Farewell Rockie...

This post should have been written a few weeks ago, but it was a little more difficult to write as opposed to the typical post about the girls...

On September 11th, my In-Laws were in town staying at our house to help take care of the girls during an event that Wade and I were in charge of at church. During the event, Kaye, my mother-in-law called and said that Rockie had a nose bleed. Wade and I didn't really think much of it and figured we would look at it when we got home. Over the course of the weekend, his nose maybe bled a handful of times and it wasn't a large amount. We still made the decision to call the vet, even though in our minds it wasn't a big deal and there wasn't a need to worry.

On Tuesday, we took him to the vet. One x-ray and ultrasound later, we found out that he was covered with cancer. The nose bleeds had been the 1st and only sign. The cancer had taken over his whole body and was surrounding his lungs and pancreas so tightly that it was causing him to suffocate. The only option was to put him to sleep. After several hours and the opinions of 2 vets... we decided to bring him home. After all... how can you put down a dog that just the day before welcomed you with a wagging tail and a nice sniff!

We brought Rockie home and decided to pray over him, spoil him rotten with steaks and hamburgers and enjoy every second! He over indulged in every meal and enjoyed all the extra pampering and time on the front porch during those 1st few Fall mornings. On Friday, I noticed that he was a little slow moving and that he didn't have much of an appetite. Later that afternoon, I noticed that he had been in our bedroom for quite some time, so I decided to let him out to potty. He couldn't get up. I tried every way I knew to motivate him, even a little push, but nothing... It was then that I knew this was the end of the road for him. I stayed in the room with him as much as possible. When I would leave the room, he would begin to whine, so I knew he didn't want to be alone. Emma Jane came in and sang a few songs to try and make Rockie and I both feel a little better. She also pushed aside my tears and told me that Rockie was going to be with Jesus...

Lunch time came and I knew I had to leave the room to go and feed Lela. I heard him crying in the other room, so I was trying to hurry. Lela ate the fastest she has ever eaten. The dishes were then staring at me and as I was about to go and clean them, something told me that the dishes could wait...

I walked in the bedroom and sat on the floor with Rockie. I looked him right in the eyes with my hand petting his head, told him he was a "good boy." It was at that very moment that he took one last breath and then he was gone... he went to be with Jesus just like Emma Jane had said. Wade tried desperately hard to make it home from work to say goodbye, but he missed him by 15 minutes (he worked in Greensboro that day).

It was very weird seeing him lying there... it was surreal. We buried him in the backyard beside his sister Tatum. Rockie was 5 years old. He was a loving, spastic, good natured dog that cannot be forgotten... He loved us even more than I think we loved him...especially the girls. He was very protective of them both.

Emma stills reminds me every now and then that "Rockie went to be with Jesus" which always makes me smile!