” Buttons “

May 8 2000 ——– April 18 2001

Maltese / Yorkshire Terrier

Buttons Marie Smits was adopted by Susan Smits my grandmother

on July the 7th a day none of us will forget.

Being that my mother and grandmother live a block away from one another

in our small town of Gerald I normally walked down to my

grandmothers on Wednesdays. This time though when I called to ask if

I could stop by she told me a surprise would be waiting.

Eager to see the surprise that awaited me I told my mother I was going to

see this mysterious thing. My mother objected and insisted on driving

me because she wanted to be with me to see the look on my face.

Now she cautioned me this surprise was my grandmother’s but I would

share it with her. I was totally oblivious to the idea of it being a puppy

and grew more excited as we approached my grandmother’s house.

I ran up the side walk and knocked on the door.

Inside hiding under the counter was a teeny tiny Maltese/Yorkie mix with

her tongue sticking out and her eyes revealing her excitement.

Eventually I was able to coax her to me. My grandmother insisted we

think of a name.

I suggested Buttons because her coal black eyes and her cold coal

black nose each resembled a button. Two days later after brainstorming

different puppy names we realized nothing suited her nearly as much as

the name Buttons. She would constantly follow anyone near her and

was the friendliest dog you ever did see.

Of course any car who dared drive down {HER} road received an enormous

number of barks and growls.

It soon became a well known joke to call her Dumbo because both her

ears stuck out above her head long straight wide ears that made her look

even more cute and scrumptious than ever.

Also I was well known to treat most dogs like little children mocking

their names and talking baby talk to them. For instance if we had a dog named

Jessie I’d call her Jess-Jess or if we had a dog named George I’d

call him George-george.

Now though it sounded awkward Buttons nickname immediately became

Butt-butt. { Laughs.} When I’d come down to my grandmothers I’d holler:

Hey Butt-butt in a rather obnoxious voice and she’d come a running.

Well I had received a gift from my stepfather a stuffed animal kangaroo and

in her pouch was a baby Joey. Buttons grew to love the little Joey and soon

removed it from its mothers pouch. Everywhere Butt-butt went Joey went to.

Her little Joey.

To hold buttons and rock her and receive numerous amounts of kisses

filled me with joy. Holding Buttons was like holding a little baby.

She was our little baby. We always knew she’s stay that way.

Aside from her Joey one of Butt-butt’s favorite toys was an empty water bottle.

She’s carry it by the nozzle and we’d always joke about how she was a

heavy drinker even though she wasn’t even seven in dog years.

One unsuspecting evening while I was at my mothers I received a call

from my father. He had heard from my grandfather the news that

changed my life.

Our buttons had been hit by a vehicle and in the process killed.

It didn’t seem real and for a while I didn’t believe it. You can’t and you don’t

want to picture a dog like Buttons departing from us in such a manor.

My grandmother had spent quite a sum of money for a fence that enclosed

the yard so our Buttons could roam free but our hired lawnmower Jim

had left the gate open while mowing the lawn and Buttons escaped.

We are not sure whether or not she suffered and we will never know

but we can hope.

Why Buttons was taken from us at such as young age I don’t know.

Why God wanted her already even when she had her whole life

ahead of her Ii don’t know.

They say there’s a reason for everything but the reason this happened

is still unclear to me my grandparents everyone. And it probably will be.

The first night I heard I couldn’t sleep I couldn’t stop picturing Buttons,

and when she escaped. It was enough to make me nauseous.

Those horrible images faded though and they were replaced of peaceful

images of Buttons up in heaven with God.

I know and my family knows when we depart this world Buttons and

all our other dogs will be waiting for us at the Golden Gates of God.

There she will once again lick our hands and there all of us will be once

again reunited only this time nothing can tear us apart.

Sarah Smith