There is the saying, "You're only as old as you feel." Last November, Kyle and I took Annie hiking over Thanksgiving break. It has been a tradition for us to go hiking over Thanksgiving. It started when the kids were little and we needed to get out of the house so they could burn energy. I loved it because we usually hiked the day before Thanksgiving meaning that gorging ourselves on turkey and pumpkin pie the next day would be justified as we went on a strenuous hike the day before. However, this hike has become more than burning energy or calories, it's about getting away from the crazy day to day and going to a place we love. (Anyplace where I can see one of our many Pacific Northwest Volcanoes is a place I love.) I love this hike because it is during this time when the leaves have changed colors, the air is crisp and there is the anticipation of the upcoming holidays. While there is always a lot to look forward to, I also use this as a time to reflect and be thankful.
I'm thankful for knowing God. I'm thankful for His blessings of my husband and children. I am also thankful for the turn of events that led us to our dog Annie on a cold December afternoon 11 years ago. Annie was cute, hyper, and a bit shy at first. I cringed as she chewed everything and dug up the beautiful green grass my husband worked so hard to plant many years ago. I wondered, "What have we done?" It took me awhile....about 6 months to really fall in love with my dog. Today she is my heart and soul dog. After a long day...she is there. During a morning walk...she is there. During any sort of meal...she is there. When I wake-up or when I go to bed, she is there...right there next to me.
She's 11. It's inevitable that her time with us is becoming shorter. 48 hours after our Thanksgiving hike last year, she blew out her ACL in her right knew. She hobbled through the holidays. She endured 12 vet appointments so she could have lazer therapy done to her knee. On her last appointment, she yelped while getting back in the car. It was quickly obvious that her other ACL gave away. I thought this was it. I brought her home and tried to keep her as comfortable as possible. Her mobility was so limited that we worried about her quality of life. Although, she didn't really seem to mind having me bring her food and water to her so she didn't have to stand to eat. We all doted on her for the next few days. It was our turn to show our loyalty to her. By Wednesday, we knew we had to take her to the vet. As she laid on the office floor shaking, I tearfully asked the vet, "Is this it?" His response is one in which I'll forever be grateful for. He said, "Nah, she looks quite happy next to you two. Take her home and enjoy the time you have left," At that time, she was having other issues that led us to believe that our time left could potentially be weeks and maybe a few more months, but we took her home bound and determined to make the most out of this time.
Not only have we enjoyed that last 7 months with her, but short daily walks have resumed, short episodes of tug-of-war continue on and to my surprise, she even jumped in the car for the first time since February to go visit G-ma and Papa. I'm grateful for every day with her. I'm thankful that she is aging with grace and with a tail that wags as if she is still a young pup! So while time is passing, she is only as old as she feels and by how her tail wags, her excitement when she sees us and the joy she has when we say the words, "Wan't to go on a walk?," I'd say she still feels like a young pup!
