Sharing's From Shirley Faith!: A NEW CHAPTER!

To My Very Best Friend, Dakota Marie Souder:

There are so many beautiful pictures of you, I could hardly pick one. However, I chose this one, because it was at a very good time in your life. You were vibrant, visual, could hear, chase squirrels and charm the pants off me.

Your birthday was probably sometime in May of 2000.

At that time I was praying for you. I wanted a dog from God. And, I got you. I saw the ad in the Peddlers Post paper. There were two or three shih tzu’s and I asked God to put the area code of the right one through my mind. He did, and the rest is history.

It was a Tuesday night the June 27^th, 2000, just before July 4^th and we first went to the lake area up north to find a swim platform. We decided to get it and were on the way home and I said “let’s get off at the Kendallville exit!” And, we drove to where you lived near Kendallville. Those people were not so great, but they brought out one puppy and it was not right. So I asked to see the other one. You were totally brown with black ears and you had a black beard. I knew you were the one. You weren’t white like John thought I would choose, but you were the one!

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It was love at first site. We have had quite a journey together. You have warmed my heart with your beauty and how you began turning to cream colors and what a brilliant surprise that was. You were so gorgeous. You loved life and everything in it. Especially squirrels. What fun that was to go to Eckhart Park and be there all by ourselves. I would let you out of the car and all I had to say was “Squirrel!” It was a riot! You got us in trouble a lot

of times next door at Lakewood Park Church and School. One day, they were all playing ball out in the soccer fields and we were a long way away; I opened the car door and you heard them way over there. And, off you went. How embarrassing that was that I had to run over there and get you. You would run in circles so I couldn’t catch you. It was over the top horrible. Some of the kids would run you until you passed out. I began to see some future problems right then. Your breathing issues would be your end.

There were lots of people in my life who loved you and you loved them. John, Chris Schnelker, Brenda Bishop, Dotty Miller, Coni Cook, Cindy Heffley, Connie Riser, Lori DeWitt, Kelly and Aly Noble, Maggie Carpenter all my small group ladies; lots of people will miss you.

It was the summer of 2008 when things began to go south. John had cancer and I remember it was July 4^th and your daddy went to see Ellen and the kids. I had a urinary infection and you couldn’t breath. We both were never quite the same after that with all the stress of that year, even though daddy became cancer free. You were on all kinds of allergy medicine, shots, and then heart medicine. A year later you would start to lose your eye sight. We tried to keep that from happening, but by 2013 it became permanent. Things changed from 2010 on because then I had to stop taking you to the Pet

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Lodge and find a house/pet sitter. It took some time, but we did find Maggie Carpenter. We finally

got out to Burbank – to see Jay Leno etc. and to Chicago at Thanksgiving.

It has been really fascinating to see how well you did with loosing your site, we went on walks all the time in the woods – I knew you were a cowgirl and I so respected you for that. So in 2012 I said to you a promise. Please don’t lose your hearing too, but if you do, I promise to not keep you here out of selfishness.

And, so here we are, saying goodbye or at least waving goodbye until we meet at Rainbow Bridge.

Your beloved groomer gave that to me when Missie Doodle died in June of 2000.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who have been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

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The animals are happy and content except for one small thing - - they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His (hers) bright eyes are intent, his(her) eager body begins to quiver suddenly he (she) begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his (her) legs carrying them faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then, together, you and your special pet cross the Rainbow Bridge.

TRIBUTE: I have never had an animal like you. I even wrote down over 300 words and phrases I knew you understood. Any other dog will never surpass the respect I held for you. Your paw prints are forever on my heart.