When she was around 8 years old, she was attacked by a dog and nearly died. I found out about Piggy being in the hospital while I was on my break at work, my first day of working at Starbucks. I didn't live at home anymore, and I felt sick for not being there for her.
Our first year of marriage, I begged Craig to let us bring Piggy home to live with us. At that time, she was living with my sister and my two nephews. She was happy and had a yard to run free in. We lived in a third story apartment.
It wasn't until Piggy was 12 years old, that she came to live with us. My sister had recently had twins and our kids wanted Piggy, so it worked out well. She was deaf and could no longer see well. The stairs of our 200 year old farmhouse were a challenge for her. She loved to watch our tortoise and rabbit walk around the house when we let them out. The terrier in her never tried to harm them, but it made for a cute small-animal show to watch them.
As we sold our house, moved into an RV and lived in the RV for several months, Piggy came with us. Training a dog to be on a leash after spending 14 years NOT on a leash never got easier. And she was deaf. So you can imagine the funny/ frustrating stories that we have.
She ran around in Kansas and Iowa that summer. She sat in my lap, as I was the co-pilot of the motor home. Being deaf and mostly blind, living in a small space was perfect for her. She never lost us and she always knew where a snuggle buddy was. Often, we would find her on Jakob's bottom bunk. The tired little boy would get upset at night when Piggy was being a bed-hog.
It was hard, challenging and caring for her these last few years brought lots of joy and lots of needed patience. Craig was a great sport about Piggy living with us and even when he made fun of her bulging eyes, I know he loved her... because he loves me, and I loved Piggy.
I loved her.And I still love her.
5 months ago, Piggy "retired" back in New Hampshire at my parents house. Free from a leash and no little kids to bother her. It was the home that she had spent the majority of her life in. All that past year, we had to entertain a tentative plan for when Piggy would pass. Some days were scary and we didn't know if we would have to make that call the next day.
She lived a full 15.5 years and I like to think that her senior years were incredible. Today has been really hard, but I have peace. I am so thankful for my incredible sister in law in Maine who was able to be with Piggy at the end. You will never meet someone who loves dogs more than her. Knowing that Piggy was in tender care to the end is such freedom for my heart.
How crazy is it that my own kids have memories and love for a dog that I got as a teenager? Abby has taken the news well, and Jakob thinks that Piggy is having a sleepover at Mimi's still. But then again, he lives in an imaginary world much of the time, and I'm okay with that.
Abby asked hard questions, and I don't have answers. One comfort I could offer her is this, "God cares for everything that He makes. He loves animals. He made them. It brings Him great joy to see us enjoy and love His creation. When we are sad, He grieves with us. He notices the loss and He feels it too, because He is the Creator of it all." It seemed to satisfy her. And now I'll retell myself this when I miss Piggy too.
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