My Thor
you were born on my luckiest of days - 3/3/2004 I being born on 11/3 at 1333.
you died 9 months and 3 weeks later at 3pm - december 24th 2004. You didn't even get a Christmas, though I know how much you would have loved all the wrapping paper.
you loved the hammock
the way you would go rifling through a trash can and only come out with your prize - a paper towel.
coming home and finding you've taken out the cardboard recycling, by spreading it around the house - you never chewed it, just spread it around.
the way you poked you head through the deck rails everytime we came home. when you were real little you tried so hard in vain to squeeze your little body through the rails.
You're a smart cookie and learned how to shoulder drive the gate to get it open and set you free.
the way you bounded like a deer through the tall grasses in the field
the way you looked just like a river otter when you swam in the creek
speaking of water, I couldn't keep you out of it, no matter the temperature
your first boat ride was on my skippers little fishing boat, you didn't know who I was in fishing waders and ran al the way back to the house and I had to chase you down
You got me to see nauture, I saw more of Oregon the three months I had you there than the entire two years before then
traveling cross country in every little hotel that would allow us - remember the 1915 mansion in Pennsylvania
sleeping inside my sleeping bag in Jackson Hole - it was cold that night
not sleeping at all at Glendo Lake in eastern wyoming - but you were my guard dog, you knew and you were only 4 months old
signing the papers on my house - you were in the lawyers office with me.
finding just the right house for my little Thor
the first time I took you mountain biking, you ran right beside me the whole time - loving it
the way I couldn't leave the room without following me, not even to take 5 steps down the hall
the way you wanted to join me in the bathtub
you were so good at bathtime - well it took a little effort to get you in but you accepted your fate so easily and just allowed me to get the job done, oh but how you loved the rub down afterwards
Your favorite was when all three roomies focused all our attention on you, you loved the dog pile.
They way Travis bought four ears of corn and didn't think anything of it.
the way you would try to get up on the furniture like it was no big deal
how you shook horse around
your poor eye snout coordination - you never quite got good at catching the frisbee
how you knew when I was studying hard and would stay downstairs then I would call you up to bed each night and you'd just come no problem
you finally stopped chasing the cat
your little poo spot in the woods
playing with all your friends at the dog park, Strider, Butters, Cassius, Sopie, Possum, MacKenzie, Ella, Sophia, Topher, Daisy, Tory, Alex, Baka, Molly, Scout, Trett, Sheba, Mason, Toby and your girlfriend - Della.
You were such a handsom fella and got compliments wherever we went, even the Jiffy Lube and Home Depot people liked you!
the way youy would greet us every day wehn we returned home wagging your tail ferousicly, you never did learn not to jump up.
When you peed on Ang because you were so happy to see her you jumped up but you had a full bladder
how you stunk yourself out of the room sometimes
how good you were with the girls
your love of Sarah McClachlan - I Will Remember You was the only song that would calm you down on your first car rides out to the farm
Chasing the frisbee or stick along Bastendorf Beach
Walking out to the remains of the New Carrissa - I didn't realize how far a walk it was and had to carry you back part of the way
Coming into work each day and bringing joy to everyone there
Peeing in the boss's office before you were fully housetrained
Poser - you always new when a picture was being taken
sleeping beside my bed at night
my 6am wake up call
allowing me to sleep in when I'd had a rough night
waiting paitiently outside Weaver Street
Everyone loved you my dear sweet boy, especially me. You were a lifelong dream come true and I only wish I had you to share all our life together - we had so many plans, so many dreams and they were cut too short. I will never forget you my sweet boy, the sound your ears made when you shook then against your head, how you loved to run amongst the plastic pink flamingos in the woods,
our travels took us far and wide, you lived a lot in your short life. I tried to love you for every minute of it because you loved me for every minute of yours. I will love you for all my minutes from now until eternity and someday we shall be reunited once again....until then, enjoy your streams and creeks, spread your love and joy and contagious enthusiam and love for life to all those that have passed before, and just like at the dog park, be there to welcome in any new arrivals - make them feel safe and know they have come to a good place they can call home and await to be reunited too.