When our oldest was five – six years old all he wanted was a dog. Cameron and I had tossed around getting him one, but his birthday is the week before Christmas and extra money towards a family pet never seemed to be available around Christmas. We we wanted to get a family dog, but weren’t exactly sure what, how and when.
The week of his seventh birthday I received a phone call from my grandma. They had received a puppy and wanted to give it to Weston for his birthday. I quickly called Cam and he approved. My grandma bought the puppy everything she would need and she and my grandpa brought her to his seventh birthday with a red bandana around her neck.
Weston named her Joey and instantly we loved her and she loved us. By summer we noticed how protective she was of the kids and she never left their side. As the years went on she and Cam became extremely close and I would venture to say he might have been her favorite person.
She loved to swim and went to the creek with us every time. If we kayaked she would swim the whole way, one time I got worried about her and made her ride with me for a bit and she was miserable.
She loved the farm, her family and the side by side. If it started you might as well let her in because she would follow you until you let her in. As the kids grew so did she, but she never lost her protective side.
I always thought she would live until the kids were gone and left home. I imagined making a spot for her in the house when her bones were too tired to move very far. I selfishly hoped she would be here when the kids were not and remind me of the best years of my life.
But on Saturday we lost our girl. It is still so hard to talk about and we miss her dearly. She truly was the best and we are lost without her. You don’t realize how much your dog is a part of your life until they are gone.
I have sorted through hundreds of pictures. In six shorts years she weaved her way into every part of our life and deep into our hearts. We catch ourselves looking in the back seat of the can-am for her, watching for her as we pull in and saving her scraps from dinner that she loved.
She was a good girl and what I wouldn’t give to give her one more belly rub or watch her interrupt the boys baseball game in the back yard.
We love you sweet girl.