Sweet Shelby

Yesterday we lost our sweet Shelby Sue. Based on multiple tests taken and symptoms witnessed, it appears that she had liver cancer that had begun affecting her brain. Our family is heartbroken and are still in disbelief, however, we know that she is now at peace ~ no longer suffering. We will miss her sweet little happy face, but reading this poem/essay really made me feel good. It describes "Doggie Heaven" exactly how I would picture it to be. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.

Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.

The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown

Naughty or Nice?

I'm a little bit late with the Santa picture. The scan saved it as a different type file than blogger accepts, so I had to do a little research to determine how to make it work. Naughty or Nice? Hmmm... depends on the day!
:)

I Just Don't Remember...

~ Okay, so here's the story of where this poem came from. I'm not sure why I started thinking about this subject... I think it might be because a few of my friends are getting divorced and have young children. Thinking of how their kids will have to grow up living in a broken family may have made me think of my own experiences - I'm not really sure. All I know is that one night I was thinking about things and realized that I really couldn't remember my dad living at home with us.

Shortly after that realization, Christmas came along. My sister-in-law, the "new" Kim Dalton, created a small scrapbook for me entitled, "Christmas Through The Years". When I opened up the book and found the above picture on the front page, I had this weird wave of emotion come over me. The reason it was weird was because I had just been thinking about the whole subject of my dad and all. I found it to be my very favorite gift this year. It wasn't a big and expensive gift that I loved, it was the one filled with Christmas memories, including ones with my Dad that touched me tremendously. A poem started rolling through my mind that very minute and I found that I absolutely couldn't go to bed that Christmas night until I had put it down in writing!

I Just Don't Remember...

I just don’t remember
And I find it quite sad,
You living at home with us
Us at home with our dad.

Sometimes I feel cheated,
Sometimes I feel sad,
We could have been quite “normal”
And talked of the fun we had.

But you had to move away
And the rest of us stayed home
We continued to live as a family
And you lived all alone

I do remember you decorating
the garage for my special day,
Streamers way up in the sky
All set for the kiddies to play

But why can’t I remember you
In the mirrors of my mind,
Playing with us and laughing
Or with Easter eggs to find?

Were there Saturday mornings?
Did you help with our fears of the dark?
Were there family dinners?
And days of fun at the park?

I know there’s no such thing as normal
As I sit here writing this poem,
But I just can’t help but wonder
What it was like when you lived at home.

You were my Daddy
And forever you’ll be in my heart,
I just wished I got to grow up
Without us living apart.

There are pictures that prove
that you once lived with us…

But
I just
don’t remember…

Written late night on December 25, 2005 ~