Tribute to Ninja

Today is a sad day in our life here as our Normal Back Yard is missing a key ingredient with the passing away of Ninja our dog. Ninja battled congestive heart failure including the inability to get rid of fluid which built up on her heart and lungs. It is never easy to have a loving pet put to sleep, but a time comes when the suffering of the animal must be put into perspective and we must deal with our emotions and erase the suffering from our pet.

I didn't want Ninja, but my wife couldn't see her going anyplace else, so we adopted her and she joined Molly our Blue Healer. Ninja soon dominated the house making sure to put Molly in her place by grabbing her around the ear and neck and making sure that Molly did not touch her food. Ninja continued this with our cat Spook, not biting but surely growling anytime Spook got too close to the dog food.

Ninja last week included getting out of the fenced in back yard and going for a late night stroll around the neighborhood, going to Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington with me and even going down to the shore line of Lake Bloomington to wade in the lake water and look for whatever. She went with us on most in town trips and enjoyed the riding in the car. This afternoon, the wife took her out back and encouraged her to chase the squirrels. While she would give chase, she didn't make it too far before she was out of breath.

While we questioned our decision, it was the right time for Ninja as her quality of life was deteriorating quickly.

Here are a few pictures of Ninja



















I received an email from my cousin just this morning. It speaks of a little girl and the loss of her dog and someone from the post office and how they reacted. Enjoy this story.


Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

She dictated and I wrote:

Dear God,
Will you please take special care of our dog, Abbey? She died yesterday and is in heaven. We miss her very much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her.

She liked to play with balls and swim before she got sick.

I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heaven you will know she is our special dog. But I really do miss her.

Love, Meredith Claire

P.S. Mommy wrot e the words after I told them to her.

We put that in an envelope with two pictures of Abbey, and addressed it to God in Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith stuck some stamps on the front because, as she said, it may take lots of stamps to get a letter all the way to heaven, and that afternoon I let her drop it into the letter box at the post office.

For a few days, she would ask if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch. Curious, I went to look at it. It had a gold star card on the front and said "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith took it in and opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers, "When a Pet Dies". Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God, in its opened envelope (which was marked Return to Sender: Insufficient address)



On the opposite page, one of the pictures of Abbey was taped under the words "For Meredith." We turned to the back cover, and there was the other picture of Abbey, and this handwritten note on pink paper:

Dear Meredith,
I know that you will be happy to know that Abbey arrived safely and soundly in Heaven! Having the pictures you sent to me was such a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. You know, Meredith, she isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me - just like she stays in your heart – young and running and playing. Abbey loved being your dog, you know.

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets so I can't keep your beautiful letter. I am sending it to you with the pictures so that you will have this book to keep and remember, Abbey.

One of my angels is taking care of this for me. I hope the little book helps. Thank you for the beautiful letter. Thank your mother for sending it. What a wonderful mother you have! I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I am in heaven but wherever there is love, I am there also Love, God, and the special angel who wrote this after God told her the words.

As a parent and a pet lover, this is one of the kindest things that I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is some very kind soul working in the dead letter office. I just wanted to share this act of compassion.



Author Unknown