Some things just fill your heart without trying.

Christmas 2015

True Loves Forever and Always

I never realized how hard loosing a family dog would be. To be completely honest, I don’t recall as an adult remembering the heartbreaking feeling of loosing a dog as a child. We’ve had dogs my entire life, but I don’t recall loosing them to death. Our sweet Marcie, a little 8 pound Pomeranian passed peacefully Saturday morning. As peacefully as she could have. As she was laying on the table mom would rub her head, and she looked up at her with those big brown eyes. I wonder if in a sense she was saying “It’s ok mom, It’s my time.” Her eyes would always say it all. She was the cutest thing you’ve ever seen to the naked eye, looked like a mini lion with a little bit of magic mixed in. We don’t really know Marcie’s former life, but from her demeanor, its purely obvious that she was brutally abused and neglected. She started out as a foster from the Spartanburg Humane Society, but soon turned into a permanent member of the family. Marcie had a condition called Patellar Luxation where her knees would pop out of place, and in order for her to be adopted, they had to be willing to get the surgery on both knees. Well at 8 years old, no one wants to pay $2000 for a knee surgery on a dog, and boy am I glad that they didn’t. She was our gift that never stopped giving. I loved watching Marcie grow throughout the years, not in size but in strength. She was such a timid and silent little soul who rediscovered what it meant to feel safe and loved again. She found her voice after a while and learned to let go and love. I think it took 3 years to even hear a bark out of her! She had the sweetest eyes, something like doe eyes. When she looked up at you, you couldn’t help but fall in love. It’s almost as if you could see the pain and hurt that she felt from her past and her need for affection and love in her present. She would get so excited to see you her whole back end would wag, and you would pick her up and she would freeze, frozen solid with no movement. But despite her look of pure fear, I know she truly loved it. It’s hard living four hours from home and missing my three little amigos and my family so much. Christmas was the last time I was home. Before I always leave to hit the road back to Georgia, I always spend a few minutes loving on the dogs. This last time was a little different. I spent extra time. I had this gut wrenching feeling that it would be the last time I saw one of them, I just didn’t know which one. They are all on their last stretch of life. I’m thankful for this moment.  My parents were off running an errand when I left so I got to spend time alone with them. And to be completely honest I sat and held them and cried, then I cried for an hour down the road. And I was right, that was the last time I saw my sweet Marcie girl. I will never forget that day, and that sweet time I got to cuddle with her and hold her tight for one last time. She is special and always will be in my heart. As crazy as it may sound to some people, these special little rescue cases are life lessons for me. Our rescues have changed me. To watch this selfless innocent creature endure so much pain from a human being and to still love so unconditionally and selflessly is a testimony to what we should all be like. Dogs are the epitome of not letting the world or people make you bitter. There is that quote that says “if the world were more like dogs, it would be a much better place.” I’ve never heard something so true. I never knew how hard it would be loosing sweet Marcie, she will forever be embedded in my heart and soul. Dogs live their whole lives to please us. It makes your realize, we only have them for a short period of time, so hold them tight while you have them, and love them hard.  Rest in peace my sweet Marcie, I will see you over rainbow bridge.