2003 and 2004 were very rough years for us. They were full of the bitter sting of failure and rejection. it was a brutal season of setbacks and sucker punches.
The bright spots came in the form of relationships. A few really good friends who stuck with us. Family who rallied to our side and a crazy little beagle puppy.
Never underestimate the power of puppy breath as an anecdote for a bad day…or a bad 2 year stretch.
Daizie came prancing into our lives on July 11, 2004. It was the day after we had totaled our Honda on a sketchy street in Florida (another sucker punch to the throat…POP!). It was also the day after Diana’s birthday…happy birthday baby.
Delanie was 10 years old at the time and was about to navigate some very hard, transitional years. Daizie became her faithful fuzzy companion through the unparalleled craziness of adolescence. She brought no judgement, no criticism, just unconditional love and joy. That’s the great thing about a good dog.
She was a “pocket beagle”. A fun sized version, so she fit right in with our family. But, the only thing small about her was her body. She was LOUD! She had a machine gun bark and she snored like a linebacker. She had a BIG attitude. Daizie loved big and loud. If She hadn’t seen you, even if you had just been gone for a minute, when you were reunited she would go crazy. She would run around in circles barking and yelping with unbridled happiness. The neighbors usually didn’t really enjoy this. Daizie didn’t care what the neighbors thought because she loved her people. She also didn’t really care for other dogs, she didn’t play well with others. She was, after all…in her mind… “people”. She was the runt of the litter, that’s okay, so am I. She had little freckles all over her tummy. We were told that the freckles made her less “desirable” as a pure bred show dog. That’s okay, they made her more interesting as a family member.
She was a little (okay, a lot) neurotic. She had weird little habits like bobbing her head 3 times before getting a piece of dog food. She had to have at least 3 pillows and 2 blankets when she sat on the couch, I know we spoiled her. That’s okay, We really didn’t care what the neighbors thought. For the last 5 years Diana has worked from a home office, Daizie has been her “cubicle buddy”, everyday they have gone to work together…Daizie’s job was moral support and snoring loudly during conference calls. she was very good at her job.
Dogs come into our lives and leave their mark. Chewed up shoes, ruined carpet, annoying moments, early morning snuggles, that “look” that says I get you, laughter, moments of pure, beautiful joy. Along with scratch marks on our door, Daizie left stretch marks on our hearts. That’s the good thing about a great dog.
Daizie never really quit being a puppy. She was 10 years old (that’s 70 to me and you), her face was marked with grey. But something deep in her eyes said “I’m as young as I ever was”. She had the same enthusiasm ( and some of the annoying habits) as the 2 month old puppy we picked up in Garland, Texas a decade ago. She was so stinking cute!
Cancer is one of the biggest bullies ever. I hate it. Cancer is a despicable thief. It steals people…and puppies…that we love.
It was a sudden thing that we didn’t it see coming…a sucker punch. Very often hurt sneaks up on you. A phone call can change everything. After a couple of weeks when it seemed that she just wasn’t herself, some trips to the vet (she was not a fan) and tests, we got a phone call saying Daizie has lymphoma cancer. We watched her aggressively deteriorate the last few days.
On October 27, 2014 we said goodbye to our little friend. It hurt bad. But, honestly, it was a beautiful goodbye.
We are left with tears but so many good stories.
It always amazes me how your heart can be so full and so broken at the same time.
carbonated joy 