On Monday July 17th we said our final goodbye to our boy Abner. Abner was loved by anyone who met him and he is going to be missed terribly by so many.
This picture was the moment we picked up Abner on the way to his forever home with us. I am sure going to miss those velvet ears. Abner came to us from Stillwater Oklahoma, he was used in the vet school and no one wanted this sweet soul. But lucky for us God had a plan and knew he would help complete our family. Matt and I always have talked about the fact that we decided to bring Abner into our family was one of the best decisions we have EVER made. Hands down.
We were lucky enough to get to spend 8 wonderful years with our dapper old man. When we brought him home he was in such terrible health that the vet thought he could have been 12 years old. He had seizures, rotten teeth and was so under weight I was scared to pick him up. But over the years we truly believe our love (and care) made him age backwards hence him being our very own Benjamin Button.
We believe that he would have been sweet 16 this coming Fall and I loved how this sweet face below on his first day in our home became more handsome with his salt and pepper hair and snaggly tooth smile.
Abner had a great life...from a poor baby on the streets he became one of our bossiest boys who demanded constant snuggles and loved nothing more than a warm beam of sun. Abner was our constant, our glue, Ralph's best friend and one of the loves of my/our life. When you get a child that is so sick and requires constant care for him like holding him thru seizures that really creates a deep bond. One I was lucky to have but that same bond has broken my heart.
We were so blessed that last year my Dad came up and we got to do a photoshoot to celebrate our Abner, I know he loved it. He looked so handsome and he loved getting special attention that day from us as well as my parents.
This Summer we were really lucky that my Dad flew here, my in-laws came, my Oma, Mom and Sister all came before he decided it was time to leave us. I don't think that is a coincidence but something special he held onto as well as all of our family who is mourning his loss as well.
Abner had dementia in his last months, we hand fed him every meal, he was loosing his hearing and sight, we carried him in and outside each time but he also had his moments when he chased the puppy, jumped up and down when he saw us and he would even occasionally run around the kitchen like a puppy himself. All of those moments I will forever cherish. I worry right now so much that I will forget how he smelled, forget the weight of him in my arms, the sound of his bark or how soft his tongue was from his kisses. I am in complete and utter denial still, how is my boy gone? How am I just suppose to go on living and being normal? We went on Matt's work vacation last week and it felt wrong, all wrong. We came back to a home without our Abner.
Matt and I would playfully fight over who's boy Abner was and honestly he loved us both deeply, we know that. I do know that now he is in his happy place and he is playing with his brother Oscar. I know that after we said goodbye he woke up young, healthy and vibrant and we both know that he did fulfill his destiny completely of being our Benjamin Button.
My beautiful Abner you have truly helped make our life complete. xo
