Remembering A Loved One

With all of the events that happened last week, I was completely unaware that April 19th passed. Most people think of that day as the anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombings, I think of that too. But I actually have a better memory of that day. April 19th, 1995 was the day that our beloved weimeraner, Joshua Barron, was born.

Joshua Barron, also known as "Boo", was the most amazing dog. He had the greatest personality for a dog. He loved his family and loved meeting new people, as long as they weren't with another dog. Joshua had some issues with dogs. Still, he was the greatest and we loved him dearly.

Joshua passed away last year and it was the most difficult time I've gone through since the passing of my Grandmothers. My heart is torn all anew when I think of him. I'm still not able to look at another weimeraner without thinking of our beloved "Boo". Which is difficult since more and more commercials are using these wonderful dogs in their ads.

I'm sure we'll get another dog someday. If not for us, then for Violet, she is always talking about a doggie of some sort. Whenever Violet and I take our little walks and see a dog she gets so excited. I can't say whether we'll get another weimeraner but I can't rule it out either. They are such gentle dogs, for the most part. And, they are great protectors of their families. We never felt afraid when we had Joshua. He was such a massive dog that everyone was afraid of him until they got to know him. It's pretty intimidating when a dog can walk up to your dinning table and rest his head on it. Not to mention all the food Joshua stole from our plates when he was a young pup... that was a lesson we had to teach him that he was not allowed to do.

We called Joshua "Boo" because he was a dark grey color, almost a blue, which is rare in weimeraners. One night Gregg and I came home later than we had expected to be out. Since we thought we'd be home earlier we didn't leave the inside light on for our return home. When we opened the door and began feeling for the light we felt a huge bump and a wet, cold nose. We couldn't see Joshua but we definitely felt him as he heartily greeted us. There were many times when we would feel Joshua's nose before we realized he was right next to us.

The day we brought Violet home, Joshua didn't quite know what to do. He was so excited to see Gregg and I since we had been gone for so long. There was alot of whining and pacing that first day but he eventually settled down and fell into his role of Violet's protector. Violet loved having her ears cleaned by Joshua, much to my dismay. And Joshua loved the crumbs that Violet dropped on the floor for him... sometimes, the food wasn't actually dropped but offered. Their relationship was definitely one of mutual interests and rewards.

Some people love their pets just as much as if they were their children. I understand that feeling. For years, I carried a picture of Joshua in my wallet, showing it off to anyone who was interested in looking at it. His picture is still in that wallet. I don't carry the wallet anymore since I got a smaller one that was easier to carry whenever I am out with Violet. Still, I can't bring myself to take his picture out of that wallet or to get rid of it. There is something tied between the two that brings back memories of Joshua.

Joshua was our first adopted child (of the four legged kind) that Gregg and I got together as a couple. I already had a little dog that Gregg adopted when we were married. But Joshua was truly our dog. You would think that we picked him out but it was actually the other way around. As we stood in a mass of hyper weimeraner puppies, Joshua came up to my side and gently tugged on my shorts. When I looked down at him he released my shorts and laid across my feet. It was as if he knew that the three of us belonged together. From that moment on we only had eyes for Joshua and before we knew it we were signing the papers, officially making him our dog.

I'm thankful that we have so many wonderful memories of our sweet "Boo". Still, the pain floods back periodically and I long for numbness. When Joshua passed a part of my heart went along with him. The void in my heart is starting to scar over but there will always be a spot that belongs just to him.

Rest in peace, our beloved Joshua Barron, rest in peace. We loved you and we always will.