missing you...

Abigail Opal Rush Porten
June 5, 1994 - February 27, 2009 It was 2 weeks ago today that we had to say goodbye to our little Abby. She had been having reoccurring breathing issues for over a year, and on Thursday Feb 26, she appeared to have suffered a stroke. She began falling and not able to stand or walk very well. She was walking into corners and just standing there. It was pitiful to watch. Harder to watch than to say goodbye.... at least that's what I thought until we actually had to say goodbye....

She started out as my dog, August 4, 1994. She was my first purchase after I graduated from college and was officially 100% on my own. We lived in my little apartment together in Louisville and had a lot of good times. When Josh and I got married, she became 'his' dog and I was just chopped liver to her! We loved her so much over the almost 15 years that she was with us, so although I am still very sad and daily shedding tears over her still, I wanted to leave this little tribute...

Abby, we will always remember:

-your siren bark
-how you hogged the bed
-how you did your 3 tricks you knew all in a row
-teaching you how to swim in our pool in TX after you fell in and almost drowned
-how you were such a great squirrel chaser
-your interest in groundhogs
-how you loved popcorn
-how I had you wear newborn infant socks outside in the snow when you were little
-your great escape when we lived in Lexington, KY
-how you used to steal our socks
-playing with your baby and green frog
-how you always sat on the back of the couch to look out the window
-how much we loved you, and
-how much love you gave us. We miss you old girl.

This picture and the picture above were taken on the day she died. You can see in this picture how she was struggling to stand. The picture of her with Nora Kate was taken in January. You can definitely see a difference.