Monday 12 March 2012

Gratitude to a Little Dog

As readers to this blog will no doubt know, when Emma died we were utterly devastated. Rach and I really were broken people living in a state of total limbo. About 6 months after she died we made a bold decision. We decided to get a dog. I know it doesn't sound bold, but Rach had never had a dog and I hadn't had a dog since I was about 4. So we really didn't have a clue what we were letting ourselves in for. But we got a dog. A miniature daschund that we called Pepper.

Oh my God she was so much work. The training, the refusal to walk on a lead, the dog dirt, the peeing, the utter, utter destruction and the expense.

Pepper as a puppy was a nightmare. But somewhere in that nightmare Pepper put us back together again. Having that little dog with that unconditional love just made getting ourselves back together after Emma dying so much easier.

When Rach got pregnant with Aoife. We were genuinely worried about how the dog would be with a baby. Could we trust her? Turns out we didn't need to worry. Aoife and Pepper were totally besotted with each other. Thick as thieves is how we describe them. When ever Pepper got the chance she'd lick Aoife all over despite our best efforts otherwise. Aoife when she is being fed always, quite intentionally drops things for Pepper to eat. In fact Aoife thinks so much of her that her first proper word wasn't "Daddy" or "Mummy" it was "Pepper"!

Rach has commented so often About how grateful she is to that little dog. "She fixed us" she says.

About 3 hours ago Pepper was hit by a car. She was too little and the car was going too fast and Pepper died of her injuries within minutes.

Not since Emma died had this whole family been this devastated.

In memory of Pepper 07/03/10 - 11/03/12 the little dog that fixed us


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