R.I.P. Baxter

Sigh...It makes me so sad to think that so close to Thanksgiving and with everything we have in our lives, life actually still goes on and sad, terrible things still happen. It makes me so sad to say that once again my Mom and Richard are having to say goodbye to the sweet little love in their lives. And I know how hard it is to be thankful when such an unexpected thing happens to a seemingly healthy, vibrant, roll-in-the-leaves pup. So...let me just tell you about Baxter...and maybe you can see just how thankful we should all remember to be for our furry babies.

My parents didn't raise Baxter from a pup. They didn't get to experience his puppy breath and they didn't get the "joy" of potty tranining him. They didn't ever know of his love of shoes and so they never had their favorite shoes ruined. Nope...they "inherited" Baxter, full-grown, from a nearby family that was never deserved of his love. Somehow, Baxter, like so many other needy, loving pups (Pancho, Mats, Cheyenne and Hillary), found his way to my parents house. And luckily enough, through some divine intervention, Baxter's "owners" realized when a good thing (a great and amazing thing) just couldn't be passed up.

Before Richard, Baxter never knew before what it felt like to be pet all night long if that's what he demanded with his nudging little nose.  Before my Mom, Baxter never knew what it was like to have someone come down on the floor with him and just love on him for the sake of loving. Before my parents, Baxter never knew what it was like to be vaccinated and protected from disease and bugs and itching. Before the Blossers, he never knew that there was such thing as a special pillow especially for his comfort.

It may be hard right now for my Mom and Richard to remember how thankful they are for the love they just lost but let me tell you - for Baxter in heaven, playing with Max and Zeke and Bubba and Zoe and C.C. and Pancho and Wolfie and Cheyenne and Mats and Phoebe and Hillary and Brutus and Laila (oh, my God, he has so many friends) it isn't hard to be thankful. He knows how lucky he was. He knows what an amazing life he had. And he knows that every day he had with my Mom and Richard was a day full of love and even just one day with them would have been enough to make life worthwhile.

Oh, that we all remember to remember to be so thankful.

I love you Mom and Richard. Please remember everything you were to Baxter!