“Good morning to you,” my husband replied.
“Happy anniversary.”
It is my third wedding anniversary and my hubby, just in the nick of time, arrived from out West to mark the milestone with me.
It will be a difficult day, however.
In the past few weeks, we have learned that our elderly beagle, Sasha, more than likely has a brain tumor and by the time this column publishes, her suffering will be over.
It’s ironic that she will die on our anniversary. She was the first pet we adopted together — on Valentine’s Day, no less.
My husband was insistent on getting a purebred German Shepherd, but I wanted to adopt from the local shelter. We compromised by making the commitment to volunteer at the local animal shelter.
We completed our training and the one day we found the time to volunteer, we came home with a dog.
Sasha was part Labrador Retriever, part beagle. She was black with a barrel-shaped torso, soft, floppy ears and a little Santa beard around her snout. She clearly had been abused at some point in her life and all she wanted was to be petted and loved.
When we brought home a German Shepherd puppy a month later, she took on the role of mama. She nuzzled him while he slept, and even tried to nurse him — although anatomically speaking, that ship had long since sailed.
My husband and I celebrated her quirks, even when they drove us crazy — her incessant digging in the yard and wandering off. We worked through food aggression and the fear of being touched and hugged.
We dressed her up for Halloween and bought her cute bandanas. I even baked her and the Shepherd cupcakes for their birthdays — dog-friendly, of course.
Although she was with us only for three years, she touched our hearts and brought my husband and I closer together.
We worked as a team and problem-solved. We considered another life outside of our own. We gave of ourselves to better a life.
In my sorrow, I take with me this comfort that Sasha helped forge the very marriage I celebrate today as she slips from this life to the next.
Sasha, I wish I could go back and get you as a puppy and prevent all the pain you had. But I thank you from the bottom of my heart for bettering my life and helping me discover love.
Rest in peace, Baby Girl.
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