The Dove

Yesterday I had lunch with a snowbird friend that just lost a dear loved one. This is the first time that I am seeing her without him. The reunion was strange for me because I didnt know what to say and it was very different seeing her alone. I had met them together and have always ever seen her with him. I remember fondly some of our times together as a trio eating lunch at the plaza. As usual, during our initial reunion, we catch each other up on what has happened within the past year and both of us tried to be optimistic about life and the future and of moving on. Of course, conversations about the kids came up and as we talked about death and life, I shared the story of Spikey and the peace that he brought to my family's life.

Two summers ago, I, actually we, lost our beloved Buster(click here). Buster was my baby before the kids and even before S1 ever came along. Buster was my closest and my most dearest friend. Buster's passing hit all of us hard and specifically T who until now tells me, "I never said goodbye to him, Mommy." The void that he left us was so wide and so deep that it was hard to be at home and even harder seeing Roxy who has never gotten over his disappearance. S1 and I knew that we needed right away to get another dog. 1. To have company for Roxy and 2. to fill the void. After looking through online adds and pictures and more pictures of many, many puppies, we decided to drive an hour away to see a dog that we liked online.

On the way out of the city, we stopped by Pet Rescue which was right before the highway exit. Because of an adoption fair that was going on that weekend, the place was almost empty except for the animals that were sick and being treated . Inside one of the cages near the corner was a black lab mix who was being de-wormed. He was lying there calmly watching us with his sad eyes.


Both T and S2 had a list of requirements for their new dog to be. T's main requirement was that the new puppy had to have "floppy ears" and S2's was that the new dog had to lick him all over the face! Here's the picture of what happened when we asked to meet and hold Spikey.

So needless to say, that was as far as we traveled on that day!

Spikey is so different from Buster, having his own crazy personality and having such silly antics.

We are actually all glad of the difference since nothing will replace dear old Bus.

However, just recently, we have been noticing alot of Buster's idiosyncrasies reflected in Spikey. Of course, I noticed this early on and now the kids are seeing it more and more too. So just recently, T tells me "Mommy, I think that Spikey has Buster's spirit!" I told her that "I think so too! I think that Buster had a hand in guiding us to Pet Rescue that day and had chosen Spikey for us." T then thinks about it and then nods her head and says to me. "Mommy, that's why Spikey has a dove on his chest right by his heart! The dove's color is white just like Buster's color. Spikey was the one chosen to bring peace to all of us!"

Yes, he was! =o) <3


(To my snowbird friend, if you are reading this, I hope that your dove will come soon.)