Today I'm remembering our sweet German Shepherd Dog, Aleéthea, and want to share some memories of her through the years. I'll try to write as well as I can here, although I am for sure lacking sleep with a new baby in the house, plus homeschooling our 4 and 6 year old children. So as usual, much of what I write on thsis blog will probably be rambling on, but that's okay because it is therapeutic for me, and it's one of my creative outlets. Also, this season of life will not last forever, and I thank the Lord for all of it.
2004: We brought you home at 8wks old, just before my birthday in April. We named you Aleéthea, which means "truth" in Greek. Joe and I were engaged to be married, living in Orlando FL. We had just moved down to FL from NYC, and I had just returned to college full time. You and I would spend many mornings per week at the dog park and afternoons at the dog beach. That summer, five hurricanes hit our area in Florida. Five! They didn't phase you, though. You would go out back as if it were only drizzling outside. You would do your business as you looked up in the sky, batting your eyelashes as the rain hit your eyelids. We had to call you back before the screen door blew away. You would simply walk back inside the house, and shake off on the towel. You were so courageous.
By the time Autumn arrived, you knew over 30 commands/words in English, and also in Greek. You knew the names of all of your dozen or so toys in both languages. My bilingual pup, you were such a fast learner. You also knew hand commands, which allowed me to signal you from way at the other end of the dog park, and you would come racing back to me, with that funny dggy smiling face, letting me know you saw me -- from so far away, and knew I needed you to come to me. You were so intelligent, and learned so much so quickly. Joe and I could harldy keep up with you! I created a spreadsheet to hang on the fridge, which listed all the commands you knew, and their translations from English/Greek. Also when to use them. The spreadsheet helped Joe and I to keep track of your commands and the words you knew. Yep, had lots of free time on my hands those days...and I was so super happy to spend that time with you. My sweet wonderful friend and dog, Aleethea.
2005: You and I were at the dog park every other day together, and your favorite thing to do was runnnnnn! You would race your doggy friends across the park as I launched your most favorite toy, your red ball, as far as I could, and you would sprint to get it. You knew I was pregnant even before I did. When I was tired from studying, I would lay down to nap, and you started laying on the bed next to me, instead of your usual spot on the floor. After Joe had left for work in the morning, I would sleep in to begin school a few hours later. And I would always wake up next to you. It was the cutest and funniest thing. Well, you were right. You and I started spending even more time outdoors daily, and less time programming and writing code. We had more important things to take care of now. Joe and I and our sweet pup had a baby on the way!
2006: Our first baby Joey arrived, and you were gentle and kind and curious of his every move, from the day he came home and for years to follow. You were so protective of him, and loved walking with us through various parks and trails. Your favorite park was downtown Orlando, Lake Eola, where I would take you and Joey on the swan paddle boats across the lake. Joey in his carrier, and you sitting next to me, in a giant swan boat, paddling around. How fun! As the summer months went on, you would lay at my feet on the cold tiled floor in the a/c, while I taught myself how to sew on a sewing machine and serger. Once I learned how to sew baby clothing and accessories for Joey, I opened up an Etsy shop and named it after my two babies, and that's when Joey & Aleethea was launched.
2007: When our baby Joey was 16 months old, Joe and I were in the midst of packing for our upcoming return trip to Negril, Jamaica, where we had gotten married and honeymooned. In between packing, I was taking an afternoon nap and woke up to you laying next to me on the bed. Your head was resting on the pillow, and you were quietly staring at me. I kissed your nose and didn't think anything of it. I got up and continued packing. 2 weeks later, the pregnancy test was positive, and our second child Lily would arrive the following year. You once again you knew that I was pregnant before we did, with your sweet doggy ways and stares.
2008: Lily was born and you fell in love with this new baby of ours, first by sniffing her newborn hat, then flaring out your nostrils as you crawled closer to her and I as you met her for the first time. You followed her around as she crawled, and herded her back towards me.
2009: When Joey was 3yrs and Lily was 8 months old, we moved out of our lovely pink house in FL and into a beautiful rental home in NC. The landlord built a fence in the yard especially for you! Joe and I were thrilled to have a big fenced in yard for you, Joey, and Lily to run around and play.
2010: The year you learned how to dock dive! I often took you swimming at the man-made lake in NC. You had so much fun jumping off of the dock, and swimming up to the shore. This was also the year we brought Souvláki home, our new 10wk old German Shepherd pup. You tolerated our new puppy, with all of her puppy ways, and taught her so many things that I saw you accomplish every day together. You were a Mama to her. Joe and I and the kids took you both to so many parks and playgrounds, and you walked with Souvláki on a double leash, helping me to her learn how to heel and walk calmly.
2011: The year we moved back to NY! I was so happy to take you and Souvlaki to play at the parks and places in my old neighborhood, the parks I used to play in as a kid with Angel, my childhood German Shepherd Dog. At the end of this year, you passed away at just 7.5 years young, very energetic, very full of life, and nowhere near your time to go. In a matter of months you went from one instance of lethargy in the summer, to that morning in December when you went from playing the night before, to dying in the morning. My heart aches just thinking of how sudden and unexpected it all ended. It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, and my belly was huge, we were all so sad and heartbroken, and it took a lot of getting used to, to know you were no longer a part of our lives.
2012: I was still crushed as this year began without you. I wish you could have met our new baby, our third child Georgie who was born just a couple of months after you died. But even though you never met him, I do know that he heard you barking while in utero many times. I know Georgie has heard your name many times before, because I would whistle and call your name to call you. I know because I felt his kicks in response. And so that makes me smile, because he knew of you, even before he was born.
I still miss you, and I miss our days playing together. We all miss you, so very much. We keep your memory alive by talking about you, remembering you, drawing pictures of you, and talking about all the wonderful times we've shared together. You are forever our beautiful, sweet, ferocious and protective, loving girl, Aleethea.
02/03/04 - 12/06/11
