PJ, The Golden Retriver

It wasn't until a few days after we laid my sister down to rest that we rescued PJ. An young man brought us PJ, he was searching a home for him because his father would not allow him to keep it so he heard of our animal rescue through friends.I asked him a few questions and his name what not. Holding onto a leash that was attached to a beautiful color Golden Retriever and oh; how friendly and well manner and calm the golden retriever he was.

My husband and I foster parents for animals who needed a home,and were abuse, etc., but than my husband came down very ill and could no longer work so we had very little income coming in and was unable to save our home. I cried when we lost our home because I felt I left my foster pets down too, At this time we had two foster pets; but we found them good loving homes ,and thank God I found homes for them. Anyways, I was heartbroken and devastated when I lost my sister at the age of 51 to Squamous Cell cancer. My grieving was so overwhelming and it had effected areas in my life. It effected my concentration, my daily activities and I was still in college so it had a great impact in my thinking and in finishing my degree. I cried for not just days but four months that my doctor placed me on depression medication to help me to cope with the loss of my sister. I felt so guilty just watching her fade away and for the first time I didn't know how to offer my help. All I could do was sit beside her bed and comfort her. I wasn't so good at that, comforting my sister; every time I visit her in the hospital no matter how hard I tried to hold back the tears I just couldn't. I wanted so badly to hold her and keep her in my arms but I had to be careful because she had a trek, and was hooked on to machines and their plugs everywhere. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing in front of my eyes, I knew in time I wasn't gone to have my big sister there anymore than I realized just how much you love someone and care for someone when you know one day they are not going to be there one day, no more.

Over a long period of time the grieving gotten better and little easier. I got back on track with my life and back on schedule. I still think of Peggy Ann, I think of her often specially around June 15, that is her birthday and January 17, the day she was called home to be with the Lord. Peggy Ann was a very special person in my life and we had our little quarrels and misty fits just like any siblings disagreements but we love each other, we were sisters. I was a year younger than my sister, she had more leg-age than I had. Peggy Ann was a mother to seven children, the youngest was eleven years old when she passed. She also was a wife, a loving sister, An Aunt to many nieces and nephews I lost count, counting the cousins, nieces, nephews, every time I count them all, another one is being born so I stop counting, lol. The last memory I shared with my sister Peggy Ann was at her home. She called to ask me to bring her a jar of pickle juice over, yukky I told her, she liked her pickle juice. After our visit I promised her we visit again but before I was able to visit her again, she was hospitalized, fighting for her life; fighting cancer but the cancer won.

Summary:

January 27, 2007, we laid our sister down to rest. It was the saddest time for me and many family members and her seven children. I cried, and I believe I shed so may tears that day, my eyes looked like the color of red clown noses. My head was pounding from all the crying. On this day I sang Peggy Ann's favorite songs; The Old Rugged Cross and Amazing Grace. I love to sing. Since I was the only sibling my family said that had a beautiful voice and could hit those high notes they asked me to sing the songs at her memorial services and I was honored to sang them in memory of my sister. Sure I cried in between the songs so I sang the two in my best voice. I sang them from my heart. At the end of the services, the pastor asked each family to stand up and share a memory we had with Peggy Ann. When it came around to me, I promised my sister Peggy Ann the next rescue we rescue, I promised to name it after the last memory we had together. Wouldn't you know it, a week after we laid her down to rest, God sent me an angel, a friend. That friend was a golden retriever. God helped me to keep that promise I made to my sister. I named the golden retriever PJ. The last memory like I said; I shared with my sister was when she asked me to bring her a jar of pickle juice over to her. Pj was so manner, well behave, obedient, an warm, loving and friendly that when I took him out for walks my neighbors made good comments about PJ, a lot folks would ask me wherever did you find such a well mannered and beautiful dog. My answer all the time to their question, I say; PJ was sent from Heaven. He came into my life as one my rescues when I needed a friend to help me walk through my grieving steps. When I felt I was strong enough, I knew in my heart even as hard it was going to be, I had to find a perment home for PJ to call his own.

I prayed about it. The doors opened. As God sent me PJ in my life to help me and to comfort me, God chosen his new family so he was adopted to a good family who had a daughter who had disabilites. Their daughter could not speak. She was born with some kind of physical disability. When they adopted PJ, I shared the story with them, how PJ came part of our lives. I told the mother of the disable child that PJ was sent from Heaven. We called each other and I made a new friend; PJ's new adoptive family. Last time I called PJ's mom, she wanted to thank me and wanted me to know she said since we adopted PJ, her daughter started talking, only saying a few words but she says it is a start. She even said to me that she agreed with me and start believing that PJ was an Angel sent from heaven. She prayed for years for her daughter to be able to speak one day. The day PJ came in their life, a few days later their daughter said her first word, the first word was PJ. When she shared this story with me, I felt goose bumps down through my arms. PJ's new family were the family that God chosen for PJ to be.

PJ brought compassion and affection, love and a warm attachment not only to my family but to his new family. PJ's affectionate concern for the well being of others. I do believe God sent PJ in our lives at the most time we needed a friend. Not finding out until later, PJ needed us just as much as we needed him. His previous owners was going to shoot PJ, this wonderful and warm loving golden retriever who was only two years old, because the previous owners had to many dogs. PJ saved our lives in a sense as we saved his life. Dogs are more lovable than some human kind can be. "Please consider to Adopt a shelter pet today!

Remember animals are survivors too from abuse and each abuse or rescue and shelter dogs has a story of their own that comes with them and a story to tell.