A sad, sad day

Yesterday morning, our darling, energetic, fun loving, adopted Charlie passed... and it's been a sad, sad few days in the Zaleski home.

Most of you knew Charlie.  We've owned him for almost three years.  He was our four-year-old pugador that had so much personality and was such a good dog.  He fit into our house so well, and...can I tell you... I never really thought of myself as a pet person, a dog person, before Charlie.  But after adopting Charlie, I grew to become one.

He was a good dog.  He loved bike rides, playing with the kids and chasing after his ball...   He traveled cross-country in the front seat of the truck, right next to Craig.  He woke Daziel every morning by jumping on him and licking him when he wouldn't get up by his alarm.  He watched the kids get off the bus every afternoon, at the screen door, with that curly-q tail just a wagging.  He greeted me every night as I walked in from class...rubbed his head against my leg and licked me.  Charlie was cute, and charismatic...and if you've been to our house since we've had him (or we've visited your house with him) you remember him, because he was a good dog, a cute dog...a "what kind of dog?"...a pugador. 

And Daz was especially close to Charlie.  Daz took him on bike rides and walks.  He fed him every morning and night.  Made sure to give him fresh water.  Threw his ball for him.  And as this has been a hard time for all of us... as we drive by the bike trail and think of how we used to take him on bike rides, as we walk by the wall that has his leash hanging, as we look at the carport where he last lay...this has been an especially hard time for Daziel.  Daziel is loosing one of his best friends...and for that, my heart hurts.  I miss Charlie.  I cried all day yesterday...Craig had a dream about taking him on a bike ride...so imagine, how our Daz must feel.  All our kids really, they all loved him.  But especially Daz.

We are going to have a special little family "ceremony" tomorrow so the kids can say their goodbyes.  Charlie died of a heart attack in our carport Friday morning, and we had him picked up.  We won't live here forever, so Craig and I decided against putting him to rest in a pet cemetery where we can visit.  I don't feel comfortable trekking over sea and crossing borders with his ashes as we continue to move around.  So, I just ordered some pictures at Walgreen's and we're going to spend time after church tomorrow, as a family, placing those pictures in frames... saying some good words about our missed pet, and tying his dog tags around his frame with a ribbon.  I think it will be therapeutic for the kids.  I'm hoping it will be.  For all of us. 

And our poor Nicolas, he is a bit lost without his dogie brother.  He is sitting on my feet as I type this, wagging his little nubbin tale, and feeling sad too. 

Like I said earlier, I never thought a dog could reach that deep into my heart.  Could touch my children so much.  But Charlie did.  And we miss him...

Comments

[nikki]

Ok I'm crying now too. Thinking of your family, from one animal esp dog lover to another...

[Angela]

we will call...have had weddings all weekend and just now read the blog. Sorry that you all have to deal with this. Give everyone hugs and loves. Talk to you soon.