Tucker

January 23-
The angels came for him today (although, we read that dogs don't get wings because they LOVE to run).  It was not unexpected, but it is still so hard.  I don't think anyone outside our little family understood Tucker.  He was a bully, stubborn, and aloof, but he was still a part of our family and greatly loved.  He was Julienna's favorite dog even though the feeling wasn't mutual.  She was always saying Tucker this or Tucker that and had a genuine concern for him.
Tucker had been sick for a while, years actually.  He started losing a lot of weight and we couldn't figure out why.  Mentally and physically he was okay, he was just skinny...really, really, skinny. So we wore his jacket to keep warm and we went on with life. He would still sneak up the stairs in the middle of the night and pace until I got up to feed him.  He would still snatch the kids' food if they left it unattended in the living room.  He would still resist going outside in the cold and then poop on the floor when we turned our backs.  He would still get a drink of water and wipe his slobbery jowls on the closest person/thing.  And every morning, he would still follow me around the kitchen until he got his peanut butter pill and then settle into his bed!

The night before the kids and I decided to give him a bath because he gets kind of smelly in his jacket all the time.  Julienna and I got the bath ready and Kingston was in charge of getting Tucker upstairs. He got a bowl of water and somehow enticed him with that.  I lifted him in the tub and Julienna and I took turns lathering him up with shampoo. We dried him with towels and the blow dryer.  He was so clean and soft to pet.  He ran around shaking and rubbing his wet dog self on the walls and carpet.  A few hours later, he was just unsettled so I gave him a pain pill. Jonathan noticed it too when he got home. It was almost as if he couldn't get comfortable.

This morning, Tucker struggled to get up. I carried him outside but he didn't want to eat and seemed confused.  I brought him back in and he laid down in the living room.  I went about my morning, but only Barney followed me around awaiting his peanut butter pill.  At this point I knew. I wasn't sure how long we had, but I knew that he wasn't good. I didn't want him outside, so I helped him get settled on his bed in the laundry room for the day.  As I took the kids to the car, I had each one tell Tucker good bye and they also told him they loved him.  We talked about heaven on the way to day care and then continued on with our day.  I got off work and knew I needed to stop home before getting the kids.  I found him so peaceful on his bed.  Laying on his side with his feet outstretched, just like he would lay on the floor in a sliver of sunshine.  He was gone.  I cried, called Jonathan, sat with him, and covered him with a blanket.  I went and got the kids and Jonathan rushed home.  We sat in the living room and read "Saying goodbye to Sheepie" and "Dog Heaven" and then talked about Tucker.  Kingston said "the angels came for him." We cried and  talked about our memories of him and what he was probably doing in heaven.  We all said goodbye one last time and petted him and told him we loved him. It was so hard.  He will be missed greatly. The kids made pictures for him/of him.  It was really sweet!

This picture went to heaven with Tucker...Kingston wrote "I love you Tucker because you are the best dog we could ever have. I wish you didn't have to go to heaven because I really loved you.  Tucker, you really mean a lot to mean. Love, Kingston. P.S. Angel, please tell God to show Tucker my picture."

And these ones we get to keep to remember him...

(Chief, Tucker, Barney, Anna, Kingston (with a dinosaur shirt), Julienna, and Jonathan.



(Tucker?)