It's been almost a year, Puppy girl, since you've been gone. I miss you more every day. Every time I go for a run, it doesn't feel right to not have you by my side, looking up at me with a look like, "so where are we going today, pal?" You were always wanting to go farther, to enjoy every flower and bush along the way, enjoying every minute of life. I miss the way you would wait up by the door until I got home, the way you would jump up and down in excitement with your tail wagging wildly when I would go to the garage to get your leash. How you would sleep at the foot of my bed at night, and wake me up with your sloppy wet kisses. I miss my best friend, who always knew when I was sad, and always knew how to make me feel better. I miss rubbing your ears with your head resting in my lap. I loved how patient, and loving, and loyal you were. I remember you walking around the house with little new puppy Rusty hanging from your lip. I remember how sad you were when your lab-friend Simba died, and how you didn't play with your ball for weeks. I remember when one of the neighbors chickens had somehow flown over the fence into our yard...and how there was no evidence, except the feathers strewn all over the yard, and stuck to your exhilarated face. You were the family protector, friendly to all friends, menacing to all ill-intentioned beings, who tried to open windows in the night. I remember how you would be getting tired on our way back from a run, but then once home was in view, you would always outrace me to the door. I remember telling you all of my secrets, all of my problems, all of my joys, lying out in the shade of the willow tree. You loved the winter, especially substituting snowballs for real ones. (You can EAT the snowballs when you catch them!) I always laughed when you tried to eat every snowflake that was falling, like it was the most exciting new thing, even though we get snow every year. You had so many talents: bee-eating, spider-chaser, rodent exterminator, always returning adventurer, the fastest bone-eater I've ever seen, champion of fetch, fence-racing, giving kisses, barreling down the stairs at mach speed, and most of all being the eternal optimist. Even when your beautiful brown eyes started getting cloudy, and your old hips could no longer support you, you never let it phase you. When I cried into your soft fur when you couldn't run to the door to greet me, you wagged your tail, and smiled telling me everything would be okay. You were always my Puppy, young and playful at heart, happy even to the end. I always try to be more like you. You were the best dog a girl could ever hope for, no dog could ever replace you. I will always remember you. We love you.
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