Casey Hannah Tanner
Sometimes, life is just hard. Ya know? Here's the thing before I get started, you're either a dog lover and you will understand my rambling post this morning...or you are not and you wont.
If you are a dog lover, you understand. You understand that our furry babies ARE our babies and are spoiled rotten. You understand that if they are sick or in pain, we can't rest until we know they are better. You understand sleepless nights worrying about them. You understand the need to buy them treats, get them presents from Santa, be sure they have comfy pillows for sleeping on, taking their picture constantly and talking to them like they were human. You understand when we let them sleep in the bed, lick us in the face and cuddle on the couch.
You understand why when Casey didn't make it until day light this morning, why my amazing and big hearted husband was outside at 4AM burying her in the dark, in the rain.
You understand that for the past 4 hours I have cried until you'd think I would be out of tears. You understand why I am heart broken our little Cole wont get to be licked by Casey when he comes home from the hospital or wont get to throw the ball for the smartest lab ever. You understand why for the rest of today and probably the next few, things will be really hard at the Tanner house. You understand because you've probably been down this road yourself.
We'll be fine, life goes on. We are waiting on our son to join our family in about 11 weeks or so. We have so much to look forward to and we are blessed beyond our imagination. Ephesians 3:20 says "God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine" and man that has come so true in our lives. We would have never thought this time last year that I would be pregnant with our baby. God's plans are way bigger than ours. We have two (sometimes three) furry friends who need us to love on them as well. I know there are greater losses going on in the world, I know there is sickness and death. I know people face things much bigger than what we face this moring. However; that doesn't mean that we wont take time to think about and miss our wonderful sweet chocolate lab, Casey.
Casey had Andy's heart, way before I did. He tells me the story of going to pick her up from Bowden, she was a country puppy! She lived inside for two and a half years and was loved by Andy, his brother Mike & his Momma like crazy. I hear about her puppy years of peeing when excited, sleeping in the bed and being able to clear a room with a toot!
Before Andy & I got married, he went out of town one weekend and left Casey with me at my house. I decided to let her sleep inside, in the bed with me! Morning came and Ms. 70 pound lab refused to get out of bed. I had to shake her and push until I got her off. That girl, that girl.
When Andy bought his first house, he & Casey moved in. They fenced in the back yard where Casey turned into an outside dog, she was fine with that and loved the outdoors. She welcomed Gizmo & I with licks and tail wags when we joined the family.
She was an amazing big sister to Millie (our part black lab) and they have been inseparable since Millie came to our family, via the Easter Bunny in 2000. Millie doesn't like baths, quite frankly she's terrified and cries the entire time. One summer day as Andy gave the girls baths on the driveway, Casey came to Millie's rescue and licked her (and the soap) the entire time. We think she was trying to comfort her baby sister. She was patient with Sport, the bird dog, who lived with us just a few short years near the end of his days. (He was very old when we got him, though still quite... um... frisky in his old age.) She has always been patient with Gizmo as he nipped at her heels and barked at her contstantly, she just ignored the pestering little brother.
That girl has cost a fortune in Pet ER visits and sleepless nights over the years. She had seizures for a few years, that would scare us to death. We eventually figured out it was the kind of heart worm meds she was on and changed them. She liked to eat anything and one time it was rocks, that was a ER visit where they wanted to do emergency surgery, we skipped the surgery and the rocks came out all on their own a few days later. (ugh) We had her camping once and had to rush her to the ER because she got very sick and turned out her stomach had flipped upside down. Thankfully with total rest, everything went back to normal. That girl was nothing if not one for keeping us on our toes. We wouldn't have it any other way though!!
Growing up with doggies, both of us, we've shared we heard both of our parents say "We're never having another dog again" when one passes away. It's just too hard to deal with. If you are a dog lover ... you've probably said it yourself. Yet there you sit with a lovable critter on your lap even now. It's hard, loosing someone you love is hard, but the ride is so worth it.
I've often said if Andy had to choose between Casey & I, I'm not sure where I stand. They have loved each other more than words and that's Ok. You know how it is with first loves and all.
Andy with the girls in the back yard. Lovingly we referred to them as "fatty" (Casey) and "big ears" (Millie) Everyone has to have a nickname, right?
Me with the girls in the front yard. Casey saying "throw the ball, throw the ball, throw the ball"
The girls hanging out in the back yard, Casey always with a ball close by.
