A LETTER FROM ABOVE

hi daddy. it's me, abby. just thought i would look down
to see how you are doing. i'm always watching but i just
wanted to make sure all was ok. everything looks good until
you go to bed. i see you are having a difficult time.
i understand. you are so used to me sleeping with you.
but before i go any further, i want you to know that i am
doing great. it is so calm and peaceful and beautiful here
at the rainbow bridge. not a care in the world. having fun,
no more aches and pain. i'm like a new dog again. i have a
lot of new friends but the one thing that keeps me going are
my memories when we were together. without them i don't know
what i would do. i look forward to that time when we will be
together again, forever. so, let's talk about some of the
memories. i remember when you first got me. i was running
all over the house. then i would slide under the sofa or
under the bed. you would have to get the broom to get me out.
i know you didn't like it but i was really laughing on the
inside. as i got older i believe i settled down a bit. i
wasn't as rambunctious as when i was little. boy, did we have
a lot of fun. and we have auntie chrissy and her sister,
auntie donna, to thank for that. i remember when they
brought me to you you weren't too excited at first. never
having a dog before and not knowing what to do must have made
you pretty nervous. you said you would try me for a week and
if you didn't like it auntie donna was gonna take me back.
but low and behold i got you under my spell in less than a
week and the rest is history. i always looked forward to
spending time with you. when you went away for any length
of time i wasn't sure if you were coming back or not.
but i don't think you would have done that to me. and when
you did come back the first thing you always did after coming
inside was unlock the cage and give me some hugs. and i would
get so excited to see you. giving you licks and jumping on you.
i enjoyed it so much when auntie chrissy and her family would
come see us. i loved all of them and i'm sure the feeling was
mutual. and as they were backing out of the driveway on their
way home they would yell abby, abby, abby. they thought it was
funny cause i would always bark and want to run after them.
i knew you liked it cause you were always laughing too. all
of us had so much fun when we were together. a lot of laughs,
a lot of hugs, and a lot of licks. and how about the time when
you were driving and aunti chrissy was in the front seat and
i was in the back. then i decided to move inbetween the seats
in the front and sneezed all over auntie chrissy. she didn't
like it but you and i laughed are heads off. and now the
difficult part. the last couple of years i started to have
some health problems. i had a big lump on my left rear hip.
had that removed but the stitches didn't hold and came apart.
it was a long healing process but we made it thru it. and you
took real good care of me. then i got an ear infection.
so many different medicines you had to put in my ear. then you
had to take me to uga which is supposedly the cleveland clinic
of doggie care. after 3 or 4 visits they finally
got it cleared up. but you hung in there and didn't give up
on me. that's what i loved about you. you were always there.
and then i hurt my back left leg. not much they could do about
that without surgery. the vet said as long as i was mobile
and it wasn't bothering me that much, i would be ok. he told
you to watch me cause you would be the first to know if i
couldn't handle it. then it got to the point where i couldn't
jump on the bed to sleep with you. and you weren't going to
let that happen. you would just pick me up and put me in bed.
and every time it was time for bed i would stand at your feet
waiting and knowing that you were going to pick me up.
another thing i loved about you. you were always so caring.
it didn't make any difference what the situation was you
were always there. one more thing i would like to add before
i continue. and this is probably the most important thing.
every night before bedtime, you would take me out to pee.
and when we got back in you would go to the cupboard and get
a treat for me. after the first few times i knew exactly what
you were doing. i just sat there and waited. then you would
go to the couch and sit down. then i would jump up on the
couch and lay across your legs and you would feed me the treats.
and then we would talk for a few minutes with you holding and
petting me and me licking and trying to talk back. you would
tell me how much you loved me and i would do the same. it
was so soothing and relaxing it made me feel like a million dollars.
and you would say you are always a million dollars but at this
moment you were two million dollars. then we would both shed
a tear or two and off to bed where you held me some more.
i always looked forward to our evening talks and get togethers.
never once did i feel not loved or wanted or cared for. you
always gave your all and then some. thank you daddy. then you
had to go to the hospital. you were gone for 4 days. my health
seemed to be getting worse. i believe i was in a lot of pain.
and neither of us knew that when you got out of the hospital
we would only have 8 more days together. that was sad.
but the worse part was you couldn't pick anything up over 20 lbs.
i was starting to believe you didn't care cause when it was time
for bed you didn't pick me up. but that wasn't it. but then you
got on the floor to sleep with me and i knew without a doubt how
much you cared. and now the final 2 days. aunti chrissy came
to take us to the vet cause you couldn't pick me up and i couldn't
jump in the car. another reason why i loved her so much.
after the vet visit we found out there wasn't anything more they
could do for me. so after your talk with the vet it was decided
that instead of living in pain it was time to make the trip to the
rainbow bridge. i know it was a difficult decision. the vet said
she would come to the house the next day to help me on my journey.
and she also said that i could come home with you and we could
spend my final hours together. i was so happy for that and i'm
sure you were too. and again you slept on the floor with me.
auntie chrissy, chandler, and charlie came the next morning to
be with you and me. that was so nice of them. i was laying on
the front porch and the rest of you were sitting in the chairs
waiting for the vet. she was very nice. you got out of your
chair and got down beside me and holding me letting me know
that you love me and always will and i was not going thru
this alone. you neve once stopped caring or loving me. it
showed all the way to the end. a couple shots and a few
minutes later it was all over. i was on my way. i know it
was a very sad day for you and for me. but remember, we have
so many loving memories to see us thru. and i am so happy you
decided to have me cremated. not every one would do that.
and i see you have me near you every time you go to bed. in
closing i would like to say that i wish every pet out there
had someone who is as caring and compassionate and loving
as you are. without that i don't even know if i would have
lasted this long. and for that daddy, i am extremely greatful
that i found you and i know you feel the same way. so keep
your chin up and i am always thinking of you and i know you are
always thinking of me. and one day we will be together again
when we meet at the rainbow bridge. so until that time,
i love you and take care.

love you forever
abby
xoxoxo

p.s. i hear you telling your friends you are not ready for
another dog right now.but i want you to know that it
it is ok for you to get one. i would like for you
to get another to keep you company. i know you, you
will be just as good to the new dog as you were to me.