I believe

I believe…

The month of January seemed so long. I was so excited for the year 2020. I dreamed of this year as a child. I remember using a calculator to figure out I would be 38 years old in the year 2020. I remember wondering if I would be alive. I used to think being 30 was so old and once you hit 30 your life was over. Little did I know my life just started to take off at 30.

In an earlier blog I mentioned my 30th birthday gift to myself was my dog Charleston, aka Charles, Charlie, Chuck, Pupparonies. He was the best dog I ever had and the only dog who ever understood me. He celebrated every day when I came through the door and I never knew how much I would truly miss this greeting. Charleston passed away in my arms on his 8th birthday in our house that he loved so very much. I know that if love could have saved Charleston, he would have lived forever.

I believe I did the best thing in ending your suffering. I believe you needed to pass in my arms as much as I needed it. I believe you ran so fast for that rainbow bridge. I believe that night when the most beautiful sunset came over your grave looking out on the lake, you made it. As I write about you weeks later I am still crying. When you were here you always licked my tears which make me laugh and cheer up. I miss your comfort. Our house seemed so quiet without you. Everywhere I looked I missed you. I made a cup of tea and realized it was in a corgi mug. Our whole house is covered in corgi decor. My car has corgi decor. I would have given anything to have you back.

I believe the day after you passed Sir Charleston your little human, my son Daniel found your sister online. In what can only be described as a wild mistake. Dan came home asking “how long do Pomeranians live for?” His friend at school said his dog is 100. Which made me cry some more, because I wish dogs could live to be 100. Dogs love us unconditionally like no other and leave us far too early. When we googled how long Pomeranians live Dan clicked the first link which was a dog rescue site in the USA. Dan looked at the corgis. I couldn’t my tears were so heavy. The last corgi on the site looked like your twin, Charles her name was Kelsey and she needed a permanent home. We both thought it was a picture of you on our deck. She was the only corgi in Canada who needed a home and was an hour from us. Dan immediately wanted me to e-mail, to call, to find out more. My broken heart I couldn’t. I spent days lying in bed with your blanket, the last dog toy you gave me, talking to your pictures and sitting at your grave. Loosing a dog who is your best friend, well there is no way to describe it, it just sucks. I swore the day you passed away Charles I would never have another dog because no matter the dog we got, it would never compare to the love you had. I swore I could never relive putting a dog down. I almost drown in my own tears. Sweet Charles you meant the world to me.

Kelsey, oh Queen Kelsey, I couldn’t get you off my mind. Dan bugged and bugged until I called. I immediately asked how old you were and the sweet lady who had you told me you just turned 8 and I knew we had to meet you. START THE CAR! We were on our way to meet you. I honestly didn’t think my heart could take this. Dan said he needed this to heal his broken heart. I had Charles before Dan so they grew up getting into trouble. Charles always watched over his little human. Charles was my shadow I never went anywhere without him attached to me. When I left the house he lay down at the door and waited. Kelsey immediately loved us but she stuck like glue to Dan. She looks identical to Charles and even has the white circle on the back of her neck. She is the smaller girl version of Charles. She has been home with us almost 2 weeks and she is Dan’s shadow. If he moves she’s right on him. If he’s not home, she’s the saddest dog in the world. Kelsey has all the same behavior problems. She wants no part of any other pets. She’s aggressive and a loud mouth. She freaks out when noise is too loud. Charles would howl when the noise got too loud. She runs around barking like a crazy dog. If I pretended to wrestle or grab Dan, Charles would bite me. Kelsey the exact same thing. You do not touch Dan.

As much as I swore I could never do this again. I am so in love with Queen Kelsey. Dan picked out her collar and it’s pink with glitter crowns and a glitter bow. He picked out her name tag and it has a crown and says the Queen. He engraved her tag Queen Kelsey. You walked into our home after your 8th birthday like you own it. You are exactly what we both needed to heal our broken hearts. We went from endless crying to constant laughter. We love you so very much because you remind us so very much of your brother.

Side note: I do not have Kelsey’s breeder’s record. I do not know where she came from. I know I drove almost 6 hours one way to this small town of Blyth Ontario in 2012 to purchase Charles. He was the last puppy in his litter and was not sold because of the size of his ears. I did not know of many breeders in 2012. Corgis have since blown up and are popular dogs. I get it they are amazing dogs.

I am so very blessed to have had the most amazing King and now the most amazing Queen. Welcome to your forever home girl. Thanks for being a part of our family! As I write this blog I am crying with all the memories and whirlwind of the last few weeks have brought me. I look down and there is Queen Kelsey right beside me only because Dan’s at his grandmas but it’s exactly where Charles used to lay when I did my writing. Oh my heart.

Thank you to my granny who stood with me as I had to put Charles down. I have never met anyone who understands animals like you. Thank you to Meredith who makes at home vet calls and was able to come on short notice. You were exactly what I needed to survive the day. Thank you Meredith for making a donation in Charleston’s honour. It means the world to me that you provide this service. I believe every pet should pass at home in our loving arms. Thank you to Dianne for allowing us to meet and adopt Kelsey’s. Thank you for allowing me to cry in your kitchen as I told you about Charles. Thank you for making a donation in Charles honour to the rescue where we found Kelsey. Thank you to Whoozagooddog Kingston and all the wonderful corgis and owners from the Kingston corgi group. The party you had in honour of Charles was beautiful and meant the world to us. Thank you Charleston Rupertly Corgshire, for being the best dog for 8 wonderful years. You will forever be our King. Thank you Queen Kelsey for coming into our lives. Here’s to living out your best years being spoiled as our Queen.