Jazzmin, Toulouse and Otis are our September 3, 2017 Pups of the Week

I have had too many new angels to greet this week.  We spirits have been very busy with prayers for Texas, and I would have appreciated if the Big Guy didn’t bring any of my friends to the Bridge, but he did.  I am told he works in mysterious ways, but often it seems like he is not functioning at all.  Maybe more angels were needed.  But I don’t know why one of them had to be an old friend, another a new friend, and the third family.

The old friend was sweet Jazzmin.  I have known her for years, going back to when we dogs built the Internet so we could communicate in a manner other than barks and pee mail.  I had no idea that Jazzmin was expected at the Bridge.  I had not heard a bark or sniffed a pee that said she was ill.  But one day this week Jazzmin went to sleep in the mortal world and woke up immortal.

Usually, when this occurs the new angel awakens confused, but Jazzmin knew exactly where she was.  She always put her mom, Debi Wallace, first.  When Jazzmin knew her heartbeats were dwindling, she arranged to pass in her sleep, so her mom did not have to go through the pain of deciding to help her, or to have the added expense.  While Jazzmin’s crossing over has left Debi brokenhearted, she knows her special girl left the mortal world, in the same manner, she lived in it:  On her terms and with her mom in her heart.

Jazzmin is now with her brother Bernie.  They are running in the fields and mountains.   They are watching over Debi in the River of Life.  They are visiting their mom in her dreams.  And they are flying into the sun to see her as small flying creatures or ghosts, to play mischief with their mom, to move things and make stuff go bump in the night, so Debi will know her babies were there.

The new friend is Toulouse.  He is the senior member of at All in the Family pack. Toulouse was a little dog but a big fighter.  Three years ago he was diagnosed with diabetes and needed daily shots.   Fourteen months ago the doctors told his parents he had cancer.  Eight months ago he started losing his vision.  But Toulouse fought through it all to stay with his parents.

Toulouse is a small dog with a big name.  His family nicknamed him Mr. T.  If you saw him playing with the larger members of his pack, you will know the name is very fitting.  Mr. T. was the boss of the pack, a tough, scrappy, little fighter who passed to the immortal side of the River in his Dad’s arms while being rushed to the vet.  He accumulated many more heartbeats than the doctors thought possible after his cancer surgery, and every one of those heartbeats was filled with love.

Toulouse’s parents have had a difficult time coping without having him by their side.  His other pack members are working overtime to comfort their parents, and Mr. T is trying to send them a sign that he is still with them, but sometimes it is hard for a spirit to break through the grief.  Toulouse will keep trying and, just like he beat the odds by living a long life I know he will beat the odds and let his parents know they will be together again someday.

The last dog to arrive was my Dad’s cousin Jan’s dog Otis.  Long time readers might remember Dad’s Aunt Bev, who convinced Mommy that she would love having a small dog, which led to Mommy getting Blake, and then finding me.  Without Cousin Jan’s mom, Aunt Bev all that has happened since would never have occurred.

On my first full day with my parents, they took me to see Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob.  Cousin Jan was there with her husband Michael and their little son Mike who liked me a lot.  I knew I was in a good family right away.  I don’t know if Cousin Jan had Otis then, or got him a short time later because Otis and I are the same age, but he was always family to me.

Cousin Jan need not worry about Otis being alone, Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob were there to greet Otis, and he is playing with all the dogs who came before him.  If she ever needs to get a message to him, she should let me know.

Because that is the kind of thing family does.