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Shelby came to us the summer of 2001. She appeared at our farm in the afternoon wearing a color and a short teather, no identification. She was very dirty, hungry, thirsty and tired. She was either dropped off or she ran away. We took care of her for the next few days posting ads and calling the Sherrif's dept., and animal comtrol for our county. No reports for over a week. At that point we were praying none would come in since we became attached to her very quickly. We had her all cleaned up fed and gave her a home. WE brought her to our vet 2 weeks later to register her and make her ours and found out she was pregnant. Since we did not know the father or the breed we had her aborted and spayed. At that point she became part of the family. Shelby was full of energy and love. Wanted to play all the time and be by you as to thank you for saving me.Play time was all the time, bringing us sticks to throw, a ball to throw or just wrestle with her. Our children were a huge part in taking care of her and raising her. Always spending time with her to play.At that time Jennifer 20, Kimberly 18, and Jeremy 16 would always find time for her. She just loved being with everyone. Sheby got her name from Lake Shelbyville where the family would go camping and fishing frequently.I did alot of bass fishing and the kids would go camping alot and Shelby was always there with us. She was a great traveling partner no matter how long the ride. She learned very quickly that when the truck door was open she had better get in for fear that we would leave her behind. We Never Did.The Bass boat was hooked up and bags were packed and she new it was time to go bye bye in the truck, a phrase that stuck forever. We would get to the boat ramp and she would be the first one in the water wanting someone to throw something to her.When the boat was in the water she would be the 2nd, I was first on that one. we would be running down the lake and she would be on the bow with her ears and gums floppin in the wind. when it was time to fish she would just lay on the deck and wait. If I got to close to the bank it was swim time. Jenny and Kim took her swimming alot when she was young. Kim would take her running almost daily for exercise, Jeremy would play ball with her. All mthat activity she still wanted more.Jeremy would hit a tennis ball into the field and she was so fast she caught up with it before it stopped, bringing it back for more. 2 years with us then she got a nickname that lived will live with her forever. She became "Mama's Sweetpea".My wife Gayle named her that and it stuck immediately.She was very easy to train and never had a leash on her unless necessary. At the age of 5 we introduced her to Boone, a bluetick coonhound puppy. A ball of energy that kept her going and young. The 2 became best friends,(brother and sister if you will), always playing together and with one another. Sometimes I think shge was getting aggrevated with him jumping on her and biting her but she never showed it.nipped at him a couple of times when she had enough but he came right back. She'd just get up and go lay down somewhere else till we stepped in. After a few years Boone was getting bored with staying around so he decided to introduce her to some new territory on the farm. At this point Boone was about 3 and she was about 8. They started going into the barn, shed and then found the waterway in the field where they started their mousing adventures. They would be out there four hours hunting and digging away looking for nests. We had a very large garden on the farm and Shelby would be out there with us all the time when we were picking vegatables, stealing green beans from the basket or grabbing an ear of sweetcorn and carrying it away to eat, thinking we didn't see her. Soon after that Boone caught on and they were a team in the garden. Fall was their favoriute time, that's when the mice were out looking to get in or making nests. We had to drag them out of there. At the age of 9, she started to develop allergies so bad that we had to give her medication to stop the itching. She also developed some fatty tumers. Her energy level was still high and always wanted to play. It was always play time for both of them and se who could get to the toy quicker. Boone got there quicker but always to this day overruns the ball or toy then she comes behind and gets it and brings it back.She's getting alittle slower now but still won't give up. She spends alot of time in the summer in the shop with Jeremy and I and lays on the cool floor. Our Children are grown and married and have blessed us with amazing beautiful Grandchildren. They love to come to Papa and Grandma's house and play and see Shelby, not so much Boone. They hug her and kiss her, crawl on her and pull her tail and ears and she just lay's there and love's it. GOD forgot to install a mean bone in her. We have never ever seen her mean or growl, except at Boone of course. Barking when someone came up the driveway was about all you would hear out of her.Always at the back door waiting to greet youwhen you came home from work. At 11 she was slowing down but always tried to play for awhile but got tired quick. A larger tumer had deveoped near her stomach and the Vet didn't think it was necessary to operate do to her age.We decided to let her live out her life on the farm and take it easy. She trained Boone to the best of her ability but we still had more work to do. He lay's by her often knowing something is going on. Strange how they know and react. The summer of 2012 was to be her last. The heat was getting to her although she still tried to play ball in the field but quit quickly. She never gave up. She had to stay in the air conditioning mmost of the time to keep cooler. The heat put a strain on her heart but when it was time to go outside and hang laundry on the line, she would be right ther by Mama's feet waiting till she was done. Fall of 2012 was the last time she would be mousing in the garden and she still maaged to steal some vegatables from the baskets. Gayle was praying that her SWEETPEA would make xmas, almost her favorite time of the year. She would wait till the gifts were passed out then start ripping them open, She didn't care what was in them, just rip them open. Boone learned that early in his life. Christmas came and she had her fun. All the children and grandchildren were over for food, gifts and games and she had some more fun. This would be Mama's Sweetepea's last Christmas. 3 weeks passed and she was getting worse, the tumer was taking over.It was hard for her to get up and down the stairs but with a little push from me she made it. Saturday Jan,18 she did not eat at all and started to vommit frequently. Gayle and I decided that her time on earth bringing everyone love and happiness was over. We were going to put her down on Sunday and end the suffering she never showed us. We buried Shelby(MAMA'S SWEETPEA) on Sunday on the family farm. Shelby, you gave us years of love and memories that will be in our hearts forever.
MOMMIE, DADDIE, JENNY&MARC, KIM&BRAD, JEREMY&TEYA, AND HANNA,LEA,GRACIE,GAVIN,ELLA&?TO BE ANNOUNCED Little Levi Ross 6/17/13
We love you Sweetpea 2/18/13 Hi Girl, we haven't forgot you. it's been a month now you're gone and the house is empty and Boone is very lonely. goes by your grave occasionally and just sits there.
Shelby, 4-30-13 Hey Sweetpea, 7/24/13 wow, Shelby it's been a while since i talked to you. we certainly haven't forgotten you. Mommy thinks of you every time she's in the garden, hanging clothes on the line or by your grave where the sweetpea flowers are in bloom that she planted. your brother,Boone is a real pain now. he really misses you too. seems like he's getting worse. how about a little visit to the house and calm him down. we could sure use some help from you. hope you have a bunch of friends there and a lake to swim in. I will get some pictures of the flowers for you soon. Daddy 1/6/14 Sweetpea, we haven't forgotten you. hope you have a bunch of friends now to play with. Christmas was very hard this year without you opening all your gifts. Boone did for awhile but lost interest. Very lonely without your love.
10/3/18 |
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