thank you for making it your mission to Say goodbye to us. for that last moment we shared together.
We took you to the vet on the 16th because you took a sharp turn for the worst. Mom and I waited for over 3 hours to get you back from there and you seemed to do a little better. we had fierce hope. we didn't realize at the time it was simply a bandaid that would hold you together for a couple more days.
that night you ate chicken, your favorite meal and we were all so excited! i clapped i was so happy. mom, joe and i drank wine while you had your chicken and we reminisced. joe went out to have a drink with a friend and mom fell asleep early because of her exhaustion from crying so much the night before. you and i on the other hand stayed up. we had some unfinished business didn't we? :)
i was putting towels away in the bathroom and you crawled out of your bed and trotted over to the doorway and just stood there. i said "hi little girls, little bear" which is what i always called you and thought you might have wanted more chicken. you didn't. thought you might have wanted more water. that wasn't it either. so i went to put some clothes away in my room and you trotted over to that doorway.
"little girls, what do you need? how can i help you?" i sat on my floor, uncrossed my legs, opened my arms and called to you: "silkwood, silky come here little bear". you looked at me with those deep hershey kiss eyes, the most wonderful eyes i'd ever seen. and then. you trotted over to me, right into my arms. this particular embrace was so very different as you usually make up your own mind to make me come and get you if i want a cuddle. but this time you came to me and i heard it as i hear the birds so clearly outside my window in the mornings: "goodbye Ashers. it's going to be okay. i love you very much". tears poured as if my eyes suddenly became rain clouds."i love you so so much Silky,thank you for everything, for 16 years of your loyal, spunky, sweet service to us. thank you for EVERY SINGLE THING. you've done so much for us. i love you baby girls. i love you..." you laid on the floor then and i laid down right next to you and just pet you until you were ready to go back to your bed next to momma.
you truly were our best dog yet. loyal to a fault. you practically helped rear joe and i when we were little and momma would work so late. you made us all so much better than who we were when we started out 16 years ago and you've shown us the purest form of God's love- how unconditional it was, how much of it you gave. you have the sweetest heart and most precious face. i will love you forever and ever and look forward to one day crossing the rainbow bridge to meet you and all our other pets from past seasons. one day, i'll come to that bridge and you'll look up at me with those eyes of yours and come running with that long tongue of yours lapping out. and one day, we'll sit once again on that stoop in the sun, you on my belly as i stretch out across the warm ground. one day, we shall never be separated again my little girls. see you soon. all my heart little Silkwood.
