A Great Dog

Madison I miss you so much.

I miss the way you wagged your tail in a circle when you were super-excited.

I miss the way you bounded shoulder-high when you were happy (so high that you broke your toe landing on the concrete of the driveway and from then on we had to keep you from jumping on hard surfaces!).

I miss the way you rushed over to sit in my lap when you were a puppy and even as a grown up dog you always came right over and plopped down next to me every time I sat on the floor.

I miss the way you would sit up on your haunches with your back so straight and put one paw on my arm when you wanted attention.

I miss the way you followed me from room to room throughout the house, even into the bathroom.

I miss the way you'd even follow me into the master bathroom, though it was so small you couldn't turn around in and it scared you to back out.

I miss the comfortable grunting sound you made when I hugged you and the way you tried to purr when you felt loved.

I miss the way you groaned when you flopped down on your bed.

I miss how good you were, always so eager to please.

I miss the way we could never break you of leaping over the couch whenever the doorbell rang.

I miss the way you played with Bella (gently when she was a kitten and more roughly when she got fat) and how, even though she was a tenth your size, you were still wary of her when she was feeling feisty.

I miss the way Bella used to curl up to sleep with you, both of you purring.

I miss the way that you would sleep on the floor next to your bed if Bella was there first.

I miss the way you always looked a little nervous when she gave you a bath (with due cause--she nibbles!).

I miss the way you sat on Strider's head, just to let her know that, even though you were the puppy and she was the old dog, you were boss.

I miss the way you let Pippen be boss when she was the puppy and you were the older dog.

I miss the way you were still friends with Bella, even when she was mean to you.

I miss the way you always slept on the couch with Scott when he was up late studying and the way you were always tired the next day.

I miss the way you would sit outside the gate to Pavlina's room and look very worried when she cried as an infant.

I miss the way you were always so good on our walks, sitting at crosswalks and waiting for the OK to go.

I miss the way the sun glinted off your fur and it's beautiful contrast with the green of grass.

I miss the way strangers would stop to tell me I had a beautiful dog.

I miss the way you would point at squirrels and how you never tired of chasing them.

I miss the way you loved to disturb the robins, running around the park with your nose to the ground until you made every one fly off.

I miss the way you never gave up looking for a lost tennis ball, running full tilt around the field until you found it.

I miss the way you would play fetch until you passed out, from what we never figured out.

I miss the way you were the most loving, but not the brightest dog.

I miss the way you never figured out how to let us know you needed to go out other than to get a very worried look in your eyes.

I miss the look in your eyes that let everyone know you loved them.

I miss the way your whiskers curled around your nose.

I miss the way your pantaloons swished when you walked.

I miss the way your pointed the toes of your back feet when you pranced.

I miss the way you looked so graceful and natural when you were running.

I miss your enthusiasm.

I miss your devotion.

I miss your company.

I miss your love.