Tonight the Keen family lost one of our own. For the last 16 years Shelly has been a part of the family, and if you haven’t noticed yet – that’s a really true statement for me. The emotions are less fresh than when this whole process came to a head two weeks ago, but they’re still right there. She has been such a sweet companion over the years, crazy and rambunctious when I was a kid, quiet and gentle when I came home exhausted from college – and eventually the “real world.” I’m going to miss her a lot.
So rather than make other people cry (although if you want a good weep and/or laugh from a pet story, you should go here), here are some of my favorite Shelly memories:
1.Being afraid to share my bed with her the first few nights after we brought her home because she groaned in her sleep
2.The visible path she made in our backyard from her daily sprints – Dalmatians can RUN by the way.
3. The time she ran into a tree during one of those sprints, and had bark stains for weeks
4. Her ability to catch birds – including a neighbor’s pet – in midair.
5. The time she hid behind someone at obedience class while I wasn’t looking
Even though its painful to know she’s gone, I wouldn’t trade the memories from the last 16 years for anything. Great family dogs have definitely been one of God’s gifts to me, and such a neat way to see love. I really hope she’s hanging out in heaven keeping someone entertained while she waits for the rest of us to come along.
Sitting in class. Crying.
My favorite Shelly memory is when I would curl up on the brown couch with myself and decide to stretch out, then Shelly would come and decide that instead of letting me stretch out that she would sit on my legs. A refuge from “the boys.” And there, in the comfort of the Keen home, we would rest.