Light A Candle in Loving Memories

Sam,

You were my best buddy, my “partner in crime.” I’ll never forget the night you came home to us, how you acted all big and bad barking at the orange knarly little football. It seemed like you grew up so fast, and we thought you’d be with us another 6 to 8 years, but you were taken away from us so suddenly and unexpectedly after only 6 and a half short years. It’s hard to believe that you seemed fine on Saturday, but were gone the next day.

I wish I had spent more time with you, playing with you, walking you, etc. You don’t know how much I was looking forward to spending a whole lot more time with you when I retired in less than a year. Every time I thought about what life would be like after retirement, spending more time with you was always the first thing I thought of.

You don’t know how bad I felt every day when I left for work, especially with some of the sad looks you’d give me as I was closing the door, knowing that you were going to be home alone by yourself for about 10 hours. However, when I got home in the evening, you were always there to greet me, happy to see me, as I was you, ready to play. However, I didn’t always have time to play as soon as I got home. I wish now that I had every single time. We were planning on getting another dog so you’d have a playmate and not be so lonely. However, you were taken away from us before we could do so.

I’ll miss how you would jump up halfway on the sofa next to me for attention, and if I stopped petting you, you’d nudge my arm to let me know I wasn’t finished. I’ll miss your “smile” with your crooked little lower middle teeth, which is what “gave you character” as Bradley would say. I’ll miss how you’d follow me into the kitchen whenever I got up off the sofa, because you knew I’d probably give you some peanut butter, a pork rind, or some other treat.

I’ll miss how you’d try to fluff up your pillow bed on the trampoline before you’d literally plop down on it. Then, a little while later, I’d look over and see those big flappy lips of yours hanging over the edge, and watch your eyelids as they closed more and more until you fell asleep. I’ll even miss your snoring afterwards, even though it got so loud sometimes I’d have to turn up the volume
on the TV to hear it.

I’ll miss how you’d come into the “office” when I was working on the computer, and if I was too busy to pet you and I’d tell you to leave, how you’d lay down on the floor next to me, for hours sometimes, just to be with me. I’ll miss the nights when I came home really late, after you had been put to bed, and find one of your toys you had left in the office right next to where you knew I sat.

I’ll miss the evening walks with you, and the mock charges you’d do whenever you saw another dog. I’ll miss how the first thing you’d do when we got home was go rub your face in the carpet. I’ll miss watching you run around in the back yard really fast and then “wiping out” when you tried to grab your tail because you tried
to do so without slowing down first.

I’ll miss your jumping up on the bed every night to get your treat before you went to bed, and then laying down next to me, and sometimes falling sleep and starting to snore before we put you to bed in your room.

I could write a whole novel of the things we’ll miss about you. However, more than anything else, we’ll miss the unconditional love, companionship, and joy you gave us. We were very lucky and fortunate to have had you in our lives. Right now, I can’t image not having you in our lives. You may be gone, but you will NEVER be forgotten, and you’ll ALWAYS be loved and will ALWAYS be in our hearts, forever.