My heart has left my chest on wings today. My baby girl, Gretel, has left us for a better place. One where she will never feel pain again. Where she can sunbathe all day. Where she can chase the birds and never feel her feet tire. Endless treats, smells of coffee and I hope that when you go to sleep at night, my baby girl, snuggled underneath the most cozy of cozy caves, you hear the sound of my voice telling you how much I love you, sweet dreams and I will see you in the morning. I will see you again one day, my sweet, precious girl. A hole in the shape of Gretel is missing from my heart but I find comfort in all of the beautiful memories we have together. Running through mud puddles up to your chest, trying to make friends with the resident skunks and then blessing us with your friendly encounter for days to follow. All of your poopy-butt marks you would leave on our bed after our morning snuggles daily. You were the perfect, natural stamp and every bed and blanket was marked by you. The nose art you left for us to gaze at all over the truck windows. Boy, that little wet nose could make some magic happen. I’ll always remember how excited you were when your daddy came home from the work week. Your tired, arthritic legs seemed to take flight as you jumped for joy to see daddy walk into the room. You were always the best greeter to us! Oh, my sweet Gretel, how your mommy, daddy, Layla, and Hank are going to miss you more than you will ever know. You were my constant shadow, with me in every daily activity. Supervising laundry and making sure they were just the perfect warmth and dryness to make a suitable bed out of. Notifying me not to take a step backward on your feet by giving me those adorable little nose boops on my bum. I’ll miss those boops! Running through the wildflowers in Montana, smelling out the Meadowlarks for you and your brother to chase or trying to point out momma deer and her babies. Thank goodness we stopped you 2 from that hunt, silly pups. You came into my life unexpectedly but at the most perfect time. God led us to find each other, and once we did, we never left each other’s sides. Literally my shadow and now gloomy days are ahead of me with no sunshine to see your precious, sugar face. You were the most loving, loyal girl. My best friend. My heart. I don’t know what you went through before we found each other but I am so blessed I was able to love you, and you me for the rest of it. 9 years was not enough time, my sweet baby girl. Thank you for giving me all of you, every day. Thank you for showing me unconditional love. Thank you for picking me to be your mommy. Oh, baby girl, my body weeps for you! To give you one last hug, to tell you how much I love you. Life will never be the same without you. Rest now, Gretel Marie. Mommy will meet you in heaven one day. I love you.
–Jessie and family
