HONORING SODA..........................and a give away

Good morning everyone..............

It was a rough weekend - actually it was a rough week but the weekend hit us particularly hard.

It's the " firsts " that kill you -

The first morning without her - the first time not having to walk her - feed her - cuddle her - kiss her and if that doesn't do you in - well remembering the " lasts " most certainly does.

I tried to pack up her things ( and she had a lot of things ) but there are so many items you don't think of - you know - like dragging myself into the shower and seeing her shampoo sitting on the ledge - it's hard to wash your hair while choking - or pulling out something from the pantry and seeing a jar of her favorite cookies.
For a small dog she filled up this house and her absence from it makes it seem cold and lonely.

Somewhere in the midst of this and completely unknown to me -  I reached the 2 million mark 
in " hits " and though I'm not so much in the mood for celebrating - I really do want to celebrate Soda and show my appreciation in some small way to all of you.
Your comments and love touched John and I deeply - I read him every single one of them.

While surfing the net for anything and everything dog related this weekend ( I was obsessed in my grief I tell you - you have no idea ) I came across this amazing site called I HEART DOGS - it's a California based company - and every product you buy goes toward feeding shelter dogs.

When I came across this necklace and saw the paw print in the key I knew I had to have one 

            This product feeds 10 shelter dogs - Learn More

                                         

           

                           

I bought 2 of them - one for me and one for one of you - as a give away - so Soda's love helps feed 20 shelter dogs - and because she herself was a rescue angel I can't think of a more fitting way to honor her.............and to say a heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Just a small token of our gratitude - a paws for the cause so to speak.

You all left so many comments on my last post that I feel a little guilty telling you that you have to leave one again................but you absolutely HAVE to this time so that you have a chance to win !

Whether it's in memory of a beloved pet or a current one - whether it be a cat or a dog ( sorry gecko and snake lovers ) or to give to someone as a gift  if you'd like the chance to win just drop me a line.

Delivery can take up to 4 weeks but I'm sure it'll arrive sooner than that - I'll draw the winner's name the day I receive them.

Much love - more than you can imagine - to all of you
Thank you for being a friend

Hugs,
Me
( forever Soda's Mom )

You CAN measure love..................

I know people say you can't but I swear to you - you can.

In our case love weighed 12 pounds 3 ounces of pure raw adoration and was never not by our side.

It weighed enough to leave a small indentation at the foot of the bed where she slept for 16 years.

We said good-bye this morning to Soda - our precious little side kick - our 3rd daughter.

We left the house with that love bundled up with 2 of her squeaky toys - the ones she used to frantically bite whenever we walked in the house.  I held her while John drove - tears streaming down both our faces.
I opened the window because she so loved the breeze on her face - she glanced up but didn't have the energy to lean over and so I lifted her to it - letting it gently blow on her one last time while memories flooded through my system threatening to almost kill me.  Dramatic?  No..........it's how I truly felt at the moment.  I think it's how we both felt at the moment.

Remember how she used to jump through the snow with all her paws in the air - I asked John
Remember how she used to bury herself under the blankets at night - John asked me
Remember?

The moments are tattooed on our hearts with indelible ink.

I was always telling her to " stay ".

In the mornings when John would get up to go the bathroom - she would get ready to jump off the bed to follow him

Stay - I would whisper - he'll be back.

She would rush to the front door whenever he left -

Stay - I would admonish her - he's not gone for long.

She would run off when we walked her - to the nearest tree stump - sometimes trying to cross the street

Stay - I would say loudly - it's dangerous.

Today - more than any other day - I wanted to cry out " Stay Soda -  please sweetheart - Stay "

Instead I leaned down close and told her what a good girl she was and always had been and how loved she was and then I told her it was ok to go.

I'm so sorry Soda if my tears and my sobbing brought you any anguish - I tried so hard to be strong but you always were my weakness you know.

I'm not sure how I walked out of the clinic - but I know I couldn't stand once I opened the door - I fell in a crumpled heap on the sidewalk clutching her squeakies and her leash to my chest - heaving - wondering how on earth I was going to go home without that 12 pounds and 3 ounces of love by my side.

And I have a message to the people who left her in a sealed box 16 years ago in front of the SPCA - covered in her own feces - battered and bruised and starving.

Thank you.  If you hadn't been as neglectful and cruel and as evil as you had been - we'd have never known the joy she brought to our lives.

You lost.  We won.

12 pounds and 3 ounces of pure raw adoration - that you were not worthy of anyway.

I'll be eternally grateful she chose to share her life with us.

Wherever you are right now my love - please - stay - until we can be together again.

You CAN measure love - I feel its weight on my heart today and trust me - it's as heavy as a ton of bricks.

Thank you Soda
for everything.

All our love
An eternity's worth

Mom and Dad
xoxo

Cecilia - the first thing John did when we got in was put her painting on his end table by the bed.