Rainbow Bridge

*****

There will come a day when our tears of sorrow flow into tears of remembrance...
And our hearts will begin to heal themselves...
And grieving will be interrupted by episodes of joy...
And we will hear the whisper of hope.

There will come a day when we will welcome the tears of remembrance...
As a sunshower on our souls...
A turning of the tide...
A promise of peace.

There will come a day when we will...
risk loving...
go on believing...
And treasure the tears of remembering.

*****

BEYOND THE RAINBOW

As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,
I was so very tired and knew my time on earth was soon to fade.

I saw a wondrous image of a place that's trouble-free
Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.

I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, and on the other side
Were meadows rich and beautiful -- lush and green and wide!

And running through the meadows as far as the eye could see
Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be!

My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new
And I wanted to go run with them, but I had something left to do.

I needed to reach out to you, to tell you that I'm well,
That this place is truly wonderful, a happy place to dwell.

That your heart shouldn't ache so, the pain should go away
I'll wait for you in comfort 'til you come for me some day.

That although we're not together in the way we used to be,
We're still connected by a bond no eye can ever see.

That when you need to find me, we're never far apart
Just look beyond the Rainbow and listen with your heart.

- Author Unknown

*****

Before humans die they write their Last Will and Testament,
give their homes and all they have to those they leave behind.

If with my paws I could do the same,
this is what I'd ask...

To a poor and lonely Stray I'd give my happy home.
My bowl and cozy bed, soft pillows, and all my toys.
The lap which I loved so much, the tender, loving, touch.
The hand that stroked my fur and sweet voice which called my name.
I'd Will to the sad scared Shelter Dog the place I had in my human's heart,
Of which there seemed no bounds.

So when I die, please do not say,
"I will never have a pet again.
For the loss and pain is more than I can stand."

Instead go find an unloved dog,
One whose life has held no joy or hope, and give My place to Him.

This is the only thing that I can give...
The Love I left behind.

This is my inheritance!
My Will and my Last Testament.

- Susie Moncek -

MAC
(1.27.09) Family and Friends will greatly miss “Mac” Stanley. Mac was very special to us all. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wonderful and devoted owner Kimberly Stanley. Mac passed away on Monday, January 27th after battling injuries for over a week due to being hit by a car . (driver unknown) We all know our boxers are not *just dogs*. They are our children, a family member, our protector, and our comic relief, our companion, confidante, and friend. Our emotions are intertwined both intricately and firmly. May the pain experienced by those who have lost a treasured friend be a tribute to the high stature Mac holds in their hearts. And may the memory of him swiftly turn golden, pages to visit and recall the essence of Mac and how he enriched their lives. ~ God Speed Mac ~

MOCHA

(10.3.09) Mocha was truly an amazing little boxer. She was the second boxer to be rescued by Houston Boxer Rescue in August 2008. Within a month of her arrival from the SPCA, Mocha became acutely ill. HBR quickly learned she was functioning with a single kidney. After sorting out a treatment plan Mocha was coping well with her kidney disease, although she remained a 'Special Needs' girl with much uncertainty surrounding her longevity. Determined not to give up on Mocha, her foster mother and the HBR volunteers never stopped searching for a forever home. Nine months later in May of 2009, Catherine Lavery and Aly Dossa heard Mocha’s story and swiftly decided to adopt her. Over the next four months, they provided the best life Mocha could ever hope to have. Their weekends were spent doing the things she enjoyed - hanging out on the sofa together, taking walks, having Mocha supervise her parents in whatever task they had undertaken, digging in the back yard, and especially listening for the can opener! Sadly, Mocha's wonderful new life was cut short. She was given only a few months to bask in the love and devotion her new parents showered upon her. Mocha crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on October 3, 2009. In a touching email, Mocha’s mom wrote the following words about her: “Mocha had so many friends. She asked so little of us - just wanted us to love her. But she brought so much to us - because of Mocha we met a lot of our neighbors. I can't think of a walk where someone didn't come up to us and tell us how beautiful Mocha was. Many of the other "regulars" on the walking circuit knew her name (we were only Mocha's mom and dad). And she was such a tough girl. She never gave up. Aly and I felt that we were always on the verge of getting her completely healthy. She had 2-3 weeks where she was exuberant and full of life. We miss seeing her happy little face in the mornings, when we come home, sitting on her couch, and all day long.” Mocha will also be greatly missed by Bruce and Darlene Clark (foster parents), and the HBR volunteers who were pulling for her. Thank you Catherine and Aly, for giving Mocha the life she so richly deserved!