Sweet Tawni has gone over the rainbow bridge

[deena]

Her given name is tawni, better known as punky.....she came to me at a time of grief from loosing my dear male lab yeowlser who had passed away at a ripe age of 13. I sat in the yard where she was born and had 12 siblings to compete with....after my arrival and my loss I just could not leave the yard....finally this cute little female came over and crashed on my lap...she was too young to take home so I had plenty of time to think about whether or not I wanted another dog as I still had a grieving dog at home. then while I was at work the owners of the litter stopped by with this adorable girl and stated that it was now or never.....that's when the games began. Her first excursion was to my home town in Montana...I swear you could literally watch her grow on the seat of my truck.
Being on the Olympic Peninsula with this dear girl was so much fun as she would have drown in the water had I not kept my eye on her....
Always a happy go lucky dog and would go anywhere I would at any time and sometimes by herself. ( i am gonna have to close for now as I still can not see through the tears)

[labblab]

Dear Deena,

Thank you so very much for sharing your sweet Tawni girl with us. Her memorial photo is so beautiful, as are your memories. From both her picture and also your words, her joy in the water comes shining through. She was a perfect Lab girl, living out the heritage that was born into her blood.

I know there is nothing that we can say or do to ease your pain. But please know that we join you in honoring Tawni's sweet spirit, and all that the two of you will always mean to one another.

Sending many hugs in loving memory of your precious girl,
Marianne

[mytil]

Oh Deena,

Thank you for telling us about your sweet girl. It is so very hard I know. She is gem and always will be. I would like to know more.

My continued ((((hugs))))
Terry

[deena]

It has been one week since you have gone over the bridge yet it seems like just yesterday we returned from our trip in Montana for the first time....you were the youngest of all and the only yellow in amongst six Labradors.....when we were at Moise Lake in the middle of no where you took off running while hanging on to your runner...the sudden stop caused your tooth to bleed causing an up roar in camp as we were definitely in grizzly country....gave every one a scare until we saw that you lost your first baby tooth....it was a good trip over all and had your feet in so many rivers, streams and lakes....especially enjoyed the Snake River where you thought you could catch the geese......
Being raised on an 80 acre farm til you were 8 had lots of experiences one of the best was your intent on keeping all the hawks away from your sight...all we'd have to say is hawk and you were on the run barking until they were not in sight any more....it was the darnedest thing I had seen up until then...... rest easy girl....I will continue your saga as I can....

[marie adams]

Oh Deena,

My thoughts are with you as you go through this process. It is hard as I found out early this year. You know this process from the past; you know it takes time, but never leaves you, just gets a little better.

I now have our sweet and into everything Ella who is almost 6 mos old and a character to say the least....

Please take care and please share more stories of precious Tawni....:)

[deena]

tomorrow I leave for Montana to tend to Mom's possessions and with any luck to spread her ashes......it will be a tough 900 miles without you girl as we had gone twice within the past year....we would have gone one more time but you just couldn't make it....I am so happy that I did not tempt faith and stayed home to enjoy one more month with you....the pain is still so great but I will hold my head up high and remember your love for me as sometimes that is what carries me through .....Missing You....and your hugs....

[Squirt's Mom]

Dear Deena,

Your sweet golden girl will be with you every mile of the way. She will walk with you as you face yet another difficult task. At some point, you will be stilled with grief for all you have recently lost when you will feel the merest of touches on your face, maybe just a little breath against your tear-stained cheek, and you will know deep in your soul that it is Tawny, kissing away your tears.

My prayers and thoughts go with you as well. Remember your family is here for you any time you wish to talk.
Hugs,
Leslie

[Cyn719]

Deena - our love and prayers are with your on your journey - you have been through so much - take it slow - you have great memories and those will never go away - and keep remembering the happy times and keep remembering you were a wonderful Mom to Tawni - Love and prayers xo

[deena]

Back from Montana, things went fairly well......mom is in the Lamar Valley, one of her favorite places in the whole world, got to see two grizzlies before leaving the valley which makes us feel good as she was never afraid of them but if it had horns it was a different story... rest in peace mom..... Now that I am home again I have been clearing out the area where I layed Tawni to rest.... It was hard to find a spot as I had just moved in the house the end of August.... Once I spotted the apple tree which was hard to do as you could not see it, the place had been empty for some time and everything was over grown, I knew it was the right spot as she would fight you for your apple. The plan is to set up a bench to have a place to rest while putting in the vegetable garden next year.
I will definitely miss your antics of fighting me for the weeds I pull up, shredding them and leaving dirt all over the yard...

[labblab]

Dear Deena,

I am so glad to hear that you are safely back from Montana, and that your mom's ashes are now forever nourishing the valley that she loved. And now, your plan for the bench and the garden alongside Tawni and "her" apple tree sound perfect. I hope and believe that you will be filled with her spirit over and over and over again, with each seedling you tend and with every moment you pause to rest at her bench.

If the time ever comes that you might wish to add some photos of Tawni's garden to your personal photo album, we would love to see them. But regardless, I am already picturing both your mom's valley and Tawni's apple tree in my mind's eye. Thank you for sharing these sweet thoughts and images with us.

Sending many hugs to you, always in loving memory of your golden girl.
Marianne

[Cyn719]

Deena - What a beautiful tribute to mom and to Tawni - just by your words and your action I can tell you are a beautiful person inside and out. Prayers are with you and I hope the days to come get alittle easier for you - you have beautiful memories that will last forever

[labblab]

Oh Deena, I've just seen your new photo album, and your pictures are wonderful!!! What sweet, joyful doggies! :o :)

Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
Marianne

[marie adams]

Dear Deena,

How I know what kind of year you have had...:( I lost Maddie and then I lost my mother two months later. It has been a long road and I have my moments like today again when I was walking with Ella I thought of all the times it was Maddie following me.

Tawni was beautiful!! Such a wonderful place under the apple tree and a bench to remember her stories.:)

Take care!!!

[Dollydog]

Hello...thanks for posting the new pics of Tawni and her buddies....she was a lovely dog and you must miss her very much. Please take good care of yourself at this time and come back to let us know how you're doing.
Jo-Ann

[apollo6]

Lost but never forgotten. The picture of Tawni are beautiful. She had a wonderful love filled life.
May you have some peace.
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

[deena]

Yesterday was your sisters 15th birthday.....sure was missing your birthday antics....we couldn't have a birthday for anyone with out wrapping presents for every one....sorry girl couldn't bring myself to having presents this go around but we did have cream filled cupcakes... always a treat.
I remember two years ago for your birthday we went to the vet as you weren't doing so well and found out you had become diabetic... Wasn't that a great way to spend it? It definitely changed the game some......never thought I would be able to stick you in the lip to check your sugar level then it became second nature and you would wag your tail every time I would say its hokie pokie time. Sure do miss you!!

[deena]

Merry Christmas to all......I added a pic of my sweet girl where she is resting today and am fighting the tears of missing her and thinking of those who have lost and those going through the tough times as our fur babies strive to survive.....even though I have been unable to post I still visit the sight and read what I can......I hope everyone has a great Christmas and can find some comfort knowing we are not alone...



http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=405&pictureid=3433

[labblab]

Oh, what a touching photo. :o

Thank you so much for returning today and posting your sweet Christmas wish to all our family. You are so right, I believe there is great comfort in knowing that we are not alone -- that we are all among "family" here.

On this Christmas Eve, I join you in saluting the spirit of your Tawni girl. And I wish you many hugs of comfort in return for your own kind words.

With my best wishes,
Marianne

[mytil]

Oh Deena, thank you for posting this wonderful photo and tribute to your sweet Tawni. Your kinds word to the others touches me deeply as I lost my Clancy on xmas eve back in 2000 and still it is hard when this time comes around.

((((hugs)))) and blessings to you
Terry

[deena]

Spring time has come to the pacific northwest the humming birds are swarming the yard, flowers everywhere and the dandolions are ever so much so much a prominate part of the landscape....hard for me yet the memories of all the walks we took while you begged me to pick more (even though you grazed yourself) it was the one you had me pick for you to eat that seemed to be the best of the whole yard.... for those who read this it is the memories that we have to hold onto and the love shared with our fur babies that seem to carry us through also the thought of not being alone through this forum that carry to that special place.....seven monthes later the tears still flow and the heart still aches.....thank you all for being there and give your fur babies a big hug.....a big hug to all those who have lost and are goin through difficult times with thier fur babies.............

[mytil]

Oh Deena,

It is good to hear from you. I would bet that your sweet Tawni is all around you with every flower that blooms - her spirit is with you.

Go ahead and cry - it is so normal and okay. This amazing bond is so incredibly tight with our furbabies and will be there forever.

((((hugs))))
Terry

[deena]

Today would have been your thirteenth birthday and I truly thought you would still be with me on this earth and not just my heart and thoughts.....I had all ready sat with you and your twelve siblings.... you picked me.....then one day i was standing at work Tom brought you in and set you on the counter said it's now or never...how could i have resisted? within a month we were on our way to Montana.. I swear i watched you grow on the seat of that old truck.
I still see you chasing the hawks across the field as only you could do, it was your field and nothing could be in it or fly over....remember when i had to walk you out to show you the plastic bag that had blown across the field and was caught on the fence post just to get you to quit barking at it? you grabbed and looked at me (what?)as though you knew what it was all along.
Even though there will be no cupcake and presents I will be thinking of you and dewey crossing the field hunting for mice....love and miss my girls!!! today, yesterday and always

[marie adams]

Dear Deena what a wonderful rememberance to Tawni. We remember all those dates with such wonderful memories. :)

I love the story of the plastic bag on the fence.:D It reminds me of Miss Ella who at 14 months loves to bark at things that are different or out of place. Maddie use to love to chase the birds in the backyard because it was her backyard!! :p

Best always to you!!! Best always to all our Furbabies running free and happy at the Rainbow Bridge.:)