Goodbye My Friend

Yesterday, we said goodbye to a very special member of our family: Our beloved Abraham. Abe was a registered AKC Pembroke Welsh Corgi. His papers will tell the story of his lineage, but what they don't tell you is that he was one of the closest earthly friends I have ever known. For nearly ten years, we spent almost every day and night together.

We shared a house,.... food,.... and even the same bed, until he got too old that we worried he'd hurt himself jumping down to the floor.

The photo above is probably my very favorite of him. Because this was how he loved to live life. Here; we were on the top of a mountain together. He traveled with us and often went camping with us. As long as it wasn't too hot, he'd get to go. At home, when he'd hear me open the drawer that we kept his harness in, ... he knew that he was fixin to "GO." When I'd take it out of the drawer he'd get all excited. I'd tell him to ROLL, and he'd fall over to his side so I could put it on. We'd tease him and call it his bra. He also knew that if we shot him with our finger, to fall over and play dead. But: "Do you wanna go," was his favorite sentence and he'd run for the door.

I have no words for this photograph. Just looking at it.... brings tears.
This was Abe a day or two before he died. I could tell by his expression and how hard he was breathing that something wasn't right. The vet told us the last time we were there that he had congestive heart failure. ....I just didn't think he'd be leaving us quite so soon.
I think this picture was New years day. It was his last good day. I can't tell you how emotional I feel looking at him here. Our family was so blessed to have him in our lives.

He used to go to the cemetery with me when I'd take flowers to my Mom's grave. In fact, the whole time I grieved so hard for my Mom... he was always there. He was... so many hugs and kisses.
Abe had a thing for hedgehogs. This one, FancyNancy sent him in the mail. He was good to not tear them up very fast, but when they finally bit the dust, then he'd get to ride to Atwoods to pick out a new one. Our Atwoods farm store, allows you to bring your dog inside as long as it behaves and is on a leash. Abe loved Atwoods. We'd walk to the pet isle, and I'd let him pick out a hedgehog. I'd toss it to him, and he'd carry it all the way to the register. We'd have to take it away for the gal to scan it, and then we'd toss it to him and he'd carry it all the way out to the truck. I'm not kidding. Now that's some hedgehog love.
Sun, rain, sleet, snow,... if I went... he went. He loved to go hiking in the woods and around the pasture. The older he got, and heavier he got... our walks definitely shortened. Not long ago, just going outdoors to go potty would tucker him out.
He loved his baths. If you've noticed in some photos he was shaved, and in others; he had alot of hair. I don't know what his deal was but he had enough coat for two dogs. In fact, bathing him was hard. He was alot like a puddleduck and trying to get his skin "wet" was tough. But he loved baths. He loved getting his back and joints rubbed. He had a vocabulary like you wouldn't believe. Spending all day, every day with a woman who talked to him nonstop taught him alot of words. If I said, "Let's take a bath," he'd run down the hall and make a turn into the bathroom.... (I kid you not.)
If we were outside, and I couldn't see him because he was usually trying to find shade under a bush or something, I'd say, "Where'd Abe go!!!!?"-- and he'd come out, come out, from wherever he was. He loved to hear, "Where'd Abe go!!!?" So we played it when he had a towel on his head too... just for fun. We also played it after I'd get a shower and would throw my towel on him. Or when I'd change the sheets on the bed and throw a pillowcase over his head. Now that was great fun.*
He was my little valentine... and I think I was always his.
He knew how important it was to stop and smell the flowers.
And one of his very faaaavorite games was MOUSE PATROL, inside the potting shed. When the ivy gets thick in there, in summertime you can watch mice swing on ivy vines like Tarzan and Jane. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating but they do run along them and it's so funny to watch. Abe loved it! He never caught one but he pretended like... he just might! If he would have caught one, I doubt he'd have even hurt it. They were like baby chicks to him. From the time we brought him home as a puppy, I'd take him in and let him be around the baby chicks and chickens. He loved them. He acted like he was babysitting. He loved babies in the same way.
He also loved to dance by the light of the moonflowers.

He was my shadow... and I was his.

And this is how I'll always remember him.
... I know some people believe animals go to heaven when they die. And other people don't.
Me... I don't know???
I do know that God knows my heart... and He blessed me so much to bring this friend into my life. I'm grateful. --- Grateful and yet my heart aches so much right now missin him...
I'm still stepping over him when I walk.... and then I realize that..... he's not there.

We buried him out in the yard, up against the barb wire fence that separates our yard from the back pasture. The garden and potting shed are closeby. I decided to find a rock that looked like a gravestone, and just after I'd finished laying it in place a funny thing happened. Out of the blue; Spirit our donkey eawwwwwed this long, loud bray. ~Kinda made me wonder because the day before when I'd prayed, I asked God that if animals can go to heaven, to please let my Angelmother take care of him. Ya see when my Mom lived out here, she claimed our donkeys for her own and spoiled them rotten. Every day she walked to the barb wire fence and hollered for them to come and then she'd feed them apple flavored range cakes and cut up apples. They eeeawed at her all the time.
It seemed kind of odd that at that moment when I patted that stone in place for Abes marker that Spirit brayed like he did. I guess one day we'll have thee answers. I hope we're pleasantly surprised.

Until then... I'll not forget............
My faithful friend.