3 weeks since we said goodbye to you Howard.  We miss you so much, and wish we could cross that Rainbow Bridge and grab you and bring you back, but maybe if we saw how happy you are there, we wouldn't want to.

It is so hard to come home and not have you here to greet us.  When we bring in groceries, you are not here to trip over so excited to smell what is in the bags.  When I was in Trader Joes last week, and saw the dog treats, I wanted to knock them all off of the shelf.  How dare Trader Joes continue selling dog treats when you are not here to enjoy them!

The day you left us, we held you.  Brad held your head in his hands and petted you, while you licked his hand as the doctor administered the medicine to put you to sleep.  You slowly stopped licking, and were gone.  Howard, I have never seen Brad so sad.  He stood up, and dropped to the ground and sobbed.  I had to help him in the house.  You guys were always the best buddies.  I brought you home, but you became Brad's dog when you two first laid eyes on each other.

We hear you all the time.  We hear your nails scratching the wall when you roll over at night, listen for you to get up and get a drink of water, and hear your collar rattle when you shake...but then we realize those comfortable, familiar sounds are now just memories and our hearts break all over again.

It seems like just yesterday you were this cute little black puppy, wild and full of energy.  I was only 25 years old myself.  Where did the years go Howard?  So many memories are wrapped around you...so many wonderful, wonderful memories that we will always make us smile and cry all at the same time.

Howard, we are glad you are no longer suffering, but we sure miss you buddy!