Remembering

Momma said that today is a special day.  The day didn't feel all that special to me when I woke up but as soon as Momma sat me down in the family room I knew something was up.

Momma explained to me that it was one year ago today that Stubby died.  She always talks about Stubby but she never really sat me down and talked to me about him until today.  

I know that some of you knew Stubby and that some of you even met him in the fur.  Lucky you.  I never met but I just know that we would have been best friends if we had met.  He seems like the kind of guy that would do anything for you.  And that's exactly what Momma said.  She told me he was generous, kind, and very loving.  He was green, too, and it still makes Momma smile when she thinks of all the people he inspired to adopt more eco-friendly habits.

There is a pseudo shrine in the family room devoted to Stubby.  I think it's pretty cool that everyone who comes over can check it out because it's like Stubby lives on.

The top of the urn says "Until we meet again at the rainbow bridge".  Momma says that one day, a long time from now, I will meet Stubby there and we will run and play forever.

This was Stubby's special collar that he only wore on special occasions.  I once heard Daddy ask Momma if I could wear it and she could hardly answer no.  I understand why Momma doesn't want me to wear it so I don't ever bring it up.

Everyone is always amazed at how much this portrait looks just like Stubby.  My Auntie Nancy painted it for Momma and Daddy and lucky for me it's big enough that I can almost make out the whiskers on his face.  Momma talks to the portrait sometimes and smiles at it often.

Daddy gave this to Momma on her birthday last year, just a few days after Stubby died.  Puglet's human took this picture when Stubby was in San Francisco on his road trip.  

Do you see a little something above the first word?  That's a whisker that Momma found in a chair the day after Stubby died.  She scooped it up and held it in her hand for a very long time as if she were cradling lost treasure.  She knew she had to keep it so she taped it to the tile.  

Momma hardly ever cries anymore when she talks about Stubby.  The only time she does is when she remembers how she couldn't ease his pain and that's when I remind her that no one could.  She used to cry all the time, even after I arrived, but now mostly happy thoughts fill her mind as she remembers the 13 1/2 years she spent with Stubby right by her side.  

I am going to spend the day holding Momma close while she shows me all the pictures of Stubby.  She is going to tell me all about him and then I am going to go outside, look up at the moon and smile.  Stubby is up there, smiling down on all of us, always.