I am taking yet another detour, shocking! Said no one, ever! I can detour in mid sentence, not my best quality! So, before I go in yet another direction, I am going to dive right in!
I truly believe that God sends you exactly what you need, at the exact time you need it. Case in point, our (um, really mine) dog Remington, “Remi” to her closest friends😁.
Our family lost our 13 year old dog, “Lucky” a couple days before Christmas, 2016. Having gone thru that heartache, we were determined to never have another dog. I believe alot, if not most good dog owners go thru that feeling.
I developed the urge for a new pup early in the spring of 2017. My husband was surprisingly ok with my decision, but he advised that I should “take my time”. Does this man know ME? My search began…3 days ago, but who’s keeping track? 😉
My son and niece tagged along that June 9th, to a dog adoption event at a local Tractor Supply. I had found a litter of pups that had been rescued from a Kentucky farm only two days before they were to be put down. Their breed intrigued me. Black mouth cur and lab mix. Labs are awesome dogs and my research about curs described them as “guardian dogs” prevalent in the south. They are faithful, loyal “homestead” dogs meant to protect the farm. This litter of four were sweetly named “Eenie, Meeni, Mini and Mo” . All we cared about was getting one of those, did not matter which! Until I saw her! 😍. Our eyes locked, and as soon as her cage was set down, I pushed past the other crates of sweet lil buddies towards her, while she pushed thru her three brothers, towards me. Now, I am seriously hoping you just had an image of Miss. Piggy and Kermit the frog 🐸 running towards each other thru a field of flowers with arms outstretched…all googly eyed! 💞 It was kind of like that except NOT a flowery smell and in a darkish store room of a farm supply store, but love at first site nonetheless. She followed us as we walked to each side of the cage, seemingly unaware of her three rambunctious brothers, Eenie, Meeni and Mo, nor did she pay attention to all the googly eyed potential new families! She stayed as close to us as the thin metal bars on her crowded crate allowed.
When “Mini’s” name was called, they congratulated her new “mommy”….which happened to be me! I’m pretty sure my son was mortified by my loud, gleeful, old lady scream, but mamma just got a new baby!💕. I had rescued this sweetheart who was gonna miss her mom and brothers (I’m such a sap) so for sure she would have to sleep right next to me, so she wouldn’t be sad and lonely! See how this works? I “rescued”this sweet gift from God….or, did I?
The answer to that is NO! The rescue was ME and my “gift from God” was truly that! 3 days after my pups adoption, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
This adorable baby needed my attention, which believe it or not, more than likely prevented me from sitting on every member of my new medical teams doorsteps as a heaping, blubbering mess! That, in turn, would have gotten me admitted to the psych ward without a return date! Part of God’s master plan! My Remi (if “mom”isn’t a close friend, I don’t know who is! Am I lyin?), kissed, cuddled, played, made me smile and laugh thru 4 surgeries, 30 radiation treatments, 24 herceptin treatments,the lowest lows and highest highs! She is MY guardian, protector and best friend sent straight from heaven at the exact time I needed her! Love my girl! Thank you God for sending her!
Then, there are those pups that have a dual purpose in their heavenly duties. Enter Bandit.
Bandit belonged to Chris. Chris was an avid outdoorsman and dog lover! You can see how much love Bandit got from his human “dad”. He is the most well behaved, well mannered, loving dog I have ever met!
Chris also got a diagnosis of cancer. He battled valiantly for at least three years with his constant companion always at his side. I have seen so many pictures of Chris with Bandit thru the course of his battle. The constant in these pictures is Chris’s smile in his selfies with Bandit. A gift from God!💝
Toward the end of Chris’s life, it became clear that a new home would have to be found. I can’t imagine what that goodbye was like, nor do I want to, but even thru the sadness, heaven had further plans for Bandit.
I had only met Chris a couple times. He was one of my dear friends brothers and I had opportunity to meet and talk with him at a few events. I knew he was a kind, gentle soul and that he loved his dog! When Chris’s time here was done, his aunt, who was lovingly taking care of Bandit, found a note on Chris’s computer with instructions to “Whomever Gets Bandit” And they were as follows:
Now, if you don’t have a little tear in your eye, you might not be a dog person.
I made it my mission to find Bandit a home! Enter my mom and dad!
My mom and dad are the BEST dog parents! Through the years, there have ben many pampered canines. The most recent was a beautiful Weimaraner named Maggie. Now empty nesters, Maggie became an only child…a very spoiled only child who was very protective of her mom and dad. When Mags became an old girl, the reality that she wouldn’t outlive my parents became a sad but true situation that left my parents in so much heartache, we werent sure they would ever recover. Mom and Dad swore off ever having a dog again…because of the pain of losing them!
After Chris passed (if you have declining memory…scroll back up…Chris was Bandit’s human😉), finding a home for his sweet best friend was my mission. Mom and dad said “NO”, until they saw the letter Chris wrote to Bandit’s future parents. It touched my dad in a way that I cant explain. My dads heart went out to Bandit, who just lost his best friend…a friend that felt the need to write instructions for his pup’s future owner. I can only imagine the angst Chris must have felt, wondering with who and in what situation Bandit would end up in…😔.
When I got the call to arrange a meeting between the two, I was thrilled! Having met Bandit on a few occasions, I knew I had a match!
Bandit is now living a rich retirement! Having helped his first human cross over to his eternal life, Bandit is now healing the hearts of two more humans who had to help their pup over the bridge🌈. I have no doubt that Chris and Maggie are perched on a big cloud, smiling at the happiness and peace that Bandit and my parents are enjoying as they walk this path of life together!
Thank God for the companionship of our canine fur babies! ❤❤
The next time you have an opportunity to adopt a dog, please look at their sweet faces. What have they been tasked to do? What have they already been through? We all have a role to play in this “life” situation…including our little buddies with paws! Think about it!
If you have a great pet story, please share!!
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