Only 15 short months ago you came into our lives, abused, neglected, and sadly underweight. That very first day you knew that you were finally in your forever home. I held you close to my heart and you fell asleep after a big sigh, finally able to relax. It took us a while to find a food that you could eat, we didn’t know that chicken gave you seizures. But we finally found a food that you could tolerate and you almost doubled your weight, finally up to over 5 pounds like you should have been. We knew that you might not be with us long, you were already 14 and had a lot of problems, both physically and emotionally, but that only made us love you more because you seemed to fit right in with us. When the inevitable time came, your appetite waned and so did your energy. I tried to tell myself that it was your bad teeth and if those were taken care of, everything would be okay. You only had 5 or 6 left and we made sure your food was soft enough that there was no need to chew it, so everything will be good then, right? No, my love, everything was not good. You seemed to be recovering well from your teeth, but then that old problem resurfaced. You couldn’t keep anything down, you had diarrhea that was black and you were getting weaker by the minute. I knew then that the blockage that was most likely malignant, that seemed to come and go was back for the last time. I made the appointment and held you close all the way there. As always, you were such a good little girl, you never fussed and I held you right to the very end. I held you close all the way home, and while I was readying your little grave, I laid you in your bed in the warm sunshine for one last time. Now you’re resting in the little back yard that you loved so much, your own little domain, right next to your little “sister”, our little Penny Pom. You never got to meet her, but now you have forever to romp and play together. God bless you little Rosie, you are forever in our hearts.

Robert Tracey
MALONE, NY