Almost a week...
It has been almost a week since I said Goodbye...
Last Saturday was probably the second hardest day of my life so far, it was the day that I had to say goodbye to my beautiful Neon of 13 1/2 years. My mind was and has been flooded with so many memories since that day. I got Neon through the Guide Dog program to raise as a seeing eye dog. He was special because they had brought him in from NY so that he would become a breeder with the CA program. I remember the day I received the news that my puppy was here and I was getting a golden! I arrived at the puppy ceramony Dec. 21, 1997 and fell in love for the first time in my life!!! Neon was only 8 weeks old when I got him. He went everywhere with me... movies, restaurants, college, etc.. until he was 18 months old at which time I had to return him to the program (and I thought I would never see him again). I received a call from the school about 6 months later letting me know that they were releasing Neon from the program because of aggression issues (which I never had a problem with) and asked if I would like him back. I said "Are you kidding! Of course I want him back!!" You see throughout all his training we always joked that we didn't think he wanted to be a guide dog because he was to attached to me and he made sure that he was able to come back to me. LOL I remember teaching him all his commands, 13 in all and was so proud that he listened to them all! I remember as a puppy him running in circles around the kitchen table with my socks in his mouth because he thought it was so funny! Me walking him on a leash telling him to prance like a pony and he would take the leash in his mouth and hold his head high and prance. But most of all I remember all the times he was there for me through the good and the bad.... my first time living on my own and being so scared the first night and he was there to confort me. When Wayne purposed he was there with us up on the rim! Me getting married and now through my pregnancy and loosing our little baby Mckenzie. I wanted so bad for him to be around for Cole to enjoy but I knew that it would never happen because of time. Time... sometimes it really sucks! It seems to go so fast...
So many more wonderful memories that are to numerous to list but will always be in my heart and mind.
First day on the job. He knew immediately when that jacket was on he was working and when it was off he could be silly.
In the Verde River fetching sticks.
At our first apartment posing for my Christmas card.
Our first professional photo for a Birthday gift for mom.
Dressing up for Halloween.
The day I got Neon (he is the far one on the left)
Waiting for us to meet again....
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