Sandy
Sandy I miss you so much and I am so sad now that you are gone, but I know that one day we will be together again, and we will run and play and I will sing songs to you as we ride around and look for dogs to bark at – that is a promise!! You were the sweetest and smartest dog ever, and there is such an empty space in my life that you used to fill, although you will always be in my heart with me. From that second day after Christmas in 2001 when we picked you out at the pound – or should I say after you picked us out – with that clever little twirling dance you did to get our attention – until the day you left us on Nov 15, 2014 – you gave us your love and devotion. But more importantly you gave us your smile…and your happy bark! When we’d pull in the driveway and beep the horn there you were, tail wagging and barking! barking! barking!! Just so happy to see us again! When we adopted you on Dec 27, 2001, I asked the tech at the pound why the date 12-26-01 was on your cage, and he said that was the date you were supposed to have been put down, only they were closed since that was the day after Christmas. Who knows where you were before you arrived at the pound – I am still convinced you escaped from some Central American circus- but you were our gift, and we yours, and our years together were so wonderful, despite the many changes we all went through. When mother went into the hospital you were so sad – you always were her dog even though we had gotten you to encourage daddy to do more walking after his hip surgery. But then she came home and you were happy again! Even after she began developing her Alzheimers you were always there for her – you would never leave to go for a car ride with me wihout first asking and receiving her permission to go. She would always look at you and say “it’s ok Sandy – go ride.” She loves you and knows you are not suffering now, and for that she is glad. And daddy misses you too, although he tries not to show it. And of course Copper and Little Bit do also. I’m sure Copper forgives you for all those time you bit a chunk out of her fur!! I think Little Bit thought you were his mama, and I think you looked out for him in that way, after you realized that you would always be our favorite. And you know Stan loved you and prayed for you…you were always so sweet to him, and he was so happy with you, even though he is afraid of most dogs. And of course Gracie- she loved you as well as any other member of our family. All of us were lucky and happy to have had you in our lives, and all of us will miss you. But until we all meet again, you go riding around Heaven in that white 1999 Cadillac deVille of yours – which coincidentally also died this week – and find you some dogs to bark at….mama says it’s ok for you to go ride. We love you Sandy.