Happy Birthday my Girl

I knew this day would come. Your birthday. And I knew it would be HARD. And it is. My only consolation is that you are running again, with all the other angel dogs and cats in Heaven, or in the "animal Heaven", or the "Rainbow Bridge" place, or whatever we choose to call it as we perceive it. I cannot believe that a loving God would NOT make a place for the souls of animals that are so beloved, since He created them, and He gave us the capacity to love them so much, and for the animals to love us back.

My Gypsy

as you got older, your beautiful black velvet snout started to gray.....

You came into my arms straight from your Mama, and you were six weeks old. It was love at first sight. You were so little! Black and shiny, and with big paws, which you did grow into.  Your Mama was a Border Collie and your Daddy was a black Lab.

I did your basic training with GREEN BEANS. Oh how you loved those green beans! They were your reward when you learned "sit" "stay", "give paw" and the like.

You loved adventures. You were always ready to GO! You lived up to your name as you travelled all over the Nation with us! You learned to swim in ocean water and you loved to walk on the night time beaches with us, on hot summer nights. Oh how you LOVED TO CHASE GHOST CRABS! 

And oh, how you loved ice! The minute I opened the icebox to get ice for my tea, you would come running, ready for me to toss you small cubes or slivers. You would've thought it was pieces of steak you loved it so  much, but it was plain old ice.
Every year on your birthday, you would get a Twinkie with a candle on it. When you would see that Twinkie you would get so excited because you knew it was for  YOU. Some years it might be a cupcake, but usually it was a Twinkie.

So many happy birthdays....so many happy Christmases, and you literally watched our children grow up. And you watched them leave the nest, one by one. And you watched as they brought back their own children. And over the years, you grew very very wise.

You and I were so close and you were CONSTANTLY at my side. Whichever room I was in, that is where you were. We had a bond so strong, and you were extremely protective of me, always guarding me. 

when you were very young still, maybe a year old

These darn things didn't bloom ALL SUMMER. On your birthday, we had one big pretty perfect bloom. Just out of the blue.

So tonight I made this for you......

I sure wasn't ready to say good-bye.

.....and you are missed so very very much.
Almost eighteen years together. I am so thankful we had them, you and me, Gypsy.