Penny

2012 - 2026

For Penny

Last night, one more good sleep.
Just you,
and Mommy,
and me.

One more sigh—
that deep, contented sigh
you always gave
when the world was exactly as it should be.

One more round of kisses
pressed against faces and foreheads.
You leaned in for more,
just like always.

One more quiet morning outside,
birds singing, breeze through the air
a rabbit darting through the yard.
You watched it go.

For the first time,
you didn't chase it.

For thirteen years,
you chased almost everything else.
Balls thrown onto the roof,
waiting for them to race off the roof to see who could get there first….
Squirrels that never stood a chance.

Car rides
Too many treats.
WAY Too much food.
Exactly the way a beagle believes life should be lived.

You loved your kids.
You loved your people.
You loved strangers
as if they were simply friends
you hadn't kissed yet.

You loved.

Freely.
Constantly.
Without score.

You waited at the top of the stairs
for goodnight kisses.
pet you through the rails.

You made us laugh.
silly photographs.

part of our stories,
part of our routines,
part of our hearts.

We rescued you, but..
Somehow,
it has always felt
like you rescued us.

I don't know what we did
to deserve a dog like you.

Maybe we didn't.
Maybe love like yours
is simply a gift.

Thank you, Penny,

for every tail wag,
every kiss,
every adventure,
every ordinary day
you made extraordinary.
 
 
Thank you for growing old with us.

Today, we'll do the hardest thing
love sometimes asks us to do.
We'll let you rest.

And when the house feels too quiet,
and the stairs feel too empty,
and we reach for you without thinking,
we'll remember this:

Thirteen years was never going to be enough.
But oh,
what a beautiful thirteen years it was.

Run free, sweet girl.
Chase the squirrels.
Sniff the yard.
Eat the treats.

And when we see you again,
meet us at the top of the stairs.
We'll be waiting for our kiss.