ELI

This is "baby E" as the family called him.  He is a Yorkie although he doesn't look much like one in this picture because of a skin disease he has had the majority of his life.  He would have been 15 years old in October.  Our oldest daughter got him as a brand new puppy.  She loves animals and was so excited to get him but with her hectic schedule at the time (going to college and working) he was by himself a lot and when he came to grandma's house he decided he wanted to stay. :)

We had two chocolate labs (Max and Murphy) and Eli thought he was as big as they were.  He would go up to them barking and he barely came to the first joint in their legs.  But that never backed him off. He may have been little bitty but he was mighty in spirit.  Thankfully, they were very playful with him.  Gary referred to him often as our protector dog!

He became my constant companion.  Always wanting to sit in my lap or beside me in the chair.  Coming to the kitchen and sitting and watching when he smelled the aroma of food. He loved to go in the car and he would just sense when I was going to be leaving and follow me from room to room letting me know he wanted to go too.  If I couldn't take him, he was always at the door to greet me when I got home.  I could go on and on about him but I know all those things only mean something to me.

His health had been deteriorating for about the past six months.  Gary and I could hardly talk about the fact that he wouldn't be with us much longer.  We wanted him to go naturally but had wrestled with the fact that we didn't want him to suffer.  The last few months he was like a little old man having good days and bad days. 

Our daughters were having a garage sale yesterday and we took him with us.  I won't go into all the details but he became markedly worse and past from this life in my lap.  I was so glad that he was with us and it happened naturally.  We brought him home and Gary had built him a little box.  We buried yesterday evening in the orchard between Max and Murphy. 

We have cried a bucket load of tears and it seems every where I look I see little remembrances of him.  He was loved greatly and I have no regrets.  In Eben Alexander's book Proof of Heaven he saw dogs there.  In religion, I was told that dogs don't have a soul, but you know what, I don't believe that. I'm believing Eli will be there along with all the other people I love who have gone before me waiting when I cross over.

Doggy love but really animal love is an amazing thing!

Goodbye Baby E!