Coming into my life as my precious angel in 2001 after the loss of my Dad (named after Joe)
Always greeting me when I came home with a wagging tail
Lighting up Mommy's face when she entered a room
Howling with his brothers when he wanted me to come back to the house
Bringing gifts for people when they came home (shoes, stuffed animals, bones)
Loving his car rides
Loving his walky time
Loving his Cheerios!
Cooling you down in the summer with a washcloth on your head!
Barking at his brothers (Buddy and Vinny) for bones- because he liked them to start them for him and make them wet and chewy!!!
Barking at any other dog he saw
Being so fluffy and cuddly like a teddy bear
Loving to eat! Especially his chicken filet treats and booda bones
Running to the kitchen whenever he heard the cold cut bag opening
Catching popcorn when we threw it
Laying on the towel in front of the shower when Mommy was in there
Rolling around in the grass on his back during his walkies
Carrying 4 chewies at a time just so his brothers would not get them
Rubbing his back on the trees in the backyard
Your special butt rubs and when I rubbed behind your ears and you put your head in my lap
Nicknames- Jo Jo, Mr. Jo Jo, Jo Jo Bear, Baby Bear

To My Precious JO JO and Buddy:

PRECIOUS LITTLE FRIEND
--Jacki Barineau

It's time to rest your weary head
One last time.
And though I know it's time to say goodbye,
It's breaking my heart in two.
I just hope you know
How much I love you so,
Precious Little Friend

I know your time has come.
So thank you for the love you freely gave.
Oh, how you loved.
I try to think of how it used to be,
Back when you still could see.
How you bounced and played,
And watched the squirrels all day,
Precious Little Friend

So goodbye my little friend.
I'll stay beside you 'til the end.
I'll see it through,
Just like you stayed right by my side
Every day of your sweet little life.
I will hold you close,
And whisper in your ear,
My Precious Little Friend

I can't believe you're gone.
I look for you all day long
And try to be strong.
Oh, what I'd give to touch your sweet soft fur,
And hold you just one more time.
But, it cannot be.
I have to set you free.
Precious Little Friend.

I wouldn't trade the time we had
for anything.
Goodbye, my little friend.

PRAYER FOR A DEPARTED PET
--Author unknown

Dear Lord,

Please open your gates and call St. Francis to come and escort this beloved companion across the Rainbow Bridge. Assign him to a place of honor for he has been a faithful servant and has always done his best to please me.

Bless the hands that send him to you, for they are doing so in love and compassion, freeing him from pain and suffering. Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss. Help me to remember the details of his life with the love he has shown me. And grant me the courage to honor him by sharing those memories with others.

Let him remember me as well and let him know that I will always love him. And when it's our time to pass over into your paradise, please allow him to accompany those who will bring me home.

Thank you Lord, for the gift of his companionship and for the time we've had together. And thank you, Lord, for granting me the strength to give him to you now.

Amen.

11/5/09- My Jo Jo... it's been a day after you left us. Buddy and Vinny are wondering where you are. We keep your collar with us- I even slept with it last night. I hope you see how many people are thinking about you. I know you would have been happy that Mommy found this site. So many people are getting to know you through this site and so many people are helping me through missing you so much. I hope you were ok after your last shot. I held you so tight because I hated that we had to give it to you but I know you were not going to be able to hold on much longer. You still were fiesty that day though, barking at the other dogs at the vet (I was so happy and sad to see it because I will forever remember your barking). Just think, no more shots anymore. Now you can run around with all the animals on rainbow brige and you will be healthy and happy forever. I asked my Daddy to find you and I am sure he did-- you remember you were named after him. I still see you around the house and at the back door. I am also making a photo album with all your pictures on it so I can take you with me whereever I go. I'll write to you often. Love you always. Mommy

11/6/09- Jo Jo Bear. Miss you every day. Buddy has been eating all of your chewies and loves that I don't take them away from him because you are barking. He is glad he gets to eat them but I think he misses you barking at him. As loud and persistant as you were, I miss it too. I've been looking at all your photos from the last 8 1/2 years and have such loving memories of you that I will cherish forever. Make new memories on the rainbow bridge so you can have them for when I see you again. Love, Mommy

11/9/09- My sweet Jo Jo. Today is Tyler's 2 month birthday! Wish you could have seen him grow up more but I am just so grateful you got to meet him. I know that was God's plan and now you are watching over him in heaven as his guardian angel. So I prayed to God for a sign to let me know that you were ok. I went to church yesterday and the sermon was about what Heaven was like. The mass was also dedicated to a man named Joseph. I think that was my sign that you are ok in Heaven. Buddy keeps sniffing your collar and licked it last night. Vinny has been sunning himself by the back door more often. I think he is waiting for you to come in. We all miss you every day. Love, Mommy

11/11/09- Jo Jo. Love you. Wanted to tell you that Tyler had his first night in his crib last night. In the end you wanted to sleep with me and Tyler but poor baby you were awoken every 3 hours! I felt so bad and tried to put you in another room so you could get your much needed rest but you did not care and just wanted to be with your Mommy. I wanted to be with you too all the time but I was worried you weren't sleeping enough. I think of you waking every time I awoke for Tyler each night and have a loving memory of you. Also miss seeing you lay on the floor of the bathroom. You were always there and are now always there in my heart. Love you- Mommy

11/13/09- Jo Jo- we brought your ashes home today- Daddy went to pick them up after work. Buddy licked the bag when I brought it to him. I think he knew you were in there and just misses you so much. The vet made a clay imprint of your paw which I will cherish forever. So glad they did that. It's nice having you with me now. I am making the end table in the green room your place since you always were there in that room with me. It kind of makes me feel like you are still with me. I have your ashes, your pawprint and many photos which I will put there. Also will put your memory book and the card we recieved from the vet which said so many special things about you. Hard to believe they only knew you for a few months-- you just had a way with everyone you met- everyone loved you. Grandma got her memory book today and shed a tear for you- she loved you so much too. Daddy also saw some pictures I ordered to frame for the house and got sad. We're all thinking about you every day. Love- Mommy

11/15/09- Joey-- Daddy went to church today and the mass was about St. Joseph! We are thanking God for all of these signs that you are ok with Him. Hope you are playing and laying in the sun like you did when we lived in California! Miss you every day! Love- Mommy

11/21/09- Hi my sweet Jo Jo. Buddy and Vinny had a busy week going to the groomers and the vet. Dan at the groomers and I were talking about you and Dr. Chace and his nurses said Vinny and Buddy were a little different from you! Buddy tried to hide under the chair and Vinny would not get off my lap! You were so great wherever I took you. And Vinny had been hurting all day from his vaccine booster. If he only knew how many shots you had to get ;0(. You were such a trooper and I was always so proud of you for being so strong. Tyler's getting Baptised tomorrow and everyone is coming over. I am sure everyone will think of you when they see how many photos I put up of you! Grandma says I should put a few more up of Vinny and Buddy but for now I like looking at you. Buddy and Vinny are here for me to hug and kiss and you are not so all I have is your photos. I'll be thinking about you as we go into Thanksgiving this week and will Thank God for the time I had with you. I love you-- Mommy

11/27/09- Jo Jo. I missed you so much this Thanksgiving. Everyone was here but you. Grandma helped me make my first turkey and Buddy and Vinny got some. I know you would have loved it as you always loved turkey! I hope Thanksgiving on the bridge was just as nice with all your new friends. I am thankful for having the priviledge of having you as a part of my family. Love- Mommy

12/5/09- It's been a month since you left me Jo Jo and it feels like forever. I miss you. I thought of you often this week as I was decorating for Christmas. Now, only 2 stockings, 2 doggie pictures on the Christmas card, etc. I hope you enjoy Christmas in Heaven this year and celebrate Jesus's birthday with all your new friends (including Jesus himself!). I will miss buying you your special Christmas treats but I am sure Buddy and Vinny will eat them on your behalf. ;o) We also are having our first snow tonight. I know you haven't seen snow since we lived in NJ but you used to love it and acted like my little polar bear. I'm thinking of you often- even got an ornament made tonight with your picture on it to hang on the tree this year and every year in the future. I hope you know just how special you were to me. Love you Jo Jo.

12/18/09- Going to Petco today to buy Vinny and Buddy Christmas presents. We are going to Grandma's this year. Last time I was there it was with you. I'll be thinking of you this holiday season and will dream about you often. Kisses from Mommy... always.

12/26/09- Merry Christmas my sweet angel! I missed you so much this year. Buddy and Vinny got lots of treats as usual and I almost bought some for you but I am sure you are getting much better treats up in heaven! You probably had a big birthday party for Jesus and had so much fun! Tyler also enjoyed his first Christmas. He was so good at Grandma's and Aunt Karey's-- he so mellow like you were! I'm just glad you had a chance to meet him. Maybe he took on your personality when you left us? What a gift that would be! I've been thinking about this time last year when we found out you were sick. I'm just so glad treatment gave you another year with me. I love you Jo Jo and will forever. Sweet dreams my angel- Mommy

1/11/10- Hello my sweet Jo Jo... I am thinking of you so much tonight... getting a little sad, I admit. It's been 2 months without you and it feels like forever. I dream about you being here and giving you big hugs, cuddling your chubby little body and feeling your fur against my face. I also miss your kisses, those you did not give away freely, but so loving when you did. Going to stop being sad tonight and remember you for everything I loved and still love about you. Good night my sweet boy. Love Mommy

2/10/10- Almost Valentine's Day my love-- and I miss you still. I will have you as my Valentine in my heart my sweet angel. I love you always. Thinking of you every day. Mommy

3/11/10- It's been over 4 months without you Jo Jo. I hope you are resting well and full of life up on the bridge. I still miss you so much and wish you were here with us but I know you have made many friends on the bridge. Are you part of the welcoming committee ;0)? Hopefully you aren't barking at each doggie that comes to meet you. I love you my little precious boy. Mommy

4/18/10- Hi my little baby bear. I think of you still so often. I had to take Vinny to the vet this week for an upset stomach and all that came to mind was when I had to take you for the last time. Oh how I miss you and wish you were still here but I know I will see you someday. Just know how much I love you and that I will give you a big hug and kiss when I do see you someday. Vinny is still well but his eyesight is going. Still fiesty as ever, we are sure that he will be ok. I think deep down he misses you too... Buddy too... he misses playing with you since Vinny does not really play with him much-- just growls at him a lot if you remember. It will be almost 6 months since you left--- still feels like yesterday. You were such a special dog I don't think I'll ever forget anything about you. Love you today and always. Mommy

9-13-10- Hi my little Jo Jo. It's been a while since I've written but not a day goes by that I don't think of you. We had a nice summer and your brothers had a lot of fun in the sun. Vinny still loves laying on the deck on a sunny day-- still think he is looking up at you somewhere on the bridge. Buddy is behaving (not as good as you of course- haha) and not getting into too much trouble without you. We've been visiting Grandmas's a bit and still think of you every time I go there snooping in the closet for treats. I pray every night you know how much I love you and miss you every day. I hope you are part of the welcoming committee on the bridge as I am sure you are since you are such a friendly, loving pup. Tyler also just turned one last week-- feel like you were just here that night when I had him. Wish you were still here always... All my love, hugs and kisses-- Mommy

11-1-10- My sweet boy. It's been almost a year without you but I still feel like it was yesterday. I know you are doing well up in heaven and things have gotten better down here but I cannot help be reminded of you every day. I pray every night to God that you know how much you are loved and missed. I started to shed a tear for you last night and think God told me, "Enough already!" because not a second later Tyler threw up on me and made me stop the tears! That was a sign to me you are doing well and for me not to worry about you anymore. Doesn't mean I will ever stop thinking of you. I love you baby bear. Mommy

11-8-10- Thought of you on the 4th sweet boy. Will always remember you in my heart. Hope you had a good year on the bridge making lots of friends. I love you... Mommy

3-3-11- Hello my sweet angel. It's been sometime since I've written but I pray to God every night that you know just how much your missed. I also pray you are having fun with your Grandpa that you were named after. There's not a day that doesn't go by I don't see your face in pictures all over the house. I love you my sweet Jo Jo Bear. Mommy

7-27-14- My sweet Joey, your brother Buddy came to meet you on the rainbow bridge today. I do hope you were there to greet him as I think he needed to see your sweet face. I prayed that you and Grandpa would greet him since he's had such a rough few months with his legs. I know and saw in my mind today you two were running in the fields of heaven today and Buddy had his new legs. Tyler asked how big his wings were and I said they were huge. I hope both of you know how much you are missed and will be missed every day. Please eat lots of treats and play every day together. I will miss you and love you both so much -- until we meet again. My 2 angels who helped me so much when I needed you, you're now my guardian angels in heaven. Tell Buddy to stop running and smell the flowers... I'm sure he loves his new legs. xoxoxoxox Mommy

8-9-18- My sweet boys are together again. Vinny came to meet you today on the rainbow bridge. He was 17 years old. Such a sweet little guy who has had my heart ever since the day he came into my life. I hope you and Buddy were there to meet him today. Mommy had a tough time saying goodbye, he's been with me through so much. I am sure he loved his new eyes today. It's been so long since he could see, I am sure it was so beautiful to see everything again. I love you, my three sweet boys who got me through the toughest time in my life. You are forever in my heart Vinny. I will miss you forever. Our new guy Leo will never know all of you but at least he got to meet Vinny for just a little while. I am forever grateful he treated Vinny so nice during his last 2 months.