Oh My Sweet Guiseppe, I Will Miss You my Baby.

Saturday before last, the seventeenth, Guiseppe was barking off and on...it was an odd little bark.  Rebecca, our youngest was at the kitchen table and said with concern...That doesn't sound right.  I think you should bring him in.

He had been feeling under the weather that week, but we were not too alarmed as this little fur baby has had so many close calls and periods of just not doing well.  I would nurture him and care for him, we always had our girls pet sit when we had to leave, he was never left alone for the past year and a half.  Edit.Tue.5:44pm:  Guiseppe was blind and lame.

Jem and I wrapped him up in his blanket, I put his dress-onesie on him, the one I saved for company.  Why?  He had lost so much fur in old age, his little tail looked like a possum and his lame hind legs were literally fur-less.  Lately, we have diligently kept a onesie on him so he wouldn't be chilled.

Dr. H looked at him, and thought for sure it was a pinched nerve or his arthritis because of the specific little bark.  Dr. H gave him a shot, a mixture of B12, prednisone, and an antibiotic since a bug was going around and little Guiseppe had thrown up that morning.

We talked of how God's timing is so important and His will in things.  I had shared that it must only be God's hand, not mine.  Dr. H is a precious, precious Christian man and wholeheartedly agreed.

We went on home, prednisone pills in hand.  If you were to see my bag for Guiseppe you would think I had a baby with me...I did.



When we arrived home we lay him on one of our little pet beds by a window and I placed a warm heating pad under his pad, he looked very happy to be home, Dr. H said his heartbeat was strong.  His eye?  This particular eye had come out of socket several years ago and Dr. H had operated to put it back in place, it never properly set straight so little Guiseppe would look up at me with this one seeing eye, it was the sweetest thing.   His other eye was blind.

We saw after him, as usual, this day, tending to him.  That evening his little bark would increase and we would hold him, he would look up at me with his little partially seeing eye.  I put him on my chest falling asleep with him on my chest on the couch.   Finally, he barked a little and shook a little and I suspect that is when he passed away, I didn't even realize it at the time I was so exhausted, it was around 11:17p.m and all I knew to do was hold him and comfort him.  Janie had texted Jem and me to see how Guiseppe was, she was spending the night with a friend.  Jem unknowingly texted her all was well, Guiseppe had fallen asleep and had quit barking...

It's been soooo incredibly difficult, so hard and so painful, I have cried, I have wailed.  The day Jem buried him, I took his little green striped shirt off and put a clean white one on him, placing him in a new aqua colored flannel blanket fabric I had intended on making him extra blankets with...  I wrapped his little box in snowman paper that reminded me of Guiseppe's innocence and a precious little spirit.  Lea and Rebecca were home and came in and just stood as I wailed pathetically, Lea touching my arm, touching Guiseppe's little head. Grace stood at a distance, that is her quiet little way.

It's one of those crazy things when you've taken such care of a little being and suddenly they are gone.  I guess you could say...Guiseppe and I took care of each other.

I miss my little Guiseppe dearly.  Dearly.






Around ten years ago...


The first day I saw Guiseppe was in the suburbs when our neighbor across the street who lived on the golf course brought Guiseppe to me, she thought he was Muffie wondering around on the golf course.  I took him gladly though and cared for him, his brother showed up at another home two doors down where a little boy would dutifully walk the precious dog.  It's always been a mystery as to where these precious fur angels came from.  I've often wondered if the owner didn't pass away, and relatives released them into our neighborhood?  (I do not condone) I know most reading here would never do that.  But it is so odd what had happened back then, I'm thinking over ten years ago.  It is sobering on how time goes so fast on this green earth.



Lately...


Allow me to share these recent shots of little Guiseppe with Jem. Janie took these.

This was his favorite part of the day ever...Sitting with Jem in the evening as we watched Turner Classics black and white movies.












Just a couple of weeks ago, our kitty, Monkey came to sit with Guiseppe.  One of our other kitties, Howdy had done the same too recently.

Guiseppe had been lame in his back legs since July.








Some of our other fur angels seemed upset the next morning, they had sniffed Guiseppe's little lifeless body and later rested.  I captured some of their expressions here...


Gracie


Coffee


Charlie


Muffie


Mo Mo


Animals are such sensitive, sentient beings.  I had the blessing of sitting next to Governor Abbot's mother-in-law at a banquet, such a saintly lady, by the way, one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met...She and her equally kind and precious husband were telling us of their little pet dog who would lay on the grave of their other little dog who had passed away.




This was a year or so ago, Guissepe after one of his baths... so sweet.






This is classic Guiseppe.  He had such a sweet little smile...



We loved and still love Guiseppe.





This is Grace, our youngest daughter, she encouraged us to go ahead and bring him in to the vet that very day.  I'm so glad, I would have been blaming myself if I hadn't, thinking I could have done more.  Grace just turned 25. It's hard to believe she is my baby girl.





When we were first building our home here in the Forest, probably around eight years ago.  Zuzu, our third born holding Guiseppe.  She's married now with a baby on the way, she always noticed if Guiseppe seemed cold or uncomfortable.  She herself has fought some serious health issues and it has made her very perceptive to others' needs.




Comforts:

 Beautiful flowers Zuzu brought to me.


 Grace brought this precious penguin to me with a sweet Guiseppe face .



Jem brought me this lovely bouquet.



 Joycie brought me this sweet snowman, she said it reminded her of the little snowmen on Guiseppe's little burial box, sweet faces like Guiseppe.  Joycie will be having a little one this spring.  More to come on that.


The little snowman paper on Guiseppe's little box.



My bookcase in my room, this is Guiseppe's little green and white onesie I have carefully placed there.





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A rainbow peeking through the sky a few days after Guiseppe passed away.   God is with us.





Thanks, Friends for your prayers, I appreciate you all.

We have really enjoyed our family this Thanksgiving, they have been so sweet about Guiseppe.  My son in law, Pete had always made a place in his and Joycie's home for Guiseppe when they had us over...How sweet is that?  My son in law, Josh and our daughter Zuzu offered to come over the next evening after Guiseppe passed away as I was home alone briefly.  What a blessing these kids are...




In the mornings I am reminded of this song and the verse to Be still and know that He is God.




Another song in my mind a LOT, ...Faith of Our Fathers by Bing Crosby.




There is something about Bing Crosby's soothing voice that I just love.   I am very comforted by it...

I have recently posted both of these songs, please oblige.


Thanking God for sweet saints who understand these things.  Thanking God for old-fashioned things and people who also enjoy them who make us feel as if we're not alone.

God is with us.

Amelia