Our dogs have their own Christmas stockings that hang next to ours. We lost our Tigger Boy in the summer of 2012 and although we no longer hang his stocking, I haven't the heart to part with it.
In May, our son brought home a Yorkie puppy, named her Ryleigh, and when our Sadie Girl finally warmed up to her, she would mope around the house whenever our son took Ryleigh with him for a weekend out of town.
On December 1st, my son and I shopped for pet stockings for our newest members of the family. Our town is small, so shopping is limited to not much and none, and we couldn't find anything we liked, so we decided to wait until our next trip to Phoenix. Had we known what would happen next, we would have bought one anyway.
The following day Sophie was scheduled to be spayed and my son took her and dropped her off. About an hour later, the vet's office assistant called me, then handed the phone to our vet. When he apologized and said how very sorry he was and they did everything they could, it finally registered what he was trying to say. She was a baby. Seven months old and she should have been strong enough to make it through the surgery without a hitch. But she didn't. Our little Sophie took three breaths under anesthesia and she was gone.
We've tried to figure it out, but it really doesn't matter. We were blessed to have her the short time we did. We were all looking forward to the two puppies and their first Christmas together. But all that changed. She'll never see her first Christmas tree, steal the bows off the packages like Tigger did, or stick her curious little nose through the tissue in a bag tied up with bright ribbons like Sadie does, or rip the paper from the gifts Santa leaves in their stockings. I hope she's watching, because Ryleigh and Sadie are teaching her everything she needs to know about Christmas. And if she were still here, I'm sure they would share.
I regret not buying a stocking for Sophie that day, but I can't seem to bring myself to buy one now. Maybe I will after Christmas and put it away with Tigger's. Maybe next year it will be easier.
I hope it is. I hope the Rainbow Bridge has lots of socks. Lots and lots of socks. And I hope Sophie knows she would have had a great big sock filled with lots of treats and toys just for her.
I think she knows.
Merry Christmas little monkey face. We miss our little sock thief something fierce, and there'll be a treat from Santa waiting for you on Christmas morning. Just in case.
Merriest of Christmases to all of you and all your furry friends. Give them a hug from me. And one from Sophie too.
Until next time,
Happy Reading,
Susie