This is the story about our dog; Samantha aka Sammy. Sammy was the most wonderful dog/child anyone could ever have. The story begins with my friend Jo, calling us up one day and asking us if we would be interested in adopting a dog much like the one we lost several years ago, Mai Tai, in 1989. Mai Tai, as well as Sammy, is in heaven now and is still greatly missed. We buried her where she liked to be...the mountains. After Mai Tai's death in 1989, my husband and I did not want to get another pet. It was so hard to grieve over her, but then like I said at the beginning of the story, my friend called me and asked me if we were interested in getting another dog. We were about ready (1 1/2 years after Mai Tai's death) to do so, but wanted to make sure the dog was going to be a good one. So we went and saw Sammy (they called her Sheba and we didn't like the name, so we changed it, with great help from our friends Randy and Lisa). She was the most happy dog I had ever seen. She was friendly to EVERYONE!!! We were, at first, reluctant to take her, after she had been with 6 other dogs, but if we didn't they would have had to take her to the pound. We decided to take her home. When we got her, she was OVERWEIGHT; she looked like a pork linked sausage. She was 3 years old at the time. We gave her a bath, put her on a diet with good food, and she was totally content. Little did I realize, Sammy would be going through the most difficult times in our lives with us. She was soooooooo comforting in all our difficulties. These include: we found out we could not have any children of our own, us losing our jobs and a house, then the health problems came into play. My husband, found out that he had an anerysm in his brain and had to go through brain surgery; six months after that, I found out I had thyroid cancer; and two years after that, I found out I had Multiple Sclerosis. Sammy also went through 7 deaths in our family in 3 years and she was so comforting. It was like she knew that we were hurting. She continued to hang on...by this time she was about 12 years old and then we found out that Sammy herself had cancer. The doctor said if we did surgery, she would be with us for at least another 1 to 2 years. We decided to do surgery to get the cancer out of her body. The surgeon came out and said it was much worse than expected and they could not get all of it. It was one of the most devastating words I had heard since the ailments we endured and losing my sister who was only 46 years old. Three weeks later, Sammy had gotten worse to the point we had to carry her outside to use the facilities. In three weeks!!!! My husband and I decided that we would not let Sammy go through this anymore and come Monday (it was Saturday night) the last night Sammy was alive, we would put her down. Sunday morning, Sammy could hardly raise her head and we proceeded to notify our family and friends that cared about her...Lisa the one I mentioned earlier, went to church with me, and saw Sammy for the last time. My mother in law came over and was with us until the end. Sammy was laying on her lap and I had to help my husband with something in the other room, when all of a sudden a loud yell came from my mother in law's mouth....SAMMY.....!!!!! I immediately ran to her and Sammy was dying in front of our eyes. I picked her up (that was a very hard task, but God gave me the strength; Sammy was 60 lbs.) and as soon as I did that, Samantha Fowler died in my arms. This was 3 years ago and I still cry as I am writing this...she is definitely in Rainbows Bridge waiting for us and has brought us two beautiful puppies that fill the hole....but will NEVER REPLACE our dear Samantha!!!! She was a very special dog. Everyone wanted to take her home...I even was threatened with stealing my dog from my friend Lisa. So I say to all you animal owners, live your life with your animal to the fullest each and every day. They truly are God's creation for us. Just look at the word DOG....what is it backwards???? GOD!!! Celeste Fowler