Our dog Sam died two weeks ago. She would have been 15 this month. She lived a long and happy life. But I am still sad. I always joked that our dogs were part of our marriage contract. I wanted to have dogs (children too, but later) and I told John that after we were married I wanted a dog . So we were married in June 1991 and adopted Sam from the Humane Society in Tucson that December. So Sam had always been a part of our life together. Six months later Connie came along. She was a stray, probably from the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. She and Sam were always together and she probably misses Sam even more than we do.
Sam was a mix of lab, spaniel and probably Australian shepherd. We always said she was 1/2 goof dog as well. Until the last year or so she loved to lick you, especially your face. Our friend Kelly who is pictured being licked by Sam would sometime take care of her and take her on walks when we were away.
We had a ceremony saying good-by to Sam which went something like this:
We decide to have the ceremony outside; it's dark. While John and I mourn inside, Rebecca says, 10 X, "I'm carrying the flashlight remember. Can I have the flashlight. Remember I'm carrying the flashlight."
Rebecca and Alex head outside with the flashlight. John, not yet recovered from bronchitis follows carrying Sam. Alex and Rebecca start arguing about who knows what. Rebecca is yelling. The light from the flashlight dances everywhere except along the dark path John needs to walk. Alex trips over a small trampoline and lays spawled on the ground screaming. John stands there holding our dead beloved dog, unable to see where to walk. Fortunately Alex recovers quickly.
We each hold a flower and say something we remember or will miss about Sam. Rebecca says to me, "Why are you crying Mama, you didn't cry when Nana died..." (I did)
Aren't kids great!? Sam would have loved it.
