by Mike Carter
It was cold and snowy that January morning in 1988 when my Pretty Girl came to me. I took her in my hands and comforted her as best I could. It was two in the morning and I knew that the new puppies were about to make theirselves known. I'd never done that before but knew it was up to me. After several hours of intense emotions there they were! All five of them. The first was Foxxie Boy, right into my hands. Then came Butch, then Bowtwo, then Puddles, and finally Sissy. Five of the most precious little beings I had ever seen. Somehow Foxxie Boy became my heart at that moment. Through the years it was just me, Pretty Girl, and my Foxxie. I held them in my hands and felt the love and dedication they gave me. In May of 2001 Pretty Girl was old, became blind and I had a difficult decision to make. I took her to her Doctor as I had done on several occasions and held her tightly as the Doctor made the pain go away. I cried and held Foxxie Boy in my hands and eased his pain and loss. Her ashes took a place in my home. I held the Foxxie in my hands daily and watched him grow old with me. I realized that someday soon I would be seperated from him and my heart hurt at the thought. On March 27, 2004 I realized that it was time. It was a Saturday morning when I held him in my hands and made that trip to meet the Vet when her office opened. She agreed the time had come. I held him tightly in my hands and felt him go to sleep only to be greeted by Pretty Girl at the base of Rainbow Bridge. Somehow in my sadness I felt the relief of is pain ending. I was overcome by grief at the loss of my dear friend but I knew I was honored to have been the human in his life. Now I hold my face in my hands while the tears pour.................