Kerri

I know the one year anniversary is coming up for some of you. I remember how I was dreading that day. Like Joanne said in her message the remembrance is as fresh and difficult as those final moments, and yes I can tell every minute what I did on that day. Even after a year although the tears are less the remembrance is there.
To help me with that day I decided to plan what I would do;that way I did not leave it to chance what would happen as I knew I would be a basket case.
Hopefully this will help you …plan the day, start thinking what you are going to do on that day and try to make it a happy one although there will be a few tears. I focused the day around the things Goobie loved to do; walking, swimming and playing ball oh and let’s not forget the treats.

I invited some ladies for coffee as I knew there would be laughter and to build my confidence to follow through with my plan. I have never in the last year walked the same route that Goobie & I used to walk just couldn’t do it so decided I would do that on his 1 year anniversary. Amazing there were very few tears, I just remembered all the good times we had. He’s favourite stopping points to pee, yards were he would bark & greet the other dogs, the bushes he wanted to explore it just all came back and with smiles as I knew he was right there beside me. Next I walked down to the lake where he loved to chase his ball in the water. I still remember the first time he swam he looked at me with his big brown eyes as if to say “I’m I supposed to be doing this.”
I came back home to my new fur pal Tikaani a 9 month old Siberian Husky who has helped me with my grief and we played ball. Well I’m training him but he gets bored with a ball and just wants to run and me to chase him however the time was spent with laughter and hugs.

Around 4:00 when I was starting to feel down; a sign from Goobie. A few of us where outside and down the road comes a yellow lab. Folks there are no Labs in our area, however a few times when feeling depressed a Black Lab would be in the front street. I took this as a sign from Goobie. On this day it made me smile everyone was looking at me and I looked up to heaven and said “what you have trouble finding a black lab today, glad you sent a yellow to let me know you are OK.”

Lighting a candle for him in the evening, I did stay away from his picture album as you know what you should and shouldn’t do.

And Joanne I’m sure there is a party at Rainbow Bridge and to give you a smile. I can just see my Goobie pleading with Benny to please, please,
p. l .e. a. s. e put on the party hat so we can get at the cake.

Yes we miss them but we are so much richer for having them be a part of our lives even for a little while.

(((((HUGS)))))
Kerri

TJandDante

Wow that was so beautiful and we dog lovers do the same kinds of things,don't we? I have walked the same walk route Dante and I took and with many tears at first. But I did the same things, remembering the spots he had to stop and "mark", the dogs that would come to the fence to visit with him and how he looked for them when they weren't outside. He did send me a sign and it did make me laugh.
Its going to be very hard for me when Dante's year comes up-it is 10 months away but the day he passed was 5 days before Christmas, we had the worst Christmas ever last year. This year we will be able to enjoy and remember all the wonderful things he was to our family and how many monumental events he saw us through.
Thank you for your beautiful and mindful post. It really rings home to why we are here.
TJ

Benpaws

My Dear Friend,

What a wonderful note on remembering on the first anniversary of our puppy's death.

I will do just the things you suggested. Jim and I will walk with Shadow along the banks of Lake Ontario where Benny so loved to climb the rocks and then go down into the cold water where he waded in no matter what the temperatures. We will visit his favourite parks and stop and remember how happy he was when he would spy a child or another dog in the park and hurry to greet them. He was always so happy.

It will be a day of sadness but also a day of joy because Benny lived with such joy in his little heart and we know he is free of that terrible cancer which took him from us far too soon.

You are such a dear friend to write these things and give me time to "plot out that day" so that it will be a good day. I hope the sun is shining as it was the day Benny left us.

I will look at his pictures and light my candle as I do every night and remember that little ball of fur lying in his basket by the fire, giving "puppy sighs" as he drifted off to a peaceful sleep, much like he did the last moment of his life.

As we must prepare to put our puppies to sleep, we must prepare ourselves to celebrate their lives on the anniversary of their death.

Goobie has given you many signs just as Benny has given us. I really think he will put on his "birthday hat" one more time for Goobie and all the other puppies who reside with him beyond that RAINBOW BRIDGE.

Thank you again my special friend. No wonder I find such peace when I visit here. Everyone is just the BEST!

Hugs,
Joanne

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