Rest in Peace, Mister the Dog

We had to put Mister to sleep on Friday.  It was so sad.  He had been doing pretty well-- thin, and tired a lot, but also happy to eat and lick dishes being loaded into the dishwasher, and howling along with "How Much is that Doggy in the Window."  And then on Thursday morning he woke up, and never really moved off his dog bed the whole day.  He barely lifted his head.  He wouldn't eat anything.  He couldn't get to his feet by himself.  That evening we brought him outside to try to cheer him up.  We sang the Doggy in the Window song and he couldn't even lift his head.  He tried so hard to howl, but barely managed little huffs.  Oh, it was the saddest thing.  I couldn't even keep singing the song.  We took some family pictures with him, and then brought him inside.  The boys wanted to sleep with him one last time, so we hoisted him onto my bed and everyone brought down their favorite stuffed animals to snuggle next to him.  I lifted him down from the bed to go outside to relieve himself, and that was the last time he walked on his own.  The next morning he couldn't bear weight at all on his legs.  He ate half a hot dog under the encouragement of Joseph, but that was it.  He couldn't even lift his head to drink water.  Ben came home early from work, and we all spent one last hour with Mister.  Joseph was inconsolable.  I was inconsolable watching my boy.  We cut some fur from his tail to keep in little film canisters, and finally, after a family prayer, we all got in the car to take Mister to the vet.  I wasn't sure that the boys should go in, but they all wanted to.  I didn't want to go in.  I stayed in the car and told them that if it got too sad, they could come out.  Ben carried Mister over to me for one last goodbye, and then he went into the vet's office and that was the last I saw of him.  The procedure didn't take very long.  He died very quickly surrounded by Ben and the boys.  Afterward Brigham closed Mister's eyes for him.  When they came back to the car, everyone was crying, even Ben.  I wasn't sure what to do.  My plan was to go somewhere out to eat, and then go see a movie to get everyone's mind off of it.  I wasn't sure what I should do in the car.  Is it good to try to distract the boys from their grief, or let them feel it?  After a few minutes, I decided there would be plenty of time for them to replay Mister's last moments in their heads, and right now they needed to feel some relief.  So I put on Harry Potter book 6 and we drove to Round Rock.  We ate at The Cracker Barrel, somewhere we've never been before, but that we all decided we'll go back to again!  Then we went over to the dollar theater (well, $2 theater) and watched Thor.  Harry Potter again in the car on the way home, and then it was time to go inside to an empty house where our dog will never come running to greet us at the door again.  As soon as we pulled into the garage, Joseph started crying again.  He went upstairs into his room and closed the door, but I could hear him sobbing his heart out.  I went upstairs and lay next to him on the bed with my arms around him.  I sent Ben downstairs to get the stuffed animal dog that had slept next to Mister the night before.  I talked to Joseph, trying to soothe him, but nothing I could say could make things be alright with him.  Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I tucked him into bed, turned on the bedside lamp, and read to him from "Brighty of the Grand Canyon" until he was able to breathe calmly again.  He drifted off after a long while, and then I did too.  After an hour or so, he woke up with a start and said, "Mom, I dreamed about Mister!"  He dreamed of Mister and Xander and Jacob and Isaac all together in Heaven.  I don't know the theology of animal souls, but I do believe that beloved family dogs have an eternal nature.  I really do believe that we'll see him again.  Joseph was able to fall asleep again, and slept soundly the rest of the night.
The other boys were sad, but not like Joseph.  Mister and Joseph had a special relationship.  Joseph loved Mister with all his heart, and Mister loved Joseph more particularly than anyone else.  If the boys were ever wrestling together, Mister always tried to get in and protect Joseph.  Joseph was the most faithful dog-walker.  Joseph bought Mister a Texas flag collar out of his own money.  Joseph never complained about doing any dog-related chores.  Mister's death leaves a bigger hole in Joseph's life than any of the rest of us. 
I'll miss that crazy dog, too.  We definitely had a love hate relationship (he loved me, I hated him-- LOL  (just kidding, I never really hated him)).  But the past couple of days it has been really sad not to have my shadow following me around.  No Mister to lick the leftovers out of the pans.  No Mister following me into the bathroom, into the laundry room, parking himself right behind my wheelchair wherever I am so that I nearly run him over every time I need to move around!  No sound of Mister's collar jangling at the door into the garage when we pulled in after church.  No Mister jumping up onto my bed and curling up at the foot of my bed always exactly where I need to put my feet.  He will be missed.