I can’t believe 2015 is here.. crikey.. I was still getting used to handwriting 2014 when I had to!! I hope everyone had a safe, hoppy new years.
I can’t believe that on May 15, 2015 will be two years that I said goodbye to Franklin…. TWO YEARS!!!!!!!!! Wow… it still hurts at times… but there are more times where we laugh and smile about his antics… it does happen.. life does go on… go figure!
I do miss him at Christmas time. We always did the pictures by the tree.. and I have shared those in a post from last Christmas… and I have kept that tradition with Wilson and Maggie…
Although.. he was not one for wearing a hat like these two….
I can now sit and watch videos of him…and smile… and laugh.. and then sometimes my cheeks get wet from the memories… I do miss him so… he really did leave a big pawprint on my heart… he was one-of-a-kind in my book.
The other night while lying in bed, Wilson came up to our pillow area, turned around and flopped down with his butt facing us.. I kinda chuckled.. and when my sweetie asked what I was laughing about I said…
“Remember when Andrew (Moon Boy) told us about Franklin snuggled into him in bed.. and they were both sleeping. He didn’t know that Franklin’s butt was at his head. Well… after Franklin had passed a little gas, Andrew immediately woke up gagging… he said he could taste it.. lmaoooooooooo”
We both burst out laughing…. and then I burst into tears…. I couldn’t stop… gawd I cried… I think I cried more than when I lost him.. From laughter to tears in 0.025 seconds… world record!! It was needed… it was a release… it felt good. There are such great memories…
I’ll never forget the time that we had our portable dishwasher beside the kitchen door. Franklin was standing beside it and his tail was just a wagging…. well… it ended up hitting the side of the dishwasher and all you heard as “bang, bang, bang”. Well.. he immediately spun around and barked… because he thought someone was at the door…. lmaooooooo
And at 11pm at night.. if you were not in bed.. he was…. even if he was snuggled up on the couch.. he would get down and saunter off…. He loved his bed by the wood stove. We would be shutting off lights and wonder where he was and there he would be.. all curled up with his nose tucked under his paw sleeping… I could smell him on his bed for months and months after he was gone… There were days that I would just go in and bend down and inhale deeply… I can’t smell him anymore… and that saddens me at times…
We are our own worst enemy at times.. I think I set myself up for sadness some days… reading and responding to posts where members have had to say goodbye. I can’t get through one single goodbye post without crying.
Sometimes I have been away for a while. Give my heart a break. I get pretty busy with my soaping business from September to December, so I don’t have much time to spend on the computer. I try to go back and read up on what I have missed… sometimes I catch it.. sometimes I don’t…
I do love seeing all the success stories… and the ampuversaries are wonderful!!!! I used to feel so cheated when I read them after losing Franklin. I wanted to post a 6 month, 9 month, one year ampuversary!! But I couldn’t!!!! and I felt cheated… and feeling that way made me focus more on the months I didn’t have him than the months that I did.
Then I guess I grew up… and I realized that I had him for a few more months than I might have, if I did not do the amputation. And I started to become more thankful for that.. yet, my heart breaks so when I read of a sweet furbaby who did not fare well after surgery, or other complications came along and took them to the bridge before healing was done. And I understand how those pawrents feel cheated too.
There are so many members here in the Tripawd land… that it’s hard to keep up with everyone! But that is going to be a little resolution for me this year… to try and keep in touch more often, and be more of a support to those who need it from reading some words on a screen that will give them comfort, or hope, because they know that the person who typed them.. understands.
I hope you had an awesome Christmas up there at the bridge big guy.. I heard a rumor that the pig ears were pretty big in the stockings this year!!!
I will always love you…and miss you…
Chris,
You always have a great way of putting things into perspective. Franklin we all miss you. I hope you all had a good Christmas.
Hugs
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Awww, Christine, it is so wonderful that you are able to laugh again and remember all those funny Franklin stories. And OMD I totally get that 0.25 seconds thing. I can STILL burst into tears at no notice and cry like a baby over my Rosa, whose been gone for 9 years now. But those times have become farther and farther apart as the years have passed. Life does go on, even though sometimes we would like it not to 🙂
I am making the same resolution for this year. I have not been around much (well I lurk alot but don’t post). Due to my own life circumstances I have had a hard time coming up with the emotional energy to be supportive of others, especially those who are grieving. It was always Codie Rae’s mission, since she is not a cancer dog, to try and be the class clown and lift peoples spirits. But I have not even had much energy for that.
But in reflecting on the past year and on the one to come I realized how important it is to me to stop lurking and participate more in this community, as much as I can. I am happy to hear you will be around more often too! Being an active part of the Tripawds community is good for the soul. And the experiences of and advice from those who have been there is so invaluable to those who are just beginning this journey. So …. see ya around more often!
xoxox,
Martha and the Oaktown Pack
A very eloquent post Chris. Can’t think of a lot to say other than I hear you… I get it. Your babies are lucky to have you for their mom.
Karma, Adelaide and the crew, and our special angel Brendol
Another beautifully articulated post from one of our favorite people!
And to remember Moon Boy in all this….OMD! LMAO!!!
For those who don’t know, Chris’s son photobombed a picture she was taking of Maggie and Franklin. And yes, he mooned the camera!! Ever since then I’ve called her son Moon Boy!! You need to ppst that picture for the newbies!
Chris, you are ALWAYS a powerful force here…as are MARTHA and KARMA, regardless of how often you post.
And one of your greatest strengths, js the one that causes you the most pain…causes us all the most lain…suppprting the grief ppsts. The vision you paint at the Bridge is spectacular and uplifting! No one does it better! You make us all BELIEVE in the Bridge and the fun our pups are having and our subsequent reunion one day!
I LOVE these lictures Chris and I LOVE the remembrances you shared! And your dogs have THE finest Santa Hats in the land!!! Nothing but the best for them!
Thank you Chris…for being you! And for Moon Boy being Moon Boy!
MUCH LOVE dear friend!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Chris, we will always be so grateful for your participation, your compassion, your love and kindness to other members before and after Franklin became an angel. We TOTALLY understand that it can be hard to return here, and would never hold it against you if you needed a break. Your blog here is a source of hope and light no matter how long you’re away. It’s not going anywhere so please take some comfort in knowing that even when you are off living life, others are finding solace with your beautiful, spirited and truthful writing. THANK YOU.
Happy 2015 to you as well. The pack sure looks like they had a great Christmas season! Give our love to those furballs.