Lenny braved the way to heaven for you. (https://www.rainbowsbridge.com/residents/LENNY010/Resident.htm)
He knew he had to. Now he can show you around - where to play and where the unlimited hot dogs are. You're the best of friends. You're our best friend - all of ours. You made sure to be best friends with all of us.

I (Momu) was never alone. You were always with me. Always. You were my first baby. I even called you my baby boy. My boo boo bear. My constant companion. You were so loyal slash clingy, always around me, even in the bathroom. You took care of me, and Mellie as soon as she was born. You looked after her while she slept, for almost five years. You helped her play with her toys and listened as she read you your favorite book. You ate the food she prepared for you and admired all of her special toys. You looked very fancy in the beads, hats, and outfits she picked out for you. You were always up for a snack from Mellie - Chex mix, Cheetos, veggie bacon, cereal -- she shared them all with you. One of your favorites was pizza crust from Momu - you loved it so much. Our little family was perfect. You were by our sides through every adventure.

Momu couldn't resist your mischievous smile. You came to live with us 14 years ago, a nervous and too skinny pup with no training at all. You instantly loved and trusted us and bonded with your new brother Lenny, who loved you so much he licked you until you were soaked.

Now that you're gone, it's empty here. It's too quiet and lonely. We miss the butt farm. Momu looks for you and Daddy listens for you when we come home -- it's hard for Momu to go through the door. Daddy looks for you in the morning - he wants to take care of you. Momu looks for you at night -- she wants to say goodnight to you like she did for 14 years.
You were so trusting. You did whatever we wanted to do. You were everything we wanted you to be: a snuggler, a protector, a player, you name it. You were so many things. Most of all, you were loved. You are loved.
We will always love you, just as you have always loved us.

***********

Stevie, you had so many sides to you because you were whatever we needed you to be.

You could be scrappy, playful and feisty one minute and snuggling on a lap the next.
You would act like you had no interest in Lenny and then turn and chase him around the yard.

Because there is too much to remember, I just want to capture you in flashes. So here is Stevie:

One night in a hotel you snuck up on the bed and laid next to me and I had no idea you were there until the morning.
I can picture you hopping like a bunny across the snow leaving foot prints 3 feet apart as you rushed over to bark at the fence.
You and Lenny used to run out the door and scramble across the deck. You ran so fast you left scratch marks on the finish.
I would lay down and lift you up over my head and you just let me do it.
You ripped your bandages off your leg and stuffed them in the couch.
You stuffed a toy in your water bowl when you were in your crate.
You ripped a hole in the bathroom door and ate the blinds.
You chewed through the zipper of the tent in under 5 seconds.
You could destroy a stuffed toy faster than any other dog.
You untied Lenny's football toy the first night we got you and Lenny had that toy for 4 weeks.
You were so scared that you used to start to barf in your sleep.
You were the hungriest dog when we first got you and then after you had lived with us for a while, you would decide you just didn't want breakfast.
When I sat down in a chair you just plopped yourself down between my feet.
You liked being carried like a baby.
When playing you would bark all the way down the hallway.
I had to throw your toy and Lenny's toy separately (on opposite sides of the couch) because you two would start wrestling.
Lenny thought you were his baby and he licked your head until it was soaked, and you let him.
You instantly adapted to our new lives when Mellie was born and became her protector.
One time you scrambled out of the room knocked over the heater and the door still has the gouge to prove it.
Lenny loved to play tug with you and the two of you would tug until eventually you started eating each other's faces.
You were two different dogs depending on your haircut.
You could chew a nylabone down to a nub and then leave it for Lenny to finish off.
Somehow you survived a ruptured spleen and by some miracle came back to us.
You did the belly crawl across the floor.
La Cucaracha was your favorite song and you were a good singer.
You always wanted to be pet.
When you licked our faces your tongue went right up the nose.
You never did learn not to bark when you saw another dog on a walk.
I stepped on your foot once when going down stairs and you were unharmed.
You used to shake a huge shake in the morning to wake us up, or you would scratch your collar and make it jingle.
Your tail was always wiggling when you saw us.
You would finish what Lenny started. One time Lenny got a jerky wrapper out of the trash and you shredded into a million pieces. Another time Lenny got the starfish off the counter and then the both of you ate it.
One time when you ran over to a barking dog Lenny got so scared he did a dog scream as he ran over to help you (you were fine of course).
You did not like fireworks at all.
In Mishawaka you didn't like going potty in the rain so one time we took you out with an umbrella.
You loved to run and you were so fast. Sometimes you would run without thinking and then realize you didn't know where you were.
When the fence was left open you only went just outside the fence and stopped because you knew you shouldn't wander off. But, Lenny wandered off.
When you were older you were Marshall when we played Paw Patrol.
You barked in your stroller.
You liked your bike trailer and just watched the world on the ride.
You wanted to climb out of the wagon.
You liked to lay in the sunshine both inside and outside. You found the hottest part of the yard to lie down.
You liked to sniff flowers.
You always kept Rocket in line.
You were the royal pup in so many ways.
Pizza made you bark.
You had so many ailments, couldn't walk, or hear, or see very well. Yet you just kept going.
You let us take care of you.
I wish I could take care of you forever. But no one could be as strong as you.
You were a dog of steel.