Man's Best Friend

The challenge today (01.29.12) is to post five positive things after having lost something or someone. Last night I lost my dog of 4 years, Big Mac.  I adopted Big Mac from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. They offer a great service to the area.  Big Mac was an amazingly loving dog. Affectionate, protective, obedient, funny, and one of the few dogs that you can see a smile on his face.  He will be missed.

By starting the list in order of the day, I can make the best effort to find all the great things in the day.

1. I went to Cafe Rio today after a long hiatus - their salads are the bomb!  The tomatillo salad dressing is amazing. 
2. Chatting with some friends about the events of Saturday night allowed me to vent.  I am grateful for that. 
3. It's always nice to hang out with Myra - we went to Cracker Barrel and to the movies to see "The Gray". I love how we can plan something impromptu.
4. I am so grateful for the friends I've made in the area.  The ones who were nearby came over while I was grieving the loss of Big Mac.  I always knew this could happen but you never know how you will deal with it when it does. I love that the experiences of all of my friends helped me to cope with it and to pull it together to take him into the veterinarian to be cremated.  Anton, Don, Alan, and Myra - y'all are awesome!
5. I have never had a pet die that I was the sole caretaker for. When I took him into the vet, they offered to make a paw print of him. At first I didn't want any memories of him but I'm glad I told them that I did want it done.  While I haven't brought myself to even look at it, I am glad that I have it for the time I am ready.