The Story of Lilly

We had a dog named Holly. She had several litter of puppies. The best dog we ever bred her to was a dog named Nash. The first breeding Holly had a beautiful litter of puppies. We had sold them all except for one female puppy I named Mandy. Mandy was yellow and a very sweet little female. She got to be a couple of months old before anyone wanted to buy her. Finally it happened. A couple called and came to look at her and of course fell in love with her.

I cried when we sold Mandy and even Bill hated that we were selling her. He had grown attached to her as well. But the new folks took her home promising to give her a good home and love her forever. I never quiet got over selling Mandy. She was my favorite of all the puppies Holly had given birth to.

So later when Holly came in season again, I thought we would breed her again. So I contacted Nash's owners and set up a date for them. I took her to their house but I didn't think the breeding worked and Bill decided we really didn't need for her to have puppies again anyway. So we didn't repeat the breeding.

Fast forward to 60 days later. Holly was in the corner of our basement where she liked to have her puppies and she was scratching around on the floor like she was making a bed. I told Bill if I didn't know better I would think she was getting ready to have puppies. But I thought, not possible. She had not come to her milk and she didn't look like she was pregnant. But I was puzzled as to why she was acting like she was.

I fixed Holly's bed in a child's swimming pool by putting an old blanket in the pool. She was satisfied with the arrangement. I went to work. When I got home that afternoon, she had one yellow female puppy. It was just what I wanted. A yellow female puppy. I waited and watched for her to have another puppy but no more puppies. The next morning I called the vet and took her in because she still acted like she was in labor.

He operated on Holly and found she had no more puppies. She was straining to pass the afterbirth not more puppies. So I had her spayed. She was getting some age on her and I didn't want to breed her again. While I was waiting I called my friends who owned Nash and told them about the one puppy. The female I wanted so badly and how God had blessed me with this one little yellow female puppy.

Ann thinking about Easter having just passed suggested I name her Lilly. It was a perfect name for her. Not only is it tied to Easter but there is a flower called "A surprise Lilly". Well she certainly was a surprise. And she was yellow and she was perfect.

Lilly didn't have a real easy time of it. I came home one day from work and she had somehow broken her leg. I never did know how but I went to the vet with her and he put a splint on it that was very unhandy for her. She drug it around and poor thing would flop over from the awkwardness of the splint. She went outside to answer the call of nature and promptly got it dirty and drug it off. Back to the vet. He re taped it and got it too tight. She has a scar from that to this day.

So the leg healed. Some time later I called her and Holly in for the night. It was October and the air was cool. I was outside calling her and walked past the neighbor's privacy fence. I heard all this splashing going on. I went over and looked through the boards of the fence to see what idiot was out swimming on a cold night in ice water. It wasn't any person, it was my Lilly. We fished her out of the pool and dried her off as best we could.

She would often be gone to visit neighbors and I would be out looking for her. I always found her and loaded her into the truck and hauled her home. Sometimes, I would be late for an appointment or work or even Church because I was bringing her home.

Today it has been terribly hot and tonight is not suppose to cool off and be any lower than in the 80 degree range. Bob and Leigh went for a ride today and the dogs followed along. When they got back Erica was with them but Lilly wasn't. They figured she would be in soon so they didn't worry at first. When I got home from the doctor, it was late enough that we got worried. We looked for her until dark. On the four wheeler and by horse back and on foot.

The Doctor won't let me back on the horse so I was the one on foot. We followed our trails and called her and called. But we found no trace of her. She has gone missing and the woods are thick and the fields are grown up so I have no hopes of running across her. The last time she was seen for sure was when the two dogs went into the water to have a swim. That area was searched completely and still no sign of Lilly.

So tonight I am rather upset. Lilly has been with me for several years. Over 7 to be exact. She has gotten too fat and her grandmother died of a heart attach. So yes I am worried. But she is in God's hands. God gave her to me and now if he takes her back it will be alright too. I just pray she doesn't suffer a painful death. God is good and will take care of our dog. Mine and God's dog.

My brother Bob is trying to make me feel better by suggesting she will come in tonight when it gets cooler. I know he is meaning to comfort me but I'm not buying it. I have called and whistled for her. If she was able she would have come.

So tonight despite all the blog material I have from the horse show and our busy week last week, I am writing a sad blog about the loss of another dog in less than a year.

But I am not alone. My friend Sheri told me about her dog Lando that was attach by a large dog recently and had to be put down because of his injuries. So I do not grieve alone. We have all had the misfortune of loving too deeply and caring too much for these wonderful animals God gave to us.

Where ever she is, she is in God's care and he will be with this animal I love. I know that because the Bible tells us that not a sparrow falls to earth that God doesn't know about. It teaches us from that that if God cares so much for the sparrow how much more does he care about you and me and the rest of mankind. It tell us that we are worth more than all the sparrows. After all remember God gave his only son to die for us so that our sins can be forgiven.

Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friend.

Jesus did that for you and me so that we don't have to try to earn our way into heaven by our good works.

May God who watches over sparrows bless you and keep you in his loving care.


Regards

Mary