WELCOME TO DOGWOOD: Friends Lost--But Always Remembered

THE EVOLUTION FROM PRINT TO BLOG

For two years, I wrote a newspaper column about the misadventures of the Dogwood pack. Our pack consists of my six dogs ,two cats, and me. We have the Queen and oldest, Lucy the Lab. Then there's my special Child, Charlie, a German Shepherd/lab mix who owns me. My rat terror (I mean terrier) Hines keeps us in check, while Italian grey hound/terrier mix Daisy destroys the furniture. Our sweet cat Pearl, who passed away in August of 2010 from complications brought on by Feline Leukemia, was a lone feline for her short five year existence. When she passed, orange long hair tabby kitty Bart, and Siamese Flame Point Sebastian moved into our hearts.

When we moved to a new town, I was unable to continue the columns, so we decided to stick our paws into the 21st century.
Since the move, TWO MORE sets of paws run the floors at Dogwood. Linus, a little black lab, and Squirt the Chi-Weenie.

Now that we have moved onto blog media, I will keep the mayhem of my fur kids adventures updated as they happen. I also want to post special needs animals and stories about shelters and people who are doing wonderful work for rescue. Since this is no longer edited or censored--you may see images that are a bit more shocking, and read copy that has a bit more venom--so be prepared. Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!!

TO COMMENT: Write your comment in the open box and select ANONYMOUS. You can sign your name in your comment so we know who said what-LOL

Friday, May 4, 2012

Friends Lost--But Always Remembered

There is nothing harder in life than facing the death of a loved one. We try to find comfort through prayer and through solice from our family and friends--but nothing ever takes the sting out of the loss you feel. It's a kick to the gutt: an empty place that will never truly be full again, the place where your loved one once sat.
It's no different when a pet that you have loved for years crosses over the Rainbow Bridge and into the fields of God. It's the same situation--an empty place in your home and in your heart where that furry four legged family member once played, loved, and existed.
Today, my good friends, the Lewis family, handed one of their beloved animals over to God. Sadie was diagnosed with cancer this week. It was already too late to treat, and because of the amount of suffering she was experiencing, the family did the best thing they could for her--they let her go.
Though I cannot go to their sides to offer comfort, I write this in effort to reach out to them in words--to give them a big old Dogwood hug--and say, "I love you guys. I know what your going thru."
It's horrible today--it'll be bad tomorrow--it'll be crappy for quite some time. But I encourage you to lean on the Lord, and don't let the dark times of the past few weeks ever over shadow the light of a wonderful life that you were given the priviledge of sharing and being part of. The rest of your pack needs you to be strong, and to help them deal with being smaller in number, and to begin learning to live in a restructured household.
Sadie lives forever--in your memories--in your hearts. As long as one of you is left to tell the tale of her lifetime, she is still here. Reflect on the things she taught you, and the laughs she gave you, and what a truly marvelous life that you enjoyed together.
On another plain of existence, in a place where no one ever suffers, ever hurts, or ever, ever dies, Sadie runs free and happy from all the trappings of this world. You can't touch her, you can't see her, but you will ALWAYS feel her in your heart.
My deepest sympathies, and prayers for strength to you all.
Love--The pack at Dogwood