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Heaven's Gate (Please post memorials here)

26K views 67 replies 46 participants last post by  JRHill02 
#1 · (Edited)
If I could wish for anything, I wish that I'd fly, too,
So when you get to Heaven's Gate I'd walk inside with you.

They talk of a day down the road, the peace that it will bring.
But they can't know the way your life touched my everything.

I hear your footsteps down the hall and I look at where you'd be
And reach for you. Instead I find, I'm only touching me.

I find myself missing you, alone inside a crowd
and want to scream with the pain, just scream it right out loud.

Some days I cry out all my tears, some days it's just a few
But there is not a day goes by, I don't cry for you.

They say that with all that I have, my life should be complete.
They don't know I long for the day when you and I will meet.


There is a hole in my heart, deeper than any sea
I never knew I'd live through the pain and pain would live with me.


I don't know how long I'll be, or how long you have to wait
But don't wander too far down the lane, I'll meet you at the Gate.

You can walk me through the Gate, I know that I've been blessed,
Then we can walk down Heaven's Lane, and you and I can rest.
 
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#3 ·
I lost my Jazz on April 2, 2010 - Good Friday. He was just shy of his 11th birthday. Not a day goes by that I don't think of my handsome boy...and some days, I still shed tears for him.

For Jazz

Last night you came to visit me
You laid your head upon my knee
You poked my hand the way you knew
Would get an extra scratch for you
I wrapped my arms around your neck
I breathed deep of your doggie scent
My tears rained down upon your head
Softly then- I spoke your name
Your deep brown eyes gazed up at me
“You called - and so I came
I know you cry these tears for me
But this I know is true
We have a bond that will not break
I always walk with you
If you whisper, I will hear
And we will walk together
Through snow filled fields and leafy trails
Through sun or stormy weather”
I woke and still I felt you near
My face - Still wet with tears
But in my heart I felt such joy
I feel you near, my handsome boy.
 
#4 ·
Well my partner in crime was my dog Mandy, fourteen years of age, I had to have the vet put her down just before hurricane Katrina hit. She was suffering with mamary cancer and the last day I had to carry her off the porch out into the yard so she do her duty. She was my constant buddy for all of those years, riding in the field all day on the tractor, heading down the rode with a load of pigs for market in the truck, or watching a gate so the cattle wouldn`t get out. She was the smartest dog I knew, she would help chase pigs out of the nursery, sows out of the barn, and baby pigs from the off side of the farrowing crate so I could work baby pigs. She would also ride with me behind the team of horses whatever we were doing , raking hay, wagon rides, or just for fun. This was no ordinary dog she was my buddy, a german sheperd/ healer cross, and she also had a bit of an attitude with starangers, but she never bit above the heal. I can`t recall how many times I have called my new dog her name, I have quit shedding tears but still think of her often. My Father use to say, " A man gets one good dog in his life" I guess I have already had mine, Here`s to you Mandy, Thanks Ole buddy. > Marc
 
#5 ·
My Father use to say, " A man gets one good dog in his life" I guess I have already had mine, Here`s to you Mandy, Thanks Ole buddy. > Marc
I wonder about this. I think every relationship has it's uniqueness. But I think that there is such a bond that is deeper, so to say. Any relationship with any being is going to have an impact/ Some impacts hit harder. What a great tribute to Mandy. :)
 
#6 ·
My sweet old Harvey--world's champion lap cat who was with us for 16 yrs. Even cat haters loved Harvey. He was a big boy--a tuxie & he nursed my husband through a heart attack & recovery.

His dear sister, Lucy, so beautiful almost solid black with a little white locket. She was so timid when young but became a lap cat late in life--Harvey's sister also with us 16 yrs.

My old woman, Miss Priss, a long haired tortie who lived 16 yrs also & was a mighty hunter who took down rabbits as big as she was. Laid on my pregnant belly purring during my whole pregnancy.

My old stray black & tan hound mix, Tramp, who loved only me. I saved his life & I think he always remembered it. Lived to be 13 yrs. old.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Runestone, that is beautiful. (crying).

ETA: Wanda, what a blessing to have so many companions live so long! Never enough time, no matter how long it is.
Marc: She sounds like a wonderful dog. I am sure you miss her. I am always calling Cricket "Scooter" and have caught my DH doing the same.
Texasgirl: I would love to see a pic, if you have one. I love malamutes! I still miss my soul dog, CJ, and it has been 5 years.
 
#9 ·
Thanks beccachow.... Too many of us have suffered that terrible feeling of loss lately Having this memorial site helps people know they are not alone in their feelings of grief and loss.
 
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#10 ·
My memorial to my loved furry ones, so many lost in such a short time....

by Kimberly de Montbrun

My lap is too too empty, and cold
the soft resting head no longer there to warm it.
No comfort to be found, no furry body to stroke
my quiet companion gone...

My heart is broken, there are no other words
to write it - this empty ache, this space
you filled, loving always, never judging...
My friend has left, and my hands, arms, all
helpless to stop it.

Little one, fly free, where the fields are green
and filled with friends gone before. I will
carry you always, your pawprints ever beating,
running joyously to greet me whenever I call
and memory stirs in my heart...

In memory of our fur kids ...
Wyatt (cavalier) 6/8/00 - 7/6/11
Max (Aussie) 1/11/98 - 5/26/11
Tanner (cavalier 5/4/00 - 3/13/11
and others before them
 
#11 ·
Today, about 230pm, our Lizzy dog went on to the next place. She was suffering for the first time after the vet found a huge mass in her throat. I was up with her from about 1 am and things got worse until it could not continue. I have never had to do this and did not handle it well. My adult son had to stay with her at the end. The vets were the best but I folded. My hubby is out of town and is heart broken, this is the only dog he has ever had, he is 65 this year. She was ready to go and did not mind when I left, we had a long talk before and I kissed her good bye. I am so sad, but it had to be done. Hope I do not have to do this again for awhile, with another 13 year old dog and a cat older than that I am not betting on it though.
 
#13 ·
Hugs to all. I lost my beloved Arabian horse on 2/23/2012. How such a small horse could have such a big presence in the field...even with two others in there, it is empty. I often forget to check the trough because Buddy would yell at me if his water got low. No alarm out there now.

It sounds like he is in great company.

HUGS to all of you.
 
#14 ·
Zachary came into my life when he was 6 years old. He had lived with a family all that time but they decided he barked too much and took him to the local shelter. I was a volunteer board member and told the shelter staff if they ever had a miniature schnauzer come in, to call me. Jazz was just a year old and I wanted another dog, smaller than a BC for a companion. Imagine my surprise when the call came about Zachary.
When I picked him up, I was delighted by his personality....at least until I brought him to my fenced back yard. Little did I know that Zachary had terrible separation anxiety. His schnauzer scream had the entire neighbourhood outside in a flash. I was mortified but over time, we learned that it was just one of Zachary’s idiosyncrasies.
In 2004, we moved to the farm. It was during that move, that we came close to losing Zachary for the first time. He suffered a severe attack of pancreatitis and was in the clinic for 4 days. Until that day, Zachary was in perfect health. The pancreatitis left Zachary’s heart compromised. From that day, until today, he was treated with Vetmedin. That did not stop him from tearing around the yard as fast as his legs could carry him, or from taking the opportunity to ‘run away from home’ if he got the notion. It always amazed me at how quickly he could run even up to last summer.
Zachary was top dog in the house. All the dogs and the cats deferred to my little ironman. Never did I see Zachary ‘lose his cool’. He was dominant without ever being snarly.
Zachary loved his people. Nothing pleased him more than to sit on someone’s lap or to curl up beside someone on the couch and if he could, mooch some of your supper. Spaghetti was one of his favourites but the best was green peas in the pod. We dubbed his moves ‘the zacharina’ because he would dance on his back legs for green peas.
As with any terrier, Zachary had a knack for being the best mouser in the house....even the cats couldn’t compete with his prowess. He also had his tangles with skunks and thankfully, we averted the near disastrous encounter with the porcupine.
Through the years, there were so many times when Zachary would walk that fine line between life and death. Over the last couple of years, as his heart condition worsened, there were times when I felt he would not make it. But he earned the nickname of Ironman for coming back from the brink so many times. But time marched on, and today my Zachary was laid to rest.
He has a special place in the garden, not far from Jazz. The morning sun will shine on his grave as will the setting sun. And during the heat of the day, he’ll be shaded by the cedars and spruce. I know DH will make a special marker as he did for Jazz.
I will miss my little ironman .... he was ever the gentleman pup and that is a very special trait indeed.
Rest easy at the Bridge my little one..and know that you have a special place in my heart.
 
#16 ·
If you ever knew a border collie, you knew Tex.

Tex’s story began in early 2000, when he belonged to an older man. When Tex was 5 months old, he and another dog ran off the property and played ‘keep away’ for a while. When the man finally caught the pair, he flew into a rage and sprayed both dog’s faces with WD40. I suppose that by blinding the dogs, they would learn their lesson about running away. The man’s own family turned him in. I heard they’d been trying to get him into a nursing home and this was the last straw.

Tex and his buddy ended up wards of the SPCA. After a year or so, the man’s estate was fined $200 for cruelty to each dog. Tex was released to a private shelter where he lived with a dozen other dogs. I heard from a disgruntled shelter worker that Tex was crated about 23 hours a day and given valium from another dogs prescription. In 2004, attempts were made to place Tex. He bit his way out of 4 homes and finally came to me. He was never in any danger of being euth’d as they were willing to keep trying until they found the right fit for Tex.

I adopted Tex in December of 2004. He was wild. He knew no boundaries and he was full of young border collie energy. For the first 3 months, he would grip and hold me if I touched him anywhere other than the top of his head or along his spine. I didn’t do any rescue magic with Tex. I just gave him a regular home and a routine and eventually he settled down. During my divorce years, it was just Jo and Tex and he meant the world to me. We walked for miles and miles…it gave him joy and it kept me sane.

You’d expect a completely blind dog to be timid and careful. Tex was the complete opposite. I spent my years with Tex trying to convince him that he didn’t rule the world. His nickname was Godzilla and he roared thru life. One of his great pleasures was to move the sheep and for a blind dog, he had a great deal of ‘eye’. He was big and black and hairy and the sheep respected his presence. If they only knew, they would have cleaned his clock. He loved any sort of tracking game and his terrific sniffer got him in and out of trouble. He challenged his world, banged his head often and just kept going. I learned a lot about courage, determination and being joyful from Tex.

I met a man in 2010. He owned a boarding kennel and had raised Springer Spaniels all his life. If it was possible to love dogs more than I do, this man is that person. I left Tex with him overnight and all my friend went “oooh, this is serious, she left Tex with him” We ended up moving here to his family farm.

Tex had the ability to levitate over fences and had a cloaking device just like a proper superhero. He could be there one minute and gone the next. For a dog that moved slow, he could disappear fast. We had a big fenced house yard for Tex and I’d still lose him. He had no fear. I’d find him in dryers and compost bins, up trees, under things, in holes, stuck in things and anywhere a dog’s nose shouldn’t take him. I said “Where’s Tex?’ about 400 times a day.

Tex got sick last winter. He had a big systemic infection. It was masking the cancer that lurked throughout Tex’s body. Stephen cooked Tex’s special food and cleaned all his messes with as much love as I could have given him. I believe that Stephen was put into my life’s path to get me thru losing Tex and living without him. Tex rallied and was comfortable until the very end. He was running in the fields with the other dogs, his enormous appetite never wavered and he was alert. On the night before he died, Tex asked to come up on the bed. He lay between us and lovingly licked our hands and arms. It was a special moment for all of us.
The next morning, his tumour ruptured quickly and Tex died in my arms on a blanket in the sunshine.

After he died, I realized that more than sadness, I have a feeling of immense gratitude. Tex gave me so many gifts and I was tearing myself apart worrying that I would not be able to deal with saying goodbye. I fretted that he would know pain and suffering again.
In the end, he got the gentle release that he deserved. I’m taking his ashes back up north to spread on the farm paths and beaches we loved so much.
We had a perfect life together. I was his person and he loved me. Tex was my once in a lifetime Heart Dog and I loved him beyond all reason.

I’ve had two very vivid dreams since Tex passed. In each, Tex and I did stuff together and sat and talked. I could feel so much love between us. I woke up in the middle of the night and was filled with an amazing sense of peace and comfort. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’m okay and I know he’s okay too.
 
#17 ·
A couple weeks ago Obie Dose, our 13 year old boy kitty started bloating. He gradually blew up so big he looked like a pregnant female. Due to many things we weren't able to take him to the vets until last Friday. We left him for treatment and diagnosis. After draining off the fluids in his system the vets found a tumor. We were going out to the vets today to discuss possible treatment when we got the phone call. We lost him last night some time. My wife took the call and said the vet sounded like he was almost in tears too.
The diagnosis was a tumor that had poisoned his system and blocked him up.
At least it wasn't a drug out death.

In his life we know he sired lots of babies before we got him neutered. We could sometimes hear him singing to the girls for blocks around. Later after being "fixed" he still made his rounds and still sang to the world. I think many of the neighbors hated him.
He caught birds once in a while and even bagged a couple of squirrels too.
He was hell on paws to outside interlopers, but kind and somewhat friendly to the other kitties we adopted over the years.
Last year we lost Charlie, Obie's friend for many years. Obie grieved. You could see it. For months he'd go outside and look for Charlie. I honestly don't think he ever got over that loss.
He slept with us most every night. Most of the time tucked up under my wife's chin on her pillow, and sometimes curled up by my arm with his head on it.

Rest in peace my little friend, I'll see you at the Rainbow Bridge.


Joe and Elaine
 
#19 · (Edited)
Not sure if I've posted this before now, but was thinking about my sweet Molly girl............
9/15/2001 -- 02/04/11

MY MOLLY

As I lay at night in my bed, I think of my sweet girl,
Wishing I had one more chance for those long ears to twirl.

Twirl I did both night and day when she was close to me,
The love I felt for her I'm sure that she could see.

No matter what kind of day that I by chance did find,
I could always count on one thing, she would always calm my mind.

Her sweet little kisses that she so freely gave away,
If only I could have just one how happy I'd be today!

It's hard to believe she left so soon--- that definitely was not my plan,
So I keep reminding myself God holds everything in his hand.

He knew the day she came to me and the day she had to leave,
But most of all I think he knew in Him I would believe.

Believe him to make my heavy heart a little bit lighter,
Believe Him to make all my days a little bit brighter.

For when I think about my Molly and how happy she made me,
I could not keep her here on this earth I had to set her free.

Free to roam the lush green hills of heaven far away,
Free to run and jump and play until that golden day.

A day when we shall re-unite when all is said and done,
A day when we all shall see no setting of the sun.

You see---I had to let her go that day because my love for her was strong,
For when I thought about her pain I certainly could not prolong.

I know "it was just a dog" as some folks like to say
but a better friend I have not found even until this day.

When we meet again on that un-ending day
She will once again lay in my lap and together forever we'll stay.

In memory of Molly, my beloved Dachshund
 
#21 ·
She was a big German Shepherd that came to us because her owner was older and was having surgery and would not be able to care for her after the surgery and he wanted her to have a farm to run on. We gave him a $100 rehoming fee and brought her home, to Dunroven Farms. She truly was Dunroven. She was pregnant when she came and she had 5 beautiful pups, all of which sold very quickly. She looked like Rin Tin Tin, very majestic and beautiful when she stood still sniffing the wind.

In the morning she would go bounding out before me, knowing it was time to do chores and knowing just as well that a taste of cat chow was waiting for her, when I would sneak it to her. She talked to me, saying, oh, oh, oh, most of the time, which is one reason she got her nickname Ho, Ho.

Absolutely sweet tempered and never attacked anything except for kittens, which I still believe she thought were rats or toys, but I tucked one she killed into her collar under her chin and let her carry it around for a day. Lesson learned. She never killed another kitten, although even a week ago she gave cats a run for the money.

On her last day, yesterday, she was able to go to do chores, not bounding, but just walking and when we got to the rabbit house, she laid down and could not summon the strength to get up. I took a bale of hay close to her and sat and talked to her and told her how much joy and love she had given me and how I would miss her forever. I begged her not to go, selfish I know, but I didn't want to let go. Finally she turned her big, beautiful eyes up to me and just said what I needed to hear with those eyes. "Please mom, let me go. I'm in so much pain and you can't stop it anymore. Please let me go."

My husband took her to the back of our property and she told him goodbye, he didn't like Heidi that much but he said she just looked right up at him and told him, "Its okay, I'm ready to go." He put her down swiftly and stayed with her to be sure she had left before he came in.

I have kitten tracks and horse hoof prints and goat paws all over my heart, but in the midst of all of them are my sweet Ho Ho's paw prints, and the picture of her holding up a paw saying, "Good morning mom! Lets do chores!"

Rest in peace my lovely girl. I will keep wonderful memories of you! You were my special girl.

Love, Mom
 
#22 ·
I lost my beloved Golden Retreiver "Dixie" back in August of 2012 due to a heart valve disorder (she was 12)! As badly as my husband and I miss her, our old cat misses her soooo much! We have another dog now, and the cat likes her, but he still goes to Dixie's favorite nap place and sits as if he's waiting for her! It's amazing how much animals can mourn for their loved ones!!
 
#24 ·
It will be three weeks on Friday that I had to put my best girl Reba down she would have been 11yrs old on thanksgiving. I got her when she was only 3 weeks old too young but she was a great dog and she tried so hard to please and make her family happy she thrived on hearing"what a good girl" she was a. Funny girl too once we spent the weekend at some friends house out of town and took her with us well they had a cat and the cat taunted her all weekend long she would never hurt a cat just wanted to chase her well in the process of saying our goodbyes and loading kids and such into the truck that cat ran across the yard and she took off after the cat cat runs up the tree dog nips end of cats tail and cat does back flip lands on dogs back and they are running through the yard and all of us are standing there with our mouths hanging open thinking" did that really just happen" then we all busted out giggling. Then another time I couldn't catch the mini horse in the pasture so I sent Reba out after him and all was well she followed behind him , he was walking and when he would stop she would poke him in hip with her nose well she had him almost to the barn and he decided he had had enough and turned around and looked at her and she just sat down and waited for me and looked at me like now what?...
I will miss her forever she was my shadow, my companion, my helper and my best buddy.
 
#25 ·
It will be three weeks on Friday that I had to put my best girl Reba down she would have been 11yrs old on thanksgiving. I got her when she was only 3 weeks old too young but she was a great dog and she tried so hard to please and make her family happy she thrived on hearing"what a good girl" she was a. Funny girl too once we spent the weekend at some friends house out of town and took her with us well they had a cat and the cat taunted her all weekend long she would never hurt a cat just wanted to chase her well in the process of saying our goodbyes and loading kids and such into the truck that cat ran across the yard and she took off after the cat cat runs up the tree dog nips end of cats tail and cat does back flip lands on dogs back and they are running through the yard and all of us are standing there with our mouths hanging open thinking" did that really just happen" then we all busted out giggling. Then another time I couldn't catch the mini horse in the pasture so I sent Reba out after him and all was well she followed behind him , he was walking and when he would stop she would poke him in hip with her nose well she had him almost to the barn and he decided he had had enough and turned around and looked at her and she just sat down and waited for me and looked at me like now what?...
I will miss her forever she was my shadow, my companion, my helper and my best buddy.
I am sorry about your Girl. Please put this post down in the regular threads, many other people will see it and help support you thru this hard time. Again, I am so sorry, I know the heartbreak is awful. Hugs and Prayers.
 
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