Memories of Sam

We got Sam in the winter of 2002 while I was living in Grand Prairie. He was the run of the litter. Actually, the last one left, but he was so dang cute. He ran out to meet us the day we pulled up and it was a love affair ever since. We took him home to meet his brother Max, our little Jack Russell mix and over the next 10 years they were inseperable. Sam weighed 65lbs and was a very strong dog. His funny tall, long legs and his big barrel chest. I loved his tiger stripes too.

He was just so special. He had the most amazing, loving personality to go along with it. He was made for our family. He was so patient with people and did the boxer bean dance all over the place every single day. It is hard to even write this I miss him so much and we have all cried a lot the last two days. He gave us more than anyone could imagine in nearly 10 years. He was there for nearly every single major event in our lives. He was there when Julie and I were dating, our wedding, our new home, putting in our pool, the girls being born and then Quinn’s adoption, plus all of life’s other events.

He was a constant, right along with his brother Max.

When he got sick suddenly the other day, I knew we had no choice but to let him go. After all he gave us I was not going to let him suffer any longer than he had to. He deserved peace and he now deserves our mourning and sadness. I do miss him greatly though and it has been harder than I thought it would be. But I do believe the God who is good enough to perfect this universe for our enjoyment is also good enough to make sure we see our beloved dogs again in Heaven. He is there sighing in peace on a big fluffy couch waiting on Max and the rest of us.

There are so many hard things to deal with; putting his stuff away, only feeding one dog now, not seeing him around the house, on the couch or hearing his chain. Not hearing him snore at night or his big sighs. The kids talk about him all the time which also makes it hard. We used to be a family of 7, now we are a family of 6, one said.

Max is lonely and alone which is also very hard. He tried to play the other day and I could tell he was waiting for Sam to come bounding around the couch like he used to when they would play. Sam galloped like a horse. Funny.

Lots of our friends have loved Sam too and many of them are very sad right along with us. Especially mom, dad and my sister’s family.

We are thankful to God for many little things that have made this better. It could have happened when we were away or he could have died in front of the kids. He could have died more painfully – cancer, car crash, etc. Our vet was available at that moment and she was there with us (his only vet). We got to say goodbye and be there when he took his last breath and we were the last ones he saw. He lived a full, fun life all the way up the last few hours of his life. Thankfully, Max didn’t die first. This would have been much harder on Sam than Max who is more independent. It happened on the day it needed to – just before the girls birthday weekend and before school started and not during either. And, it was a good week in business so I didn’t have to also deal with the worry of the office. God is always good.

Neither one of us have cried this much in a long time. But we are getting there. Closure is happening each day and today we will say our goodbyes with a nice memorial service as we bury his box of ashes in our back yard and remember his love of the pool with a big swim afterwards.

I know he is watching down on us and thankful we didn’t make him suffer. He was a good boy. My little Sammie.

Random fun things about Sam: “Samuel L Speers!”, his big sighs, his gas, “galoot”, his nub of a tail, his love of the pool and nearly drowning…”butt up Sam!”. Never could pee lifting a leg like a boy – always squated like a girl dog. His love of Max, drive by licks, being afraid of loud noises and the gate, jumping up into the window of the front door, doing circles in his bed, getting into the bread and that hot cake that day. I miss his barking on the side of the house when I would pull on in the driveway. Not wanting to get out of the van with Julie that day. LOL. Having his head rubbed and jumping into the bed to sniff our faces. His big yawns! He loved when we scratched his back right about the nub of his tail.

Sam's Gotta New Bed In Heaven

Just a few hours ago, Julie and I had to make the hardest decision of our lives in our Vets office. Sam suddenly got ill today and we rushed him to her office only to find out he had a huge mass in his belly and a cist had ruptured.

We had to put him down. Our little "Galoot" went to Heaven.

As we sat there and stroked his back and craddled his chubby face one last time I could not believe I was actually living that last horrible scene in the movie "Marley and Me" but we were. For real.

Just a few hours earlier he was playing and doing his normal sleep around routine. Yesterday he was doing his best to drown himself in one last summer swim in the pool.

We still have our little Maxie and he will likely live another 10 years. Who knows. But we had nearly 10 great, hilarious (and I do mean hilarious) times with Sam and Max together. Max will have to adjust as we all will. But his brother has passed on and I firmly believe a good God has a nice, new couch just for him to wait for us on.

Love you Sam. You were one special buddy.

Samuel L. Speers 2002-2011