Free to Good Home (sad day at our home today)

I really don't expect anyone to read all of this. It is something I wanted to write out for myself and kids to remember my girl (dog) and this sad day of her passing.

I know that people have real problems and there are a lot more terrible things happening in the world but that does not lessen the pain I feel in my heart today.  Our Beautiful 10 year old Australian Shepherd JayCee was put down today.  She has been sick over the last month.  I took her last week and got her started on an antibiotic so she could get over a virus we thought.  Well, she was just worse this week so Ryan took her back to see our sweet veterinarian Barry to do blood work.  Barry called me last night telling me how awful the results came back and the it was probably cancer.  I feel to my knees crying and hugging her.


She was more comfortable standing and was having such a hard time breathing the last couple of days and mostly last night.  I took her to Barry, who was very gentle and quick, to put her down.  I have not quit crying.  We went out to my parents who have a beautiful area with a tree we burry our pets under.  Ryan and my daddy cried and dug a hole while all my parent's cows gathered right behind them to watch.  The kids were bawling, my folks were bawling, Ryan was crying behind his glasses (I have only seen him cry a handful of times in our lives)  and I was out of control trying to pull it together.  Everyone said something nice about Jay girl and asked Jesus to watch over her.


We got her in a "Free to Good Home" add in the paper 10 years ago after we were home only two days from our honeymoon.  She was in a pen and all muddy in someone's backyard. She was really skinny and dirty.  I told Ryan no and he (weird because I was the dog lover not him) said no I want her.  We brought her home and gave her a bath.  She was so beautiful, sweet, submissive, smart and later we would find out protective.


My heart has not ached like this in years.  It was so hard to watch her go.  She was the girl that slept by each of the baby's cribs at night, in their room when they were sick, by me after my heart attack as I recuperated, kept strangers soliciting at the door at bay, cleaned up the floor when the kids dropped food, playing outside with the kids (that made me feel safe), door bell dog, protected us at night when Ryan was out of town.......I can go on and on and on and on........


I don't care what you say but I think they are more like us than not.  Dogs love, protect, care and comfort us.  I am so glad she has been a part of our lives during my whole married life and my children's lives.  She is missed terribly and I pray the ache in my heart eventually wanes a little.  I told Ryan that it is weird not tripping over her in the kitchen while I worked,  telling her to go lay somewhere else because she always tooted in her sleep by my chair, or hearing the knock at the door today because she would always bark before anyone could knock.  We have a lot to get used to.    R.I.P  JayCee Louise Overholt  We LOVE YOU!

She loved playing in the snow!!!


You don't have to be a dog lover to understand, you just have to understand love.  
.........said my friend Jemellia