I wavered back and forth on how (and IF) to tell y’all that Sister’s family lost their puppy Stevie yesterday. She had no real presence on the blog and is an animal most of you never knew, but ultimately her story is a testament to the incredible hearts and unwavering humanity of my sister and her husband. And that is something that I am proud of and humbled by.
They lost their dog of 12 years, Piper, in April. She was their first child, the first grandchild, and the whole family adored her. I mean, she was even given a family name (my “girl name” to be exact) AND an oil painting of her portrait hung in my baby’s nursery for crying out loud. They were absolutely devastated but knew that they would welcome another creature into their lives when the time was right. They started following dog rescues on Facebook and, much sooner than they expected, saw little Stevie scroll across their page. On inquiry they were saddened to find out that she was all the way in Maine, having been saved from a ditch and then a kill shelter in Alabama just days before her death. So, imagine their delight when by sheer serendipity the shelter owner had a friend driving from Maine all the way back to Chattanooga (one hour from Atlanta and Sister’s Mister’s hometown) that was willing to bring Stevie all that way. What an incredible journey that little Stevie made to find her home! They rejoiced and prepared to welcome their new puppy in May!
Stevie was the cutest and sweetest little pup, with markings on her back that looked just like angel wings. And I do think that she was a little angel sent across the country and back to help heal a broken-hearted family. She carried on with all the usual puppy mischief, which brought me great delight in that it made Elsa’s antics not look quite so naughty. :-)
If you will remember, back over Labor Day weekend Stevie got sick when we were all at the beach. The emergency vet said she was high on pot, which we were just incredulous over. After another episode a couple of weeks later in Atlanta, she was diagnosed with canine meningitis. It is different than in humans and something that dogs do not recover from. Sister and her family were absolutely devastated. They did everything they could for her, all the while knowing the ultimate outcome, and did so much more than I believe I could have if in their shoes.
Yesterday, after just seven months of having Stevie and at just one year old, the sweet puppy with the angel wings went to be an angel herself.
After the initial devastation wanes, I hope that Sister and her family can see all of the good that they did. That they gave life to a puppy who was just hours away from death in a shelter. That they gave a home to a puppy that never would have had one. That they gave unwavering love and comfort to a puppy who never would have known it otherwise. And that they never gave up on her.
I know the thought of going through this devastation again after burying two beloved animals in one year is unbearable, but I hope that their hearts will heal and they will one day be able to bring another lost creature home. From my earliest memories of Sister, she has loved all of God’s creatures completely and wholly and I don’t think she’s been without a pet since she was a toddler. I hope that 2017 brings much joy and happiness and hopefully four little feet to the S family. Say a little prayer for them and their Stevie, if you will, as they travel back home today. I think they could use it.
DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED
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